View Full Version : Re-gift, embrace or disgrace?
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 08:41 PM
Read this piece of article and thought of discussing it here. Would you give away gifts that you received?
Read this:
By Justin Grant and Aarthi Sivaraman
NEW YORK, Dec 22 (Reuters Life!) - For Christmas this year, New York comedienne Margaret Champagne is giving her boyfriend's parents 2-year-old candles that had been gathering dust under her bed.
"Unless they run it through some re-gifting machine, or try to lift my fingerprints off it, how are they going to know it's a re-gift?" Champagne said in an interview while doing her Christmas shopping at the Manhattan Mall in New York City.
"They even live in another state. Besides, the candles had been under my bed for so long, it's like they are looking for a perfect home."
Champagne said she sees nothing wrong with giving unwanted presents to others as gifts and a survey conducted earlier this year by Harris Interactive and Tassimo Hot Beverage System showed she is far from alone.
Its results, which were released in October, showed that 78 percent of the more than 1,500 consumers polled think it's acceptable to re-gift some, or most, of the time.
More than 60 percent of the women surveyed admitted to re-gifting, or said they would do so in the future, compared with 37 percent of the men.
The term was popularized on an episode of the television series "Seinfeld," when character Elaine Benes angrily branded a friend a "re-gifter" for giving Jerry the same label-maker she had originally bought for the friend.
Regiftable.com, a Web site operated by Money Management International, offers advice to potential re-gifters so they can avoid similarly embarrassing situations.
The site doles out common sense suggestions, like do not give a partially used gift card or do not give someone a present they originally gave you.
The site also allows re-gifters and recipients to tell their horror stories.
Mike, from New York, writes of a wealthy great-aunt giving him a used pair of black socks and a partial bottle of men's cologne.
"I can only assume that these belonged to my great uncle who had passed away several years earlier," Mike wrote. "To this day, whenever I see thin, black, old man socks, I think of my aunt."
Kim, from Chicago, said her 8-year-old daughter gave her bundt cake mix for Christmas one year, which the child originally got from Kim's ex-husband.
"I was married to this man for 12 years," Kim wrote. "I have never owned a bundt cake pan, nor do I own one now."
End.
andrewjpan
12-26-2006, 08:51 PM
it's acceptable in my opinion, at least the gifts that we don't like (or do not use) can go to somebody else who would appreciate it
shiruikage
12-26-2006, 09:02 PM
acceptable...as long as the original gifter does not know about it. breaks ones heart to know ur gift is unappreciated.
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:04 PM
acceptable...as long as the original gifter does not know about it. breaks ones heart to know ur gift is unappreciated.
Walao eh, cucuk from the back ah? :D
Haven't you heard of the word sentimental value?
andrewjpan
12-26-2006, 11:13 PM
Walao eh, cucuk from the back ah? :D
Haven't you heard of the word sentimental value?
sentimental value only comes to play when i like that something but it's useless to me or to use....
Walao eh, cucuk from the back ah? :D
Haven't you heard of the word sentimental value?
No one knows, no harm done,
Someone knows, just say its for fun.:p
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:18 PM
sentimental value only comes to play when i like that something but it's useless to me or to use....
Let's say your grandpa gave you a watch (that is 20 years old from his dad) but you don't like it and you gave it away?
No one knows, no harm done,
Someone knows, just say its for fun.:p
Wow...very poetic huh tonight? What if the guy you re-gift the gift gave the gift away and the other recepient re-gift it back to you? :eek:
Wow...very poetic huh tonight? What if the guy you re-gift the gift gave the gift away and the other recepient re-gift it back to you? :eek:
Personally, if its a gift from someone you love, you will never re-gift it.
Most of the re-gift gifts are ones you get from Secret Santa or events like that which are non-memorable.
andrewjpan
12-26-2006, 11:23 PM
Let's say your grandpa gave you a watch (that is 20 years old from his dad) but you don't like it and you gave it away?
that's called sentimental value... so you keep it for the sake of keeping it...
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:26 PM
Personally, if its a gift from someone you love, you will never re-gift it.
