Regifting Holiday Custom

[brooklynmoney]

I realized yesterday when my friend came to our lunch with a bag of beauty samples that I really love my frugal friends and how we celebrate the holidays. We openly re-gift when we think it's something the other person might like. I came to the same lunch with a chocolate bar given to me by my SIL that I knew my friend would like. She packed up for me some beauty samples and some things her MIL had given her that she thought I might like. A few days before that I gave my friend a cute purse that had actually been handed down from another friend. She loved it and thought it was funny that it had come via our other friend who is a shopaholic fashionista and we all benefit from her hand me downs. I don't know why there has to be a culture of shaming people for regifting. A thoughtful gift is a thoughtful gift! It's not just the holidays either, we are always passing clothes, makeup etc to each other if we think the other person might use it. My best friend's favorite pajamas were given to me by my mom. I hated them but she loved them.

[socaso]

I will never understand why this kind of gifting bothers some. I grew up with hand me down presents and gifts from the thrift store and I give gifts like that to my kid. My oldest friend and I regularly pass things along to each other if they don't work for us.

Good for you and your friend for not getting hung up on newness and instead focusing on what the other really likes.

[jim555]

Rumor has it there has been a fruitcake that has been re-gifted for decades through several families.

[brooklynmoney]

Ha I don't know about a fruitcake, but pretty much any other food, provided it's not stale, I would be happy to receive as a gift.

Glad other people enjoy re-gifting/re-homing. I think we all have a responsibility to keep as much out of landfills as we can and this is a way to do that.

[brooklynmoney]

MissNancyPryor: I think you are right that it's all about context. I have that kind of relationship with most of my friends where we hate seeing things go to waste and openly re-home/share, but I have other friends that if I gave a gift to like that it wouldn't go over so well.

[Cassie]

I was raised that regifting was wrong but thought that was misguided so only do it to people that will never meet. My friends and I trade stuff that we no longer need or want.  It’s fun!