3 Rules Every Girl Should Keep in Mind for Regifting

last updated 2 December 2016

If you celebrate Christmas, chances are today you felt the familiar pang of guilt upon receiving a gift and having this gut response: It's nice, but I'm definitely not keeping this. No matter how good a friend or family member's intentions might have been, sometimes they just sadly miss the mark when it comes to picking out the right thing—and you immediately start a mental scan of people you think actually would love the present. Yes, the time for regifting is now.

Since regifting is, by its very nature, a somewhat secretive undertaking, there are absolutely certain rules you should abide by in the process to avoid unpleasant encounters with those in your circle. You don't want to be rude, and you certainly don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. It's the holidays, after all! In the spirit of spreading the love of gift-giving this season, we have three major rules you should follow when regifting. Keep reading to see what we recommend!

Protect the Original Gifter

Chances are if your friend or family member finds out you regifted something she picked out for you, she's going to feel a little stung. Avoid this situation by only regifting in disparate social circles. If your Aunt Jenny has never met your roommate Susan, you're probably safe to regift, for example.

Allow Some Time to Pass

If you're given something for Christmas and then turn around and regift it to your friend celebrating her birthday on December 26, you increase the likelihood that she'll know you literally just received it, especially in the age of social media. If she can easily recall seeing something on your Snapchat or Instagram, you stand a decent chance of rubbing her the wrong way.

Add a Unique Touch

Perhaps the most important rule of all is this last step you can take before you actually hand the gift over to its new owner. Add a special touch, like a handwritten note recalling a fond memory between the two of you or even Polaroids from a trip you took together, like the ones above. A bit of sentiment goes a long way.

What do you think are the best ways to approach regifting? Share in the comments below!

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Hailing from the heart of the South and cutting her teeth on the mean streets of New York, Meghan has six years of experience covering fashion, style, celebrities, culture, and human behavior. A longtime devotee of rap music, tacos, and generally perfect weather, she is excited to put down roots in Los Angeles. Her top three style staples are a good pair of cutoff shorts, virtually any kind of colorful digi-print, and a solid set of shades.