Most of the re-gift gifts are ones you get from Secret Santa or events like that which are non-memorable.
Ahhhh...like those you won from the scratch and win? Cilakak!!! If you don't like the gift then you give it away lah!!!!! :rolleyes: :mad: $%$%$#%$:laugh:
Ahhhh...like those you won from the scratch and win? Cilakak!!! If you don't like the gift then you give it away lah!!!!! :rolleyes: :mad: $%$%$#%$:laugh:
If i win Ipod.....i keep laa....but if i win a clock...i give you laaa....
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:30 PM
If i win Ipod.....i keep laa....but if i win a clock...i give you laaa....
If it's a Grandfather's Clock, I will keep for you but if it's a Casio I will throw it in my storeroom! :p
If it's a Grandfather's Clock, I will keep for you but if it's a Casio I will throw it in my storeroom! :p
If its worth something, i'll keep it. If its junk....i give it to you....waaait....i will re-gift it to give you!!! Muahahahahahhaha!!!!
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:35 PM
If its worth something, i'll keep it. If its junk....i give it to you....waaait....i will re-gift it to give you!!! Muahahahahahhaha!!!!
A junk gift from a good friend like you are invaluable. I will keep it and cherish it for my whole life. :)
A junk gift from a good friend like you are invaluable. I will keep it and cherish it for my whole life. :)
I don't give junk gifts. If you get a gift from me, its from the heart.
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:39 PM
I don't give junk gifts. If you get a gift from me, its from the heart.
That's what I meant. Thanks. I appreciate your gifts. It's sooooo precious to me! Just in case someone need the gifts that you gave me, I will share with them but I will never re-gift! :p
andrewjpan
12-26-2006, 11:39 PM
If its worth something, i'll keep it. If its junk....i give it to you....waaait....i will re-gift it to give you!!! Muahahahahahhaha!!!!
I don't give junk gifts. If you get a gift from me, its from the heart.
grandpa... you're really confusing...
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:47 PM
Hmmm...it's really disturbing my heart when I read a lot about re-gift lately! What makes people think that the things you don't like will be liked by someone's else. On the other hand, if you cherish those gifts, why gave it away? Sharing? :unsure:
Hmmm...it's really disturbing my heart when I read a lot about re-gift lately! What makes people think that the things you don't like will be liked by someone's else. On the other hand, if you cherish those gifts, why gave it away? Sharing? :unsure:
Can you give us some examples ah? Did it happen to you?
andrewjpan
12-26-2006, 11:50 PM
let's say.... dino gives you an ipod for christmas... and i give you one too... and we didn't know that you had already bought one for your self....
how now......
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:54 PM
Can you give us some examples ah? Did it happen to you?
Okay, since we just celebrated Christmas and exchanging gifts becoming such a norm in KL nowadays. Let's say you go all out to hunt for a gift for someone, a nice pen and gave it to your friend. The next day you saw the pen in someone else pocket! :(
andrewjpan
12-26-2006, 11:55 PM
Okay, since we just celebrated Christmas and exchanging gifts becoming such a norm in KL nowadays. Let's say you go all out to hunt for a gift for someone, a nice pen and gave it to your friend. The next day you saw the pen in someone else pocket! :(
coincidence
Okay, since we just celebrated Christmas and exchanging gifts becoming such a norm in KL nowadays. Let's say you go all out to hunt for a gift for someone, a nice pen and gave it to your friend. The next day you saw the pen in someone else pocket! :(
Maybe that fella got the same pen from another source leh. You sure its a re-gift is the next question.
Alkapocino
12-26-2006, 11:58 PM
Maybe that fella got the same pen from another source leh. You sure its a re-gift is the next question.
Sure lah...both also so called friend mah!!!
Sure lah...both also so called friend mah!!!
Errrr......then i won't give anymore gift to that person again looor.....
Alkapocino
12-27-2006, 12:03 AM
Errrr......then i won't give anymore gift to that person again looor.....
Cannot lah...people still give you leh?
Cannot lah...people still give you leh?
