Waste Not, Want Not: Tips on Regifting in this Season of Giving

The concept of regifting especially during the holiday season is not new. People have been doing it for decades not just at Christmas. If you're blessed with the time to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, then good for you. 

Others who are time-poor should be open to regifting as long as they follow certain rules:

Rule # 1: Check that the item you're regifting does not have any identifying marks.

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The grandmother of one friend used to write their names on the arms and legs of the dolls she sent to them from the US. Of course, my friend had three other sisters so it was also a way to identify who owned which doll. 

Rule # 2: If you're close to the recipient and can tell him or her that it's a regifted item, then be upfront about it.

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You're giving that item to them because you think they'll appreciate it more than anyone else. 

Rule # 3: If you feel queasy about regifting, consider holding a garage sale of your excess gifts and using the money collected to treat your friends to a Christmas lunch or dinner.

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As we grow older, physical things begin to matter less while a meal shared with friends is always memorable.

Rule # 4: Still unsure what to do with all those mugs, calendars and planners? Invite your friends to a "white elephant" raffle where the (ideally) rewrapped items are raffled off.

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It can be great fun especially when you try to outdo each other with the worst or most impersonal gift received.

Rule # 5: There always seems to be a glut of notebooks this time of year.

Howard Andrew Jones

An officemate collects the ones we don't want and donates them to schools that will surely benefit.