Rules of Regifting

According to a survey by American Express, 33% of Americans will recycle a holiday gift this year. Is regifting always poor etiquette, or can it be done under the right circumstances? If you’re going to regift this year, here are the rules to follow!

Rule 1 — Never regift a present you’ve already used even once, it’s just tacky.

Rule 2 — Inspect before you wrap. Look for things like fingerprints on a bottle of wine, old sell-by dates on food, or missing warranty cards from appliances or electronics.

Rule 3 — Rewrap the present in a decorative gift bag or a plain while box with tissue paper. If your regift has a few items, opt for a cellophane-wrapped basket, tied with colorful ribbon.

Rule 4 – Do not go back to the store you know it’s from and try to get a bag. Should your giftee go to return it, they’ll be in a for an unpleasant surprise when she finds out that product hasn’t been in stock for the past two years.

The Emily Post Institute offers the final word on regifting: It should be done only rarely, and under specific criteria:

• You are certain the gift is something the recipient would enjoy.
• The gift is brand new and comes wit its original box and instructions.
• The gift isn’t handmade, or one that the original giver took great care to select.

And last but not least, did you know…

Added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2009, the term “Regifter” was actually coined by Seinfeld. Here’s the infamous episode that popularized the term!

Is regifting always poor etiquette, or can it be done under certain circumstances? Let us know by commenting below, or on our Facebook page!