Five Tips for the Art of Regifting

The holidays are a financially stressful time. Wherever you turn, people expect you to pay for something - gifts, donations, parties, you name it. After a while, it gets to be a bit much. Luckily, God equipped man with a valuable tool for maintaining monetary stability while making it through the holidays. That tool is, of course, the art of regifting - a process wherein you give away gifts that were given to you. Regifting is a wonderful way to get rid of a lot of the junk draining space from your over-packed linen closet. The only thing is, it's an art that, to this day, is largely looked down upon. Successful regifting therefore takes cunning wit, a touch of grace, and guile. Here are some rules for employing this holiday survival skill without earning the ire of those you hold dear.

Rule No. 1: Make sure the gift you're regifting looks new. In fact, make sure it IS new. Regifting is not the same thing as giving away the stuff you're tired of. A blender with crusted bits of food stuck to it is not an appropriate Christmas gift. If you want to give it away, give it away. That's fine. But if it's used, don't try to pass it off as new. The idea of regifting is to trick your loved ones into thinking you put thought into their present. A regifted gift should be in its original, unopened package. If you happen to buy something for someone that's used, make sure you tell them, so as not be accused of wrongful regifting - a charge which has no doubt destroyed better men than you.