Holiday Re-gifting Tradition
November 19, 2007
It’s that time again. Your opportunity to re-gift. You know you want to.
Wikipedia cites the following rules of re-gifting etiquette:
- The primary rule is not to give a gift back to the person who gave it to you.
- Similarly, re-gifting to someone who knows the original giver carries the risk of exposing both your lack of attachment to the gift, and your failure to select and purchase a new gift for the recipient. (Made popular on the ’90s sitcom, Seinfeld.)
- One should remove any cards and other indicators that the gift was originally given to you.
- Finally, using the gift before re-gifting it — so that it is no longer “new” — is generally considered inappropriate.
Etiquette guru Emily Post suggests that re-gifting should be done only rarely, and under specific criteria:
- You are certain the gift is something the recipient would enjoy.
- The gift is brand new (no cast-offs allowed) and comes with its original box and instructions.
- The gift isn’t handmade, or one that the original giver took great care to select.
According to results of the November 2005 Re-gifting and Holiday Credit Card Use Survey posted at Regiftable.com:
- More than half of surveyed consumers do not find re-gifting rude
- Nearly 4 in 10 people have practiced re-gifting
- Women 35-54 years old are more likely to regift than men
- Re-gifting is more practiced among those who are college educated
- One third of re-gifters do so to save money
In general, don’t regift the following:
- Used or opened items
- Expired items, such as last year’s Dilbert desk calendar.
- Champagne/alcohol
- Eclectic items the receiver might not be interested in
If your feeling tacky about the whole idea, give your stuff to a charity or resell on CraigsList, Amazon or eBay.
Related links:
(You’ll enjoy this song) Regifting for the Holidays by The Alice Project
MSN 12 rules for regifting without fear
That’s all folks. Let the re-gifting begin!
-BD
The Perfect Christmas Tree for Apartment Dwellers
November 8, 2007
This is a brilliant space saver for apartment dwellers. The Manhattan Flatback by Balsam Hill Christmas Tree Co. It’s a high quality, 7 ft Christmas tree that can be placed against a wall, thus taking up half the space a full-size tree would.
Brilliant!
-BD
Happy Halloween
October 31, 2007
I carved these! My first time.
Use Caution with Cosmetic Contact Lenses
October 29, 2007
Cosmetic contact lenses can be make your teens’ Halloween costume extra special. However, both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Optometric Association advise consulting an eye care professional first.
Over-the-counter sales of non-prescription “plano” cosmetic lenses have been illegal in the United States since 2005. Yet decorative contacts are still widely available in retail stores, flea markets and online.
It’s not uncommon for teenage girls to even swap lenses with friends. Because they’re not educated on proper use and care of decorative contacts, they do not realize the harm that can result from improper use.
Contact lenses are classified as a medical device. Therefore it’s best to consult a professional so your teen can have fun and stay healthy.
Save Time, Save Money While Christmas/Holiday Shopping
October 23, 2007
My wife and I no longer desire to visit brick and mortar retail stores, especially during the holiday buying season. In fact, Awesome Mom prides herself on completing nearly 100% of her Christmas shopping entirely online, without visits to the local mall.
With the breadth of eclectic products that can be purchased online, I’ve come to agree that online shopping truly can replace the tactile experience of in-store shopping. No more jammed parking lots, packed aisles and fuss. I can truly withdraw from society except for the occasional trips to the Post Office.
In the past, it crossed my mind that this might seem a bit impersonal. After all, gift giving should not be about obligation. Each gift should be thoughtfully paired to it’s recipient. While I struggle, my wife excels at that.
With that in mind I offer these shopping tips:
- Order now so you can get the size/color/style you want and take advantage of free shipping.
- When filling out online order forms, be sure to do a quick Google search on “promo codes” for the retailer. You’d be surprised how often you’ll find something (i.e. 5% off, $5 off, free shipping, etc.) to use at the online checkout.
- Signup and use Upromise.com. Login and click through to the online merchant to gain additional credits (i.e. 1-3%, etc.) towards your account.
- Check if the retailer is part of a family of brands that might offer a discount. For example, ThePopcornFactory.com is part of 1800flowers.com.
- Upromise users who also have a Citi Upromise MasterCard get 1% credit to their account on purchases made with participating merchants.
- Consider paying a few bucks extra to have the retailer ship the present to the recipient, especially if you are concerned you might not get it in time. That also saves you from having to wrap it. Your time is valuable, no sense adding more pressure on you the day before Christmas.
Point is, be a savvy shopper. Keep breathing. Try to relax. Stay sane…So you can enjoy the upcoming holidays.
Build an Awesome Scarecrow
October 22, 2007
If you’re up for a last minute project, do this one with the kids for Halloween.
Father’s Day Gift Idea: Skull Bowling Ball
May 30, 2007
Need some exercise? Then take up bowling. What dad wouldn’t want to be seen with the baddest ball in the alley…
Very reminiscent of The Bowler character from Mystery Men.
