Twice Is Nice: The Essential Rules of Regifting Etiquette

The first rule of regifting is to never give a gift back to the person who gave it to you!antoniodiaz/Shutterstock

Before you head out to the store, head into your closet. Rather than let a perfectly good present that simply isn’t your style go to waste, regift it. It’s a great idea, as long as you obey these simple, straightforward rules.

New-ness Matters

Any regifted gift must be in perfect, new, never-used-even-briefly condition. Unless it’s an antique, it needs to be brand new. Choosing an item that you have used “just a little bit” is beyond tacky. A possible exception is if the recipient knew you had received the item—let’s say it’s a scarf—and had commented on how much they wished they had one just like it.

Regifting hand-made gifts can be tricky; someone went through a lot of effort to make it or find it for you. If they were to discover you gave it away, they might understandably be upset.

Bottles of wine, scented candles, and similar generic gifts can be safely regifted. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Discretion Is a Must

Be careful not to regift something to someone when it might be noticed by the original giver. Regifting an item received from a co-worker to another co-worker is a great example of what not to do.

When regifting an item, take care to remove any indication the gift was first given to you and is now being “recycled”; use the original box, but scour it to remove any notes or cards tucked inside addressed to you.

Assuming it’s brand-new, you’re good to go regifting it, but because you are probably acting as if you bought it specifically for the recipient, be careful to not say anything that gives it away as a regift, such as, “It’s nice, but just not my taste.”

Does It Pass the Edibles Test?

With the exception of a box of chocolate, in general, it’s not a great idea to regift food, simply because you might not be able to ensure it hasn’t reached or exceeded an expiration date or if it has been completely and properly sealed. Home-baked goods are definitely not to be regifted; there are just too many things that can go wrong, and if your recipient gets sick from eating it, the blowback on you from the original giver when they get the news you 1) gave it away, and 2) it made someone ill, will not be pleasant.

Be Upfront

If you are passing along a gift to a friend, which for any number of reasons wasn’t quite right for you but you think they’d really like, consider telling them. If you have a good, open relationship, this can save them the embarrassment of eventually realizing it’s a regift. If you know them well, it’s a good bet you will know if they’d like to have it. When you give it to them, tell them you were the original recipient but while it isn’t something suiting your tastes, you truly believe it’s perfect for them. Assure them they don’t have to keep it or use it if you got it wrong.

Stack Them High

Bottles of wine, scented candles, and similar generic gifts can be safely regifted, as long as you obey the rules listed above. Keep them in perfect condition, storing them in a closet or on a shelf in your home. If you want to easily avoid an embarrassing scene, tape a note to each one with information on when you received it, who gave it to you, and why they gave it, such as an office holiday gift exchange or your birthday. The first rule of regifting is to never give a gift back to the person who gave it to you! The second rule is to not regift anything to the same group present when you received it.