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Column

Regifting: Acceptable, or abominable?

Ardyn Lessner and Julianna Sweatman

December 19, 2023

Creative Commons

Perfectly acceptable

Written by Ardyn Lessner

The topic of regifting during the holidays is a controversial idea that will forever be debated. Regifting is the term for when a person receives a gift and passes it on to another person as their gift. It might seem heartless and lazy, but individuals might have many justifying reasons for their actions, especially if they know the recipient will like it.
Keeping that in mind, it is perfectly acceptable to regift presents received during the holidays.
If a person has financial issues or no time to get a gift, this provides an easy way to make sure the recipient still knows the giver cares; it’s better than giving them nothing. It might seem offensive, but in reality, it avoids hurting the person while still acknowledging them by letting them know you thought about them. This tactic is especially effective when thought through. Pick someone who will enjoy it, as well as one who doesn’t know the original gifter.
Someone might not have a use for the gift, so others might benefit from or enjoy it more. It doesn’t make sense to keep something unnecessary, when it could benefit someone even more. This is an easy way for people to get rid of their unwanted items while helping others in the process, plus, it saves shopping time. Some might think that donation is a better pathway, but when regifting to someone familiar, the recipient will actually like the gift, whereas a charity will just distribute it randomly.
Keeping every single present received makes decluttering a house extremely difficult, especially if there’s not enough space. Getting an unwanted gift will just add to the stress and clutter and will be even more of a problem when added to the overall messiness of the house. People may protest that previously received small gifts can easily be organized, but if they are unwanted, there is a good chance that they will never be touched again and end up collecting dust.
Taking all of these into consideration, it’s safe to say that regifting is respectable if it will benefit the recipient and let them know they are acknowledged. In reality, regifting avoids conflict and broken trust, plus lets someone else enjoy a new object while decluttering at the same time; regifting puts an object in better hands.
However, it’s important to be careful about who the gift is transferred to. If given to the best friend of the original gifter, it will be obvious that it’s regifted. A compromise between protecting the original gifter’s feelings while still getting rid of the item is by making sure the new recipient doesn’t know the person who originally gifted it. It’s also critical to reflect whether or not they will appreciate the gift, because it’s difficult to be sure, but they might end up regifting as well!

Absolutely abominable

Written by Julianna Sweatman

Holidays are normally a time for joy, but the spirit of gift giving provides a slight predicament. Throughout the frenzy of the holidays, people have to take the time to pick out the perfect gift for each relative. When the stress piles up, some people resort to regifting, but others wonder whether or not this is an okay thing to do.

People should refrain from regifting during the holidays to get rid of unwanted gifts and look for other alternatives instead.

People put time into gifts, and it would be the equivalent of throwing away their effort and not appreciating it by giving it to someone else. Whether a gift is loved or not, oftentimes the giver put a lot of thought into picking out a gift. However, there are times when it is apparent that little effort was put into a gift, and after it is regifted to someone else, that lack of effort will still be noticeable. Therefore, it is best to avoid regifting in this situation.

People may be insulted if they find out that the present they had gifted was not cared for and was gifted to someone else. People may argue that regifting ensures that the gift is put to good use, so there would be nothing to feel guilty about. Although, a better alternative to regifting would be to donate it because it is less likely to insult people. This way, people don’t feel forced to let junk from holidays pile up, and they know that their gift will be appreciated elsewhere.

Regifting shows a lack of time and effort to the person that receives that gift. If the recipient of the regifted present finds out, they may feel insulted. Of course, people can make sure to regift to a group separate from the one that they received the present from, but giving an original gift feels a lot more personal and really shows people that the giver truly cares about them. In addition, when people come up with an original idea to give to someone that they love, they feel a greater sense of satisfaction and happiness.

Though holidays can be a stressful time for some, it is better to come up with an original gift idea rather than regifting something to loved ones. The best solution for those who receive a gift they dislike this holiday season is to donate it. This way, it will go to a good cause, and feelings are far less likely to be hurt.

About the Contributors

Ardyn Lessner, The Charge Associate Editor-in-Chief

Ardyn Lessner is a junior and serves as the Assistant Editor-in-Chief for her second year in newspaper. She’s looking forward to contributing new ideas and having a leadership position in The Charge. She’s a dancer for the Majestics and loves practicing aerial circus on the side, as well as serving as a kids’ aerial instructor at Altitude Fitness. Ardyn is considering interior design or writing as a possible career, but knows she definitely wants to move out of Texas.

Julianna Sweatman, The Charge Treasurer

Julianna Sweatman is a senior at Emerson High School. This is her second year writing for The Charge and her first year as Treasurer. Along with writing, she enjoys reading and training in a form of martial arts called krav maga. After graduation, she plans to major in Criminal Justice with the hope of someday working as a criminal investigator.