Now don’t get me wrong. I am always appreciative whenever anyone gives me a gift; I make it a point to thank them. But let’s face it. Sometimes the gifts we receive just aren’t quite right. Do we really need that second or third Crockpot? And as much as we might like chocolates, those extra pounds might not be worth it. Solution: Don’t throw away those unwanted or unneeded gifts or let them sit unused on a shelf, re-gift them instead.
When you decide to re-gift, hopefully the receiver is someone who really needs the item. If not, that’s ok because you are just creating another re-gifting opportunity for someone else. If you don’t have a specific individual in mind you can always donate the item. Depending on the item, there are many charitable organizations who accept donations.
Now a word of caution is in order. There are times when re-gifting is not appropriate: family heirlooms. You may not want Grandma’s wedding ring or Aunt Mable’s end table, but maybe one of your children or grandchildren will. If passing them down to children or grandchildren is not an option, and you still don’t want the gift, you need to be graciously thankful, but let the giver know that some other family member should be the recipient. Whatever you do, don’t re-gift or donate a family “treasure” without permission of the family.
