HOUSTON – Re-gifting—Everyone’s done it. It’s the practice of passing on as a gift something that someone else gave to you, or making a gift out of some unused or unwanted item you have at home.
But there are rules to this game, according to Houston etiquette expert Annie Cater.
She has been re-gifted many things, like a banner that someone got free at a Houston Rockets game.
"Thank you for the Rockets banner that you got free at the game," Cater said in an imaginary conversation with the person who gave it to her. "You know I’m the biggest Rockets fan in the world, but I don’t want this for Christmas."
In actuality, Cater says you should always be gracious and turn into a bit of an actress if you are ever re-gifted a dubious present.
The rules of re-gifting, according to etiquette expert Annie Cater:
Never re-gift items that are too unique. That makes it really easy for the original giver to spot them in someone else’s possession.
Never, ever re-gift lingerie or fragrances.
Do not try the re-gift box switch in which you put a re-gift in a store box, usually a high-end store, pretending the item was purchased new from the store. This can lead to an awkward situation if the recipient attempts to return or exchange the gift.
Do not gift or re-gift photographs of yourself
The most famous, or infamous, re-gift item of all is fruit cake. It is OK to gift it or re-gift it, Cater said, if the recipient really likes fruit cake.
Do re-gift items like tasteful artificial flowers in a vase and other decorative home décor items that fit the recipient’s taste, unused fancy soaps, collector’s items that you know the recipient appreciates and tasteful but simple pieces of jewelry that you know the recipient would like.
Do a bit of research to make sure you do not re-gift an item the recipient has no use for whatsoever or is allergic to.
Do write the recipient a note promising to perform a favor or service for them in the future, like picking up their dry cleaning for a month or walking their dog, rather than re-gifting a useless—or worse—insulting item.
