WebMD Community Talk Show

Depends on the situation. If you really don't like it, and you know someone who will like it, and they are not in the social circle as the original giver, and if the gift is relatively nice, I would do it, beats throwing it away. After you receive a gift it is yours to do with it as you will.
However, if someone gave me something that was ment to be sentimental, or personalized, or something they would expect to see in my home, I would not regift.
My exboyfriend (after we broke up) regifted a CD I had gotten him for our first Christmas as a couple. It was unwrapped and the case was cracked. I didn't really mind all that much, but I did call him out on it and teased him about it, our relationship was close enough where I could do that.

As the previous poster noted, making that decision is attached to lots and lots of "IFs"!!

Let's first approach it from the point of view of the giver (which I can only do if I am the giver, right?)...When I give a gift to an individual, I usually hope that it will please them. That is always the main reason for gift-giving... unless, of course, you associate it with an obligation such as weddings,etc. If the individual doesn't particularly like it or knows someone else who would enjoy it more or would like to exchange it for another item, I say GO FOR IT!!! I've no problem with their doing so.

One caveat I would note, however, would be, as was already said, if the item had a great deal of sentimental meaning...Then I would not like it just dismissed and "paid forward"...I would hope that if it not be kept, it be given to one who also would have that emotional attachment to it.

Now, from the receiver's standpoint: If I am given a gift which I neither want nor like and it has no special meaning, I try to note on a list the object and the name of the giver. That way if I choose to re-gift, I can avoid very sticky situations such as giving it to someone who will display it where the original giver is bound to see it. Now if I really want to blow it big time, giving it back to the original giver!! BIG OOOOPS!! on that one!!

I have kept some items not because I like them or that they have special meaning, but simply because I so dearly love the giver, that seeing what they gave me reminds me of them and makes me feel very happy!

See...Lots of issues to explore and think about, and many pit-falls to try and avoid. Perhaps this may explain Santa's beard??? He's disguised in anticipation that he might be caught re-gifting!!!

I regift if it's something without sentimental value and that I don't need, and the recipient will enjoy/use the item. If it's sentimental, I keep it no matter how horrible it is.

If you receive a gift you know you will not use or fully appreciate, was the giver rude to give it you? How do you know your own gifts are always used and appreciated by the recipient? A gift is a gift.

Re-gifting something you wouldn't use to someone who might like it more than you is not rude. Up to them what they want to do with it after that.

A friend gave me this tip years ago: she would save gifts given to her she didn't need and re-wrap them. If the occasion arose where someone she didn't plan to exchange with gave her a present, she had something to give them in return. Saves the awkwardness of "You shouldn't have!" (because you hadn't planned on giving them anything).

I agree with what everyone is saying - just make sure it is not given back to the one who gave it to you, also make sure if you do give it away that you know that person will not want to come over to see you and then see you don't have it.

I do have a couple of friends tell me up front - if this is something you already have or you do not need it - please by all means regift it. That person is very generous and I would never think to regift their gifts.

I LOVE IT WHEN I GET MY DAUGHTERS REGIFT. I LOVE IT WHEN THEY GIVE THEM TO ME...LOL

TIFF

IT JUST MAKES ME SMILE SO WHEN I GET THEM...

TIFF

I think it's totally fine to regift something, even if it was something special for that person.

I feel that passing it on, shows how much you LOVED the item, and that you want others to enjoy it also.

yet, I quit giving christmas presents, to family, friends etc. as most would complain about not liking it, etc.

hey, it was given in love, say thank you and then if you want to regift it fine.

Personally it doesn't bother me if people regift what i give them as long as im not the one getting it back. Now i have regifted things, such as body spray or perfumes because i simply will not use these iteams or those holiday cheese and meat things but usually find someone who i am sure likes them. I'm not that picky when it comes to gifts but most of my friends and family should know me by now, so if i get something like ice creams bowls(the ones in the holiday gift isles) or hot coco mugs i'm most likey to pass them on because its something that would sit in my cupboard taking up space. Sometimes the item being regifted is for someone who I didn't plan on getting a gift for to begin with or someone who I simply over looked while shopping thinking i could always find something nice later.

Regifting is only rude if you give it back to the person who gave it to you in the first place. Why have anything go to waste. One man's garbage is another man's treasure...so REGIFT :)P

I believe in regifting as opposed to just letting something sit in the closet when someone else could use it.

I use this method:

• always tag the gift with the name of the original gift-giver
• never, absolutely never regift within that person's family
• clean the original box
• if there are lots of dents and dings it belongs to you

I think I have only regifted to newlyweds

Mary

no, I dont think regifting is rude you may be blessing someone with something who is need, and mean while you was never even using the item to begin with.

My 8 month old recently got a pillow pet from her Aunt on her dads side (rolls eyes) she got the same exact color and style pillow pet she already has and being her first Christmas and living in a small apartment she got a lot of toys from other relatives we had to find a spot for and had no use for the exact same item so I asked a girl I baby sit if her 12 month old had one she didn't so we gave it to her.