Errr......you re-gift looor.....:p
Alkapocino
12-27-2006, 12:06 AM
Errr......you re-gift looor.....:p
Do to others what you want others do unto you! Embedded in the otak liao. :(
Do to others what you want others do unto you! Embedded in the otak liao. :(
Can't beat them, join them looor....
daBoss
12-27-2006, 09:52 AM
for me, if everyone happy, anything goes! ;)
regifting saves money and space; and reduces waste...
athena
12-27-2006, 01:35 PM
regift is like recycling :)
SS2006
12-27-2006, 05:53 PM
Hmmm...it's really disturbing my heart when I read a lot about re-gift lately! What makes people think that the things you don't like will be liked by someone's else. On the other hand, if you cherish those gifts, why gave it away? Sharing? :unsure:
Alka, if you think regifting is so disturbing, then i'll just auction the gift off at e-bay! At least then you can be rest assured that your gift is of great use to me....can be exchanged for money! Muahahahaha.....
Alkapocino
12-27-2006, 08:24 PM
Alka, if you think regifting is so disturbing, then i'll just auction the gift off at e-bay! At least then you can be rest assured that your gift is of great use to me....can be exchanged for money! Muahahahaha.....
Hahahaha...no need so troublesome. I know what to do already. Give ang pow or cash. The most easy mean to re-gift right? ;)
LiLiaN
12-28-2006, 08:27 AM
gifts given by close friends and family are usually carefully chosen...
so there's just no way i am ever going to regift those...
most time they hit the spot, but there are odd misses now and then...
still, despite the misses, i still keep and use them as they should...
with secret santa/ kris kringle, that's a bit more tricky...
but i have yet to regift any of those away, tempted as it was from time to time...
my rules in buying gifts for others...
1) never buy anything that i won't want myself (e.g bath set, potpourri, candles -> stuff i categorised as "blanket gift")
2) make it personal and choose something to reflect the interests of the receivers
3) price is not an indication of good gift or not
4) if the receiver wants something in particular, rule 1 is overruled, and i'll get it if i can afford it... :)
SS2006
12-28-2006, 02:19 PM
I still have the gift from secret Santa in my company because i missed my company christmas lunch last week. Hmmm....i wonder what i got, but can only find out when i go back to work on 3rd January.
Anyway, i didn't even buy the gift myself for the person i'm supposed to be secret santa to as i was very busy, spending most of my time in the customer's place the past 2 weeks. I asked one of my colleague to buy on my behalf, so the thoughts did not come from me....
Alkapocino
12-29-2006, 10:05 AM
daBoss, Hijack Queen and I met for lunch @ Little Penang (TTDI) yesterday. Since it's still Christmas mood, SiewJang gave daBoss a pack of CD's. He flipped through them one by one and then, "pow-wow", gave it back to her! What???? I can see the sadness is HQ's face and plead daBoss to keep it. He then offered me the CD's. Walao eh, this is the worst re-gift case I have ever encountered!!!!! :eek:
I am the least worried in telling this here as we are best of friends. What would you suggest? Should daBoss just keep the gift or should SiewJang just take it back? Or should I just accept the re-gift from daBoss?
daBoss, Hijack Queen and I met for lunch @ Little Penang (TTDI) yesterday. Since it's still Christmas mood, SiewJang gave daBoss a pack of CD's. He flipped through them one by one and then, "pow-wow", gave it back to her! What???? I can see the sadnest is HQ's face and plead daBoss to keep it. He then offered me the CD's. Walao eh, this is the worse re-gift case I have ever encountered!!!!! :eek:
I am the least worried in telling this here as we are best of friends. What would you suggest? Should daBoss just keep the gift or should SiewJang just take it back? Or should I just accept the re-gift from daBoss?
What CD is it?
Alkapocino
12-29-2006, 10:22 AM
What CD is it?
Hahaha...very funny that you asked!! Is just like asking someone giving you a red packet, how much $$$$ in there!!! :D
Hahaha...very funny that you asked!! Is just like asking someone giving you a red packet, how much $$$$ in there!!! :D
No laaaa....if HQ gave DB a set of CD's with trumpet songs that can be bought at the bargain bin in pasar malam for RM$1.......i can't blame him. If you don't put in thought into the gift, but you buy junk instead for people, expect it to be re-gift laaa....
