Christmas is often referred to as the season of giving. It’s a time to recognise the important people in our lives and it is a common tradition to give a Christmas gift to show your love and appreciation.
Whilst the thought and intention behind those gifts is always coming from a good place, sometimes they are just not quite right and you might find yourself accumulating unwanted Christmas gifts.
In most cases, it’s not so much that you are ungrateful to receive them but if you are not going to make good use of them perhaps it may be better utilised by someone else if given a second chance.
This is where regifting can be a great option. So long as it is done respectfully and you are careful not to gift back to the person that gave it to you, that might be a little awkward, there is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. It makes sense to be smart and move it on to someone else rather than sitting neglected and wasted in the back of your cupboard.
If you find that you have gathered accumulated a little collection of Christmas gifts (and other occasional gifts for that matter), why not save some time and some precious dollars this year by being gift-savvy and re-gifting! Christmas gifts can be even better the second time around if you nail the process of re-gifting tastefully.
Here are our top tips on how to regift your unwanted stash of goodies this Christmas.
#1. To regift or not regift – that is the question
There are some Christmas gifts that are better being passed over than passed on. The first rule of thumb for successfully regifting Christmas gifts is to determine whether the item is worth regifting to anyone in the first place.
Following are a couple of things to consider when making your decision:
Regift or donate
Items that you personally consider to be tacky, or useless, or just plain awful, are perhaps better being donated than regifted. These types of items are often more appropriate for a particular cause – e.g. a dress-up party, party theming, gifts competing for a “worst gift prize”, etc and people generally love scouring Op shops for pieces like this.
In a similar vain, these types of items may also be very much appreciated by certain members of the community and it may be more worthwhile for those individuals to have the opportunity to be able to directly source those pieces themselves from charity stores and other similar type places.
Shock factor
If you were particularly shocked or repulsed by the Christmas gift that you received, ask yourself if you really feel comfortable potentially passing that same experience on to someone else.
#2. Keep it relevant
When you have decided on the Christmas gifts that are worthy of being moved to a new home, the next thing is to consider their relevance. Don’t just regift for the purpose of getting rid of an item that you do not like.
It is important that you consider and make sure that the Christmas gift will be well-received by its new recipient. For example, it is no good giving a fishing kit to someone who does not even own a fishing rod. Likewise, craft kits would be useless given to someone with no obvious interest in craft activities or with no time to use them.
#3. Test it out
If anything like some people I know (uh hm, okay – anything like me), my collection of unwanted Christmas gifts dates back a few years as I tend to stash them away. So, before considering regifting, be sure to give your items a good once over.
- Ensure everything works as it should and that there are no pieces missing from those older Christmas gifts. If in doubt, it is better to throw it out or consider offering it for free on an online platform or marketplace (make sure you are honest about what you are, or are not, supplying).
- Make sure the Christmas gift was not personalised for you in any way (engraving, monogram, etc) and also that it was not handmade. Sorry, even if you don’t like them – these types of Christmas gifts are generally not acceptable for regifting purposes.
- Only Christmas gifts that come in their original packaging and original state, with tags and instructions included where relevant, are appropriate for being regifted.
- Be sure to remove any name tags or stickers, etc that may have been stuck to the Christmas gift when it was given to you.
#4. Present it thoughtfully
As you have saved a few dollars on the Christmas gift itself, put some extra effort into the presentation of your item. Thoughtful gift wrapping with beautiful Christmas ribbon or bows, or a gift attractively wrapped with a Christmas decoration on top, will help set a positive first impression and make the item feel uber special for your recipient.
If your regifted item is small and could do with a few other pieces to finish the gift perfectly, consider adding the regifted item into a Christmas hamper. Fill the empty spaces with some tissue paper, crumpled up cellophane and add a few candy canes and a personalised Christmas bauble to the mix.
A summary of regifting rules to success
In summary, to ensure you nail a successful and tasteful regifting process, remember:
- Tacky is just tacky
- Relevance is key
- Used, damaged, or Christmas gifts that were personalised for you are not acceptable
- Presentation creates an impression
There is no shame in regifting unwanted Christmas gifts. The only shame is doing it in bad taste or not following the simple rules above and getting it very wrong. Just follow our tips to nail your Christmas gifting this year – whether they are new or old.
Whether you are looking for small pieces to package or accompany your regifting or perhaps you need some other gorgeous gifts and Christmas décor, visit The Christmas Cart website to explore the range.