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As I've said before, recycling is a pillar of the green movement —but could there be instances when it's not quite socially acceptable? There's one notorious recycling related problem area that comes up time and again, one that's been the subject of more than a few TV sitcoms—re-gifting.
On paper, it seems sensible and harmless:
You receive a present that you know won't ever emerge from your closet. And yet, you've got a feeling that a good friend of yours, you know, the one with a birthday coming up next week, would genuinely like it. The solution seems simple, logical. Point A to B, item recycled and reused, problem solved. Right? And yet, should your little redistribution ever become knowledge to either party—no matter how green they are—it could be trouble.
Re-gifting inherently carries with it an air of insincerity and thoughtlessness—taking the Boggle game your aunt gave you for your birthday and pawing it off on your parents for Christmas, for example, is faux pas city (double faux pas, in fact, due to the overt lameness of any Boggle-related gift). However, there are times when re-gifting is perfectly appropriate, and even appreciated.
Use these pointers to re-gift in ways that transcend the social stigma:
- Some items can be given as a gift acceptably after use, like a book, for example (so as long as it's not all annotated, worn out, or dog-eared). Just round out the gift by writing a thoughtful note on the inside cover, and you have yourself a sincere, individualized green gift.
- Re-gift away when you can make thoughtful, personal adjustments to the item—like creating your own original garment with pieces of other sartorial gifts you've been given. Don't like that sweater grandma gave you? Or those jeans from your folks that are insultingly way too big in the waist? If you're a semi-skilled craftsperson, you should be able to slash and sew away to come up with some unique, recycled one-of-a-kind gifts out of the gifted materials.
- Execute the stealth store credit re-gift. This one will require a little tact. If you know where somebody purchased your gift, let's say it's your 3rd crock pot, you can re-gift in spirit by returning it for store credit. As long as the gift is unopened, you should be able to finagle a return even without the receipt, as long as the store is currently stocking the item. Then, find an appropriate gift at the same store for somebody else. It may seem a tad deceptive, but your gift will still get re-bought, and you're getting someone a gift they genuinely want—and it's recycling in spirit.
- Host an entire re-gifting event. Why not save yourself some hassle and just re-gift right out in the open? Host a Clothing Swap Party, or just a general themed Swap Party and trade unwanted wares with your friends. Just make sure any of the givers of your up-for-grabs items aren't in attendance.
So tread lightly and thoughtfully, re-gifters, and let's tactfully make holidays and birthdays everywhere a little greener.
More Green Manners: Tote Your Reusable Bag with Dignity
Related Articles:
Swap-O-Rama-Rama Part 2
ReMake Its! New DIY Recycle Kits from RePlayground
Got a gnawing question about green social graces? Drop us a line at etiquette@treehugger.com.
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