To Regift Or Not To Regift…

That's the question.

I am in favor of giving a new life or second chance to things, and people as well. Just as I reuse supermarket bags, I do the same with gift bags and, if in need or want, the gift itself. A change of greeting card, wrapping paper and voila! The regifting begins.

I'm one who periodically declutters and organizes "someone else’s future treasure" into the donate, sell, throw (and, hide and save for later) piles.

If it’s something that I can’t return because I wasn't given a gift receipt -most probably because the persons didn’t want me to exchange or return it-, I keep the gift around and award it to someone special in the future. On rare occasions, I make the disclaimer that I was given the gift first, and it’s now a hand me over, not a hand me down!

Honestly, I don’t feel guilty or cheap. I put a lot of thought into who gets what and try to find the appropriate new home for the gift. Also, I think I sometimes want to take away the guilt of throwing something away or donating into oblivion. I rather someone else gets the responsibility. Sorry, not sorry!

So there you have it, I've confessed and feel liberated -and ready for the intrigued look of my friends trying to figure out if the gift is an “original” or if I got it from my treasure box. In the end, I want to make people smile and be happy. Or isn’t it true that it's the thought that counts?

Side dish: “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley