Your sister - in - law give you a pair of beautiful financial statement earring for your birthday — but you only put on studs . Your mom indue you a gorgeous vase every Christmas , and you literally can not outfit another one in your cabinet . These trinkets are just dying to be regifted so they can be put to dependable use , right?Right ?
perfectly , say modus vivendi and etiquette expertElaine Swann . " Regifting is perfectly satisfactory if done aright , " she read . With gift - give season upon us , here are her cardinal prescript for recycling a present without looking like a cheap saccade .
1. IT MUST BE NEW.
The item should be less than a year erstwhile and in its original packaging , says Swann .
2. IT MUST HAVE VALUE.
No , you may not regift that canvas lug base from the Radiological Society of North America ’s annual meeting . If you or the initial natural endowment - bestower did n’t bear for it , you ca n’t give it to someone else . The only exclusion is if a spell of swag is high - timbre and has meaning for the receiver . Swann once receive an " Oprah"-engraved keychain when she attended a show tape ; she gave it to her mom , a huge fan . " Although it was liberal , it was not your run - of - the - mill keychain , " she says .
3. IT MUST BE REWRAPPED.
This is perhaps where mass go wrong most frequently . madly regifting at the last - minute because you forget to purchase something is a formula for disaster . Take fifteen minute to ensure all old wrapping and name tag are removed , and splurge on a pretty bow or cute gift bag .
4. IT MUST MOVE TO A NEW SOCIAL CIRCLE.
Swann remember a friend who did n’t like a wedding present from her aunt , so she regifted it — to another aunty , the original giver ’s baby . Oops . To avoid overlap , view Swann ’s method . She keeps a bin in her closet for gifts that can be reused , along with a notebook computer in which she records the date she received an item , and from whom .
5. YOU MUST NOT LIE.
If you are caught , just tell the truth . you could put a positive twist on it ( " I really value the sweater you gave me , but my just friend looks much comfortably in coral " ) , but you could not pretend it did n’t bump . " They might be a short sore , but lie in about it will always make it worse , " Swann pronounce . Own up to it and move on .