Alkapocino
12-29-2006, 10:41 AM
When someone buys/give you a gift s/he must have thought of you first. Doesn't matter how much it cost.
Perhaps, we are well educated and can estimate the value of the gift and probably would notice if the gift are bought from the pasar malam but what makes us think that the receipient of the gift we re-gift away are less intelligent or intellectual than us?
I will just keep the gift and remember the giver!
When someone buys/give you a gift s/he must have thought of you first. It doesn't matter how much does it cost.
Perhaps, we are well educated and can estimate the value of the gift and probably would notice if the gift are bought from the pasar malam but what makes us think that the receipient of the gift we re-gift away are less intelligent or intellectual than us?
I will just keep the gift and remember the giver!
Do you still have the gift i gave you back in 93 during the gift exchange during MYF days? :rolleyes:
Alkapocino
12-29-2006, 10:50 AM
Do you still have the gift i gave you back in 93 during the gift exchange during MYF days? :rolleyes:
Do you see the gift you gave me somewhere else? No right? :p
Do you see the gift you gave me somewhere else? No right? :p
Its probably put into the trash in a landfill somewhere waiting for another 1000 years to disintegrate. Worst than re-gift.:p
Alkapocino
01-01-2007, 06:15 PM
Ai yo, where got so long?? Those chocolate biscuits you gave turned into night soil overnight and probably ended up in Chris C's farm in Cameroon Highland as baja!!! Like that can or not? Reproduce the gift rather than re-gift?
Ai yo, where got so long?? Those chocolate biscuits you gave turned into night soil overnight and probably ended up in Chris C's farm in Cameroon Highland as baja!!! Like that can or not? Reproduce the gift rather than re-gift?
You re-gift it in another form laaa....see....its ok to regift then looor......
belle_c
01-02-2007, 11:29 PM
No one knows, no harm done,
Someone knows, just say its for fun.:p
hey dino..permission to add to my famous quotes thread? i like this one..:D
hey dino..permission to add to my famous quotes thread? i like this one..:D
Go for it.
belle_c
01-03-2007, 12:06 AM
Go for it.
thanx dino..ur original quote is in..:D
now gotta dissapear frm the forum..to keep up with my 2007 resolution..sleep early..:crying:
debby's(eldest daughter) first day of school tomorrow...:)
LiLiaN
01-03-2007, 01:03 AM
woohhoo... hope debby enjoys her first day :)
PreciousPearl
01-03-2007, 04:10 AM
from my own limited experience,sometimes terpaksa have to re-gift, otherwise the gift is likely to be wasted :)
- a long time ago i got my dad a Sheaffer pen as a present when i went home to visit in the summer. he gave the pen to OJ, and then he showed me his collection of pens given as gifts by well meaning students of his for Hari Guru every year ........my god, can open own pen shoppe liao wah :p
(needless to say he asked me to take quite a few back to ingerland as presents ........... i think capt caveman is still using one of them today!)
Hero pen .... dem cheap & long lasting - very good value for money:laugh:
- last year we bought cavebaby a particular toy for her birthday in October. at her party, two of her friends gave exactly the same thing..........so one little friend in her class got regifted on her birthday in November and the little friend next door got regifted at Christmas.:cool:
LiLiaN
01-03-2007, 06:17 AM
wow, must be some really popular toy!
SS2006
01-03-2007, 12:07 PM
Finally got my hands on the gift from my secret Santa from my company xmas lunch party...its a set of Lettuce Body wash, Lettuce soap and Lettuce bath crystals from Kitchen Garden. Haha...one potential candidate for regifting!
Finally got my hands on the gift from my secret Santa from my company xmas lunch party...its a set of Lettuce Body wash, Lettuce soap and Lettuce bath crystals from Kitchen Garden. Haha...one potential candidate for regifting!
Give to Alka!! :eek: :p
Alkapocino
01-03-2007, 12:33 PM
Gee...why would one keen to smell like a lettuce?
SS2006/7, I would probably sell it to the kalang-guni! :D
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