There are ways in which you can re-give a gift without hurting the one who gave you

You can re-give a gift without hurting the one who gave you.

By ROZIE JUMA

The festive season is the period when we receive the most gifts. We are now in March, but there are people who are stuck with gifts from December. It could have been from a client, a relative or a dear friend. Unfortunately, you don’t like the gift, or it is something to wear but is too small or big.

Some people have expensive gifts they may never utilise. What do you do in such a situation? The answer could simply be re-gifting.

Many people are against re-gifting, and would rather die with the gift than give it away. It is, however, not a bad idea to re-gift if the circumstances are genuine.

Before you re-gift, take some time and consider whether you might just develop a liking for the gift. If the answer is ‘no’, then you may have to re-gift it. 

There are, however, instances when re-gifting may not be a good idea.

• When the giver is close to you and may notice that the gift is missing.

• If the buyer invested a lot of emotion in the gift, for example a picture they painted themselves. In this case, it is the thought that counts.

So, when is it okay to re-gift?

• When the giver is highly unlikely to know; for instance if the gift is from a friend from a foreign country who hardly visits.

• If it is a perishable gift that has not expired.

• When the item is something you love but cannot use because you already have a similar one, so you are giving it out with love.

How do you manage the re-gifting so that you don’t give the gift back to the original giver or someone close to them?

• Note down the name of the giver, so that you do not forget who gave you the item.

• Also note down the name of anyone who may have seen the gift and knows where you got it from; they may just tell the giver that you gave away their gift.

• Remove any card evidence on the gift; imagine the recipient of the gift coming across the card with which you initially received the gift.

• Keep any gift that you intend to give away in a safe place where no one can pick it, and where it is protected from elements such as moisture.

To ensure the gift is not too obviously a re-gift, personalise it. You could wrap it with a ribbon or other decorative elements to make it look different. Get a new card. And even as you re-gift, ensure you do not hurt anyone’s feelings.