Rules For Regifting
Every week, our resident experts Mindy Lockard and Coryanne Ettiene answer etiquette questions from modern day hosts, offering advice from both traditional and contemporary perspectives.
Have a question you want answered? Send us an email with your dilemma, and then check back every week for new tips and advice.
This week's question: When it comes to regifting, what is acceptable and what isn't?
Coryanne: No one ever admits to regifting, but we all do it. However, some of us are better at it than others. The key rule to remember is to never let anyone know it's a regifted item. It only hurts feelings and makes you look thoughtless. To avoid this, I do not regift in the same circles, never immediately regift an item, and always make sure that a regifted item is a genuine fit for the next person. Silly as it sounds, I always take extra care when wrapping a regifted item. It somehow soothes the conscience and makes me feel less of a scrooge when I do so.
Mindy: My word of advice when it comes to regifting is to think before giving. Ask yourself, "Where did I get this? When did I get this? Is there a chance that I'm giving it to the person who gave it to me?" Can you imagine? Just make sure that what you are giving looks new and hasn't been used. All gifting should be done with a thoughtful heart, rather than trying to give as little or spend as little as possible!
About Our Experts: Mindy Lockard is The Gracious Girl and offers traditional etiquette advice with a modern, gracious twist. Coryanne Ettiene believes entertaining at home should be an everyday affair; she shares contemporary advice for modern living at Housewife Bliss.