Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Regift!
This year the Christmas party is at our house. Snacks, decorations, invitations, etc. are all on my To Do List. And, oh, yes, what are we going to do about gift-giving?
I am never at a loss for an idea in this department. While regifting can be a bit controversial, this year, perhaps more than ever, reassigning, renewing, and reallocating stuff is on most of our minds. May I offer a few guidelines for your regifting enjoyment?
1. Don't regift in order to clear the unwanted junk out of your garage and closets! Don't give broken, chipped, dirty, or worn-out stuff unless it rare, valuable, cherished, or a collector's dream come true. Always think of the other person. Is this used-only-once popcorn popper really going to be appreciated? How is this repotted violet going to be received? Is Great Aunt Winnie's black Persian lamb coat something your pregnant cousin-in-law really going to want to wear?
2. Our family has had lots of regifting jokes over the years. The walking ostrich puppet has been wrapped and rewrapped, passed along and passed back several times. Now that's tradition at its best! Dig out that laughing Santa, reindeer antler hair band, or talking trout and share the moment with someone you love.
3. I often boldly confess that I am regifting. "I have had this for a while, but I think it would look so great with your green sofa." Or a note that says 'from my house to your house' goes over well. I have done this with window prisms, mugs, books, picture frames, and so on. You can add a personal touch to make it more meaningful, like tucking a package of hot chocolate in the mug, or a homemade bookmark in the book, or a special photo in the frame.
For our party, each of us will bring something from our house that we would like someone else to have. That's the rule. When it comes time to 'do Santa' each of us will tell the story of how we came to own the item, and why we would like someone else to have it.
I am expecting to gain new insights into some old friends!
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