Re-gifting?

Parent Cafe
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<p>In the late 80s, H and I visited an Asia country and bought a bottle of liquor for my SIL and her ex. This liquor was in an authentic ceramic jar and is only available in that country. Few years ago (maybe 4 or 5), this bottle was one of the gifts this SIL gave us for Christmas. :eek: I recognized it right away. I guess there was no way she could return the liquor then and she kept it for sooooo long that she forgot who gave it her.</p>

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<p>Great story sunnydayfun! Liquor just gets better with age right? This is making me think of all those fruitcake stories though.</p>

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<p>OK. I am going to come across as really really old Scrooge but gift giving is such a WASTE! A waste of time, a waste of money, a waste of resources if the gift just goes into the trash.</p>

<p>More than half the time, the gift is a disappointment and is either returned to the store or re-gifted so neither the giver or the recipient is filled with that warm feeling that gift giving is supposed to bring. </p>

<p>It’s different if the recipient has specifically identified what it is he/she wants, then the gift isn’t wasted. </p>

<p>And everyone trading gift cards of the same value is sort of pointless isn’t it?</p>

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<p>I agree with you. I had written much of that in a post last night but it just got so long trying to explain my frustration with the whole process. Sure,it can be fun for awhile but after 10,20,30+ years with relatives, it is pretty hard to come up with something. Also older people don’t want many things but may not want to feel like they must do an experience. Plus it seems to mainly fall on women. Men might have to buy a few gifts but they are not accountable for what people want, the whole list, the distant relative.</p>

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<p>I buy my kids and my husband what they need when they need it. If they NEED an item, I don’t wait until Christmas or a birthday. </p>

<p>I have so many things that are sitting in cabinets, drawers, the garage, that the waste of money just makes me sad. </p>

<p>My thinking is (with most items, there are exceptions) that if I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t re-gift so someone else can store it in their cabinets, drawers or garage.</p>

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<p>I guess we both are in a downsizing, simple life mood :)</p>

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<p>In recent years my friends have decided to stop the gift exchange. We take one another out for dinner or a movie. Cousins have stopped, but still give gifts to the little kids.</p>

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<p>Jym, do not agonize over it. Just print a label with </p>

<p>To Xiggi
First King of Xiggilandia
Kingdom of Xiggilandia</p>

<p>and stick enougn postage on MY box. </p>

<p>If the USPS can find Santa and the North Pole, they should find me!</p>

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<p>Be careful what you wish for, xig. If its going in the recycle pile, its not exactly a gem…</p>

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<p>Well, I could always send it back to </p>

<p>Jym626
First Emperor
of the CC Universe</p>

<p>:)</p>

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<p>Wouldn’t that be First Empress??</p>

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<p>xiggi, when “First Empress” wins, will her crown and sash be new or re-gifted from some other contest?</p>

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<p>I dont usually regift, because my circle of giftees isnt that large. I dont see anything wrong with it as long as it is in a category of gift that you would consider giving anyway.
But I have recieved presents that I would be embarrased to give, so those I donate or give to my daughter for her “costume closet”. ( she maintains a chest full of wacky outfits for when she gets together with her high school friends.)</p>

<p>I don’t mind gift cards, especially now that they cant expire. It might seem pointless to some, but there are occasions when I want to acknowledge my appreciation to someone, but I don’t want to give them something they cant use, or which takes up room.
A gift card from a local bookshop or record store allows them to treat themselves and get what they want.
Even if you give a Starbucks card to someone that doesn’t drink coffee, they could even regift that or buy one of the hundred other things Starbucks sells besides coffee ( like tea cups, board games, sandwiches, music cds, candy).</p>

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<p>I’m really stunned by how many people don’t re-gift! I take for granted that half of what I have is only mine temporarily, and I give stuff away all the time. I certainly don’t keep track of who gave me what or when, either. Perhaps that makes me a poor gift-ee… I notice that most of my friends give me dog toys or food. Both are perishable and deeply appreciated. </p>

<p>I do notice that, since my mother died (in 2003) and my sisters and I had to clean out her place, which was stuffed to the gills with “stuff” (papers, books, old clothes, chipped china plates, and more), I don’t want things. I’m trying to get rid of things. I love the Kindle because I can have 100 books in it and it doesn’t take up space and it won’t have to be thrown out or sold when I get hit by a bus. I am down to only the clothes with no stains, that fit, and that make me look good (well, decent, anyway). (This means I have space in my dresser drawers, too.)</p>

