Read this before you regift something

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Ahoy (re)gifters! Today, we navigate the treacherous waters of regifting – where no unwanted silver duck trivet is left behind.

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Estimated read time: 2 minutes & 23 seconds

This Reddit post thread is a treasure trove of insight on the topic of regifting. 

To save you the time of combing through the hundreds of comments, I’ve distilled what I found to be the very best insights into a digestible and actionable gameplan. Enjoy!

Regifting Rule #1: Don’t ever let something you regifted cross paths with the original gift-giver!

BGC Regifting Playbook:

1. Identify a “hiding place” in your household to store items you intend to regift

2. Upon receiving an item, determine it’s regiftability potential

3. If the item is regiftable, before placing it into your hiding place, put a sticky note on it that lists who gave it to you and appropriate potential regift recipients

4. Allow item you intend to regift to properly “age”. To be wise, don’t immediately regift something.

5. Seek appropriate regifting opportunities (your regift recipient will enjoy the gift AND the regift won’t cross paths with original gift-giver)

Possible Regifting Opportunities:

1. Senior centers (as bingo prizes)

2. Local buy-nothing Facebook groups

3. Planned regift gift exchanges/white elephants

4. Silent auctions (combine related items in a basket)

5. Last-minute gifting occasions (see  “always-on-hand" gifts)

6. Just-because gifting occasions (lower scrutiny/expectations)

7. Donation centers/food pantry (see The “Boxing Day Giving" Gift)

8. Gifting occasions outside of the social circle of the original gift-giver

Other Regifitng Insights:

1. Commonly regifted items: beauty, self care, and home decor products 

2. Generic items are easier to regift. It's likely not wise to regift personalized gifts or ones with high sentimental value.

3. Save yourself embarrassment - In case you’re asked, have an idea of what store an item you regift might have come from. When possible, save gift receipts!

Share this gift idea by forwarding this email to:

• Someone who has expressed that they received a gift they can’t use or don’t want

Please reply to this email ~ or ~ click the button below if you have stories of awesome gifts that you can share with the community that fall under the below topics:

• Your favorite holiday gift received or given

• Any memorable gift you’ve received or given

To our gifts and regifts – may they never meet,
Patrick Kucharson
Better Gift Coach

P.S. I’d be excited to hear about the worst gifts you received this holiday season! I'm happy to brainstorm for you on how to best regift them…or perhaps you just want to vent!

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In the edition Turning a last-minute gift into a tradition they’ll love, the following comment was shared about why this subscriber prefers experiential IOU gifts:

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