A gift is a unique way to deliver love. Spending time choosing the appropriate souvenir, carefully wrapping it, and attaching a tag with a note that brings joy to the receiver is the package of love we term as a gift. It shows how much someone adores you.

However, despite all these efforts, some gifts just disappoint us. Surely, all of us have found ourselves in a situation where we faked excitement and forced a smile upon receiving a gift because it was far away from our liking. These gifts can be termed as more of a burden than a present. Neither can you return it, nor can you get rid of it. Fortunately, something you can do is pass it on to someone else, or re-gift it.

At first, this idea seems amoral, but it does not have to be. Think about it — why not pass on something you have kept aside and will likely never use to someone who can make good use of it? If it ends up being worthy of usage, there is nothing wrong with it. The purpose of gifting is to show you care and if the same purpose can be attained through re-gifting, there is nothing wrong about this exchange.

Other than that, you can get creative with the gift! Modify it or revamp it in order to enhance it into a better version of its original self. Speaking from personal experience, I once received a very tacky hairclip made out of artificial seashells and could not fathom what to do with it. So, I detached the shells and used it to make a miniature model of a beach using sand, pearls, stars, and those seashells in a round fish tank. Upon receiving, my friend only loved it, but was delighted to see the creativity and effort behind creating this unique gift.

However, you must keep in mind that not everyone will be appreciative of receiving a ‘second-hand gift.’ Some may even accuse you of being a miser, while others may take it personally, which will tarnish both their self-esteem and your well-built relationship. Thus, it is necessary to assess the reaction of a person beforehand to avoid adverse situations as such.

Nonetheless, if one finds it useful and attractive, there is no chance of being cross about re-gifting. If you can explain the thoughts and motives behind re-gifting a certain item well enough, you can avoid any uncomfortable reaction. Some things at first sight make you think, “Oh! This would be perfect for him/her!” Whether you buy it personally or receive it from an alternate source, whatever the case maybe, that is the essence and purpose of gifting.

All this being said, to maintain appropriate etiquette, it is always wise to mention that the material is a gift passed on in the best way possible. It is not a crime, but some people are sensitive regarding this. Besides, storing it carefully, rewrapping it, and adding a personal note mitigates any negative representation and portrays the pleasant intention behind re-gifting.

By Fariha Amber

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed