To regift or not to regift? That is the question a recent national survey conducted by Bookoo.com asked respondents as they prepare for the holiday shopping season. According to Bookoo’s 2012 Holiday Regifting Survey, the holidays are the most common time of year for people to regive presents that they previously received from someone else.
Instead of Buying New Gifts Why Not Exchange Gifts Like This?
While frowned upon by some, a whopping 92 percent believe it’s completely acceptable to regift items, and more than 87 percent believe they too have been a recipient of a regifted item. And, with shoppers looking to save more and spend less this holiday season, more than 62 percent plan to regift an item to a friend, neighbor or colleague for the holidays.
Here are some other fun facts about regifting:
Women tend to regift more often than men (3:1)
People are most likely to regift during the holiday season (62%), for birthdays (58%) or for housewarming gifts (50%)
People who regift are most likely to regift items to friends (63.7%), neighbors (45.5%) and colleagues (34.6%)
The most commonly acceptable regifted items are home décor products (63%), antiques (63%) and books (59%)
Frequent regifters have mastered the art and take precautions to ensure it stays a secret, including re-wrapping the item to look new (53%), inspecting the item and removing any gift cards or receipts from the previous giver (50%) and planning ahead and making sure they do not give the gift to anyone associated with the original gifter (66%)
Don't buy wrapping paper. There's need for balls and bows when you have brown craft paper, paint and a little imagination
Some of the oddest regifted presents Bookooers reported receiving include:
o Monogrammed items with someone else’s initials
o Two-year-old fruitcake (that the person had originally given the gifter)
o Box of chocolates with bites taken out of several pieces
o Outdated desk calendar
o Partly used gift cards
o Toys with broken pieces
o Used toilet seat
Do you plan to recycle a gift this holiday season? If so, remember to take off the card that says, "Merry Christmas Susan! All the best, Uncle Irwin" That just *might* give you away... Ho, ho, ha, ha!
By the way, regifting is good for the environment. Check out this green, red and green gift exchange idea: Nothing New For Christmas!
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