I know when I regift to make sure the original buyer will not find out. At least I thought I knew better. I once was given a pretty nice spice rack from a secret santa party at my fiances work. It was nice, but I already have a stainless steel one that matches my kitchen perfectly. I decided to re-gift it the following year to a couple we are friends with that were moving into a new house. Little did I know they knew the original buyer. The couple ended up re-gifting it to the original buyer and her husband! And they called us! I was so embarressed and my fiance was mortified but we all ened up lauhing it off. Now I decided I am never re-gifting again!!

My mom sent me a manual pasta roller for my birthday one year. The box was a little beat up, but I thought, oh well, maybe she got it on sale. I took it out of the box and saw that it was well-used with dried pasta caked in the rollers and greasy smudges all over it. So I knew it was a regift...I just didn't know the whole story. I thanked my mom for it over the phone, trying to hide my hurt feelings. She told me I wouldn't be able to return it since I don't have the same store where she bought it. I guess that was her lame attempt to throw me off in case I got the crazy notion that it was a regift!! A year later my sister let it slip that she used to have one just like it...hmm...it was all making sense now...she had given it (or more likely sold it) to my mom to send to me as a birthday gift!! They work as a team to ruin my, and my family's special days. The lying is the most hurtful part of regifting, especially when it is your own family - still makes me sad.

This might not be re-gifting per se, but it may be even worse. Some friends of my mother sent me a birthday gift. I wasn't expecting a gift from them at all, and knowing they were well to do, felt excited. Opening the package, I saw a beat-up box for PC finance software. I assumed this was a recycled box holding the "real" gift, but no. Not only did it look like something they fished out of the garbage, perhaps even from junk mail, but I have a Mac and in any case don't want or need financial software. Thanks a lot. I freecyled it since I hate throwing things away.
No gift at all would have been better so I didn't have to go through the trouble.

My family gets together with 5 other families each year the week before Christmas. The tradition started back when each set of parents realized they would all buy trees and decorate their houses, but hardly anyone would end up seeing their hard work. So we spend a day going from house to house, with traditions at each. We end with a white elephant gift exchange, the kind where everyone picks a number and you either get to steal from someone who went before you or pick a new gift. One year, about 7 years ago, someone brought an actual ceramic white elephant. It was more popular than the gift certificates others opened! Now it gets brought back every year, and it's the regift everyone wants to end up with!

I have a large collection of stuff. I have tried to remove as much clutter as I can. I have enjoyed these treasures over the years, I felt it was time to part with them. They were much too nice to just take down to my local Goodwill. I decided that I would donate them to my church. We have a girls program in which the girls can earn points for attending, bringing their Bible, learning Bible verses, etc. Usually the prizes consist of items that we purchase at the dollar store in order to fit the budget, so having nicer items to choose from is exciting for the girls. Other ladies have donated their collections, dolls, etc. It brings back the joy of first receiving the gift when you watch a little girl's eyes light up when they choose a prize that they earned, something that they might otherwise not get to buy or can't afford. If you have things in near mint condition, consider donating them to a school or church as incentive prizes. It is a great feeling. :)

I re-gifted my brother-in law a chrome toaster rather than the expensive solid silver settings and china his new bride wanted. When the marriage failed, the silver went to a pawn shop. I felt redeemed. Re-gifting really works!!

After returning from a family visit for the holiday one of my coworkers told me that the boss had come into my office during my vacation with a gift in his hand expecting me but running into her. Flustered, he handed her a gift - a book he knew I would like. Upon my return, he came in and told me that he had left my holiday gift at home but would bring it in the next day. The following day he handed me a gift bag with a large memento box inside - still in the box. It was not my style but I opened it up and thought that someone else may love it and want to take it home. Inside we found pictures, letters and articles about my boss in honor of his 50th birthday which had occurred during my vacation. He obviously had not looked inside the box after his party and regifted a birthday present to me. Not wanting to offend him, I simply put all of the items in an intraoffice envelope and forwarded it to his office. I always wondered if he knew where they came from.

My Great Aunt Ruby regifted every Christmas. When I was a kid I dreaded opening her gifts, they were so weird. Like an old wooden fruit bowl with half of the paint chipped off and a spider living inside it. Or a pair of worn knitted booties that were different colors. But as I grew older I came to look forward to opening her gifts. It was so much fun and when we would thank her she would be so happy. She had dementia and I can't imagine the effort it took for her to remember to wrap something up for all her family members. Now that she is gone I miss her and her crazy regifted presents soooo much. I don't hardly remember any of the "normal" gifts I have gotten over the years. I do remember everything Aunt Ruby regifted to me!

I have always been a regifter but last year I decided to take it one step further. I figured with the economy in such bad shape a lot of people would be hurting to make the budget stretch to include gift giving. So I put together a community wide event in which you bring things you would like to regift.
It worked great! Everyone went home very happy with lots of quality stuff. My favorite item was a wall safe that still had the wrapping paper attached to the box. It was amazing to see what people had sitting in their closets taking up space. I had thought this event would mainly draw parents looking for toys, but was totally amazed how many adults exchanged things like crockpots, chocolate fountains, DVD's, and gadgets of all sorts.
We are hosting this event again this year. If you would like to look at our rules or just to get ideas about hosting your own event you can look at our web site at www.givingexchange.blogspot.com

Did you ever stop and think that your unused unwanted items might be someone elses treasure?
I'm, a volunteer for the St Vincent de Paul Society. Each year we sponser a Giving Tree program for those in need. Many are working poor and those who live below the poverty line. We do home visits to each family who signs up for the gift progam to obtain the information about the children sizes, ages, items they could use for Christmas etc.
Hours before one such visit a woman walked into our office and offered us a twin bed, the bedding and a Christmas tree with lights and ornaments. She was moving and had no need of these items. We took her name and said we'd call her if someone requested these things.
One hour later as we concluded our home visit with a single working mom on an extermely tight budget.She inquired about a place she could go to find a single bed for her child and a used Christmas tree.The moral- always regift your unwanted/not needed gifts!