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<p>I’m a big fan of giving restaurant gift certificates to nice restaurants you know the recipient likes. No clutter. No worrying about fit or color. They always seem to be well received.</p>

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<p>I don’t have a problem with gift cards, but when it gets where I’m giving my brothers family $40 to a restaurant and his family is giving us $40 to another restaurant ( or has had happened, I give $40 but then they decide to give $50- then I feel awkward) it seems kind of silly. </p>

<p>One year I approached the adults with an alternative to all this gift giving - we’ve ALLbeen perfectly happy since!!</p>

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<p>Actually, the First Empress was right. And, she should not wait for the crown. I already dispatched it via the Xiggilandia Express aka XigEx. It might take a while. </p>

<p><a href=“https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kdUrBg-pDaY/UDB6rPUKCgI/AAAAAAAAyBM/DG8Y382Vrmw/I%2Bwish%2BI%2Bwas%2Ba%2Bdog%2Bjust%2Bso%2BI%2Bcould%2Bwear%2Bthis%2Bcostume.%2B.imgur.jpg[/url]”>https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kdUrBg-pDaY/UDB6rPUKCgI/AAAAAAAAyBM/DG8Y382Vrmw/I%2Bwish%2BI%2Bwas%2Ba%2Bdog%2Bjust%2Bso%2BI%2Bcould%2Bwear%2Bthis%2Bcostume.%2B.imgur.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Oops, forgot the best part … the 1,000,000 XigDucats.</p>

<p><a href=“http://troglopundit.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2012/05/dog-dressed-as-two-pirates-carrying-a-treasure-chest.jpg[/url]”>http://troglopundit.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2012/05/dog-dressed-as-two-pirates-carrying-a-treasure-chest.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I think for relatives like siblings- instead of playing musical gifts- an experience, especially a shared one &/or something like a letter, or even something you own that they have always admired makes a more personable gift.
I think I will try and take my sibs out to lunch. one at a time.</p>

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<p>If I get this [Google</a> Image Result for <a href=“http://www.clothlands.com/images/cls13/15078/Male-Costumes-45-Candyland-King-Crown-Blue-Sash-1.jpg[/url]”>http://www.clothlands.com/images/cls13/15078/Male-Costumes-45-Candyland-King-Crown-Blue-Sash-1.jpg](<a href=“http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1107&bih=699&tbm=isch&tbnid=h3RdX6ZZFzhqSM:&imgrefurl=http://www.clothlands.com/male-costumes-candyland-king-crown-blue-sash/&docid=MKT1wH33UOfpdM&imgurl=http://www.clothlands.com/images/cls13/15078/Male-Costumes-45-Candyland-King-Crown-Blue-Sash-1.jpg&w=239&h=430&ei=K8DHUKPOD5Hm8wSqlYCYCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=4&vpy=272&dur=4295&hovh=301&hovw=167&tx=58&ty=175&sig=103728884380570516680&page=1&tbnh=152&tbnw=85&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:128I]Google”>http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1107&bih=699&tbm=isch&tbnid=h3RdX6ZZFzhqSM:&imgrefurl=http://www.clothlands.com/male-costumes-candyland-king-crown-blue-sash/&docid=MKT1wH33UOfpdM&imgurl=http://www.clothlands.com/images/cls13/15078/Male-Costumes-45-Candyland-King-Crown-Blue-Sash-1.jpg&w=239&h=430&ei=K8DHUKPOD5Hm8wSqlYCYCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=4&vpy=272&dur=4295&hovh=301&hovw=167&tx=58&ty=175&sig=103728884380570516680&page=1&tbnh=152&tbnw=85&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:128I)</a> will regift it to you, shipping via my son’s amazon prime account :)</p>

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<p>How about using this crown and sash instead?? Now you’re talking! [Amazon.com:</a> Crown Royal Tumbler/Bar Glasses SET OF 2 EMBLEM & NAME Imprinted on front <em>RIBBON SASH IS SHADED IN</em>: Everything Else](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Tumbler-Glasses-EMBLEM-Imprinted-RIBBON/dp/B00AHHFHNQ/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1355268087&sr=8-11&keywords=crown+and+sash]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Tumbler-Glasses-EMBLEM-Imprinted-RIBBON/dp/B00AHHFHNQ/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1355268087&sr=8-11&keywords=crown+and+sash)</p>