WASHINGTON – Is it acceptable to regift? The etiquette site Emily Post says it’s really not an acceptable practice.
But since people do do it, and because Thursday, Dec. 19 is National Regifting Day (as pronounced by Regiftable.com), it seemed appropriate to offer some guidelines.
The Emily Post site does say there are three circumstances under which it’s OK.
- If the recipient will really like the item.
- If the gift is brand new with the original box and any instructions.
- If it’s one the original person who gave it to you didn’t take “great care to select or make.”
Don’t regift for the sake of regifting or because you think you’re being practical.
To avoid embarrassment, here are a few more do’s and don’ts:
- Do make sure there are no personal notes to you with the gift.
- Do make sure the box isn’t crushed.
- Do remove old Christmas tags and price tags.
- Don’t leave the old wrapping paper on the gift.
- Don’t give the gift back to the person who gave it to you, unless it’s an ongoing joke.
- Don’t give the gift to someone in the same social circle as the original person who gave it to you.
- Don’t give hand-me-downs.
- Don’t regift food, especially chocolate because you don’t know how old it is.
- Don’t give partial gift cards.
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