It's so silly - pretending to like something you absolutely don't. How did we ever get ourselves into the ridiculous position where a person has to pretend to like something they absolutely loathe, when there has to be at least a million other people on the planet who'd love those socks, undies, saucepans, photo frames or garden gnomes?
There are two re-gifting circumstances. The gifts you give and the gifts you get.
If you are giving gift this Christmas, it's your chance to ok re-gifting as you go by simply telling the giftee that it's absolutely fine to pass on a gift they don't like, want or need. In fact, it was important to you that gifts are treated this way. Imagine how much weight would be lifted from gift giving if re-gifting was cool and supported?
If regifting makes you nervous and a little time helps, we can extend the Christmas celebration to the new year. Leave the socks and gnomes in the cupboard until a regifting amnesty date like Australia Day, Easter and the Queen's Birthday as official regifting days.
Australia Day could be great as all you need do is rock up to your mate's barbie, put those gnomes and socks in a pile with all the other unwanted gifts and let everyone take a pick for something they really want.
Australia Day is the first get together after Christmas and it's such a great chance to roll over all that stuff you don't want instead of it clogging up your cupboards and your conscience - and keep gifts current.
Easter is another excellent alternative. Who likes chocolate anyway? (me) But here's a way to up the ante on Easter. Add a regifted gift to your chocolate or give it instead.
The Queen's Birthday option however is definitely my fav. When I was a child, it always seemed kind of odd to me that there was a birthday, but no presents. Well, here is our big chance to have gifts for everyone, courtesy of regifting - and give Queenie the credit.
Of course, regifting doesn't really need a set say. Surprise gifts are so good for showing gratitude to someone who you know who appreciate the gift way more than the cupboard it sits in otherwise.
When it comes to regifting, best to not google all those silly rules about appropriate regifting behaviour. So last centure. Best to simply do the opposite, take back control of your own life and swing your own gifts however you like. If you are upfront and honest about a regift and tell its story, none of these silly points are necessary anyway.
Here's how you redo the old gift card with confidence. Take an already used gift card. First, cross out the gifter and write your name after FROM instead, then cross out your name under TO and put the new giftee name. Make sure you put in a comma so if they next person didn't like the gift, they already have your permission to just pass it right along! Genius!
Here is an example for the slower instructees (me):
TO: Julie FROM: Sam
TO: Julie, Mary, FROM: Sam, Julie,
TO: Julie, Mary, Skye, FROM: Sam, Julie, Mary,
See? Now you have a gift with history - with provenance. And way more meaning than it had on the first round.
If you can couple your card with the actual regifted gift, you have double points!