Planning on buying new gifts for your Christmas party? Why not be like Sault Area Hospital retirees, who dispense gift baskets filled with re-gifted items at their annual holiday event?
Elizabeth Iles, one of those who helps organize the preparation of the gift baskets, explained how this works to a Clean North volunteer:
- She and others keep a watchful eye out at church sales and similar events for baskets in gently used condition.
- A call goes out for gift donations, and retirees comb their homes for nearly new or gently used items that they no longer have use or just don’t need. (In some cases, new items are donated.)
- Early in the holiday season, a group of volunteers from among the hospital retirees gathers and spends a few hours grouping items together and arranging them artfully into the baskets.
- At the annual holiday party, the baskets are handed out, bringing good cheer and warming hearts…with a minimum of new greenhouse gases generated.
And re-gifting is not just for work parties! It’s ok to give a friend or family member something that’s in great or even like-new condition but was not bought by you. Some considerations to keep in mind if you’d like to re-gift:
- Make sure re-gifting is ok in your circles. One of our volunteers says her family has a history of re-gifting and giving used gifts that goes back 30 years or more! One year she asked for a waffle iron for her birthday so her brother bought her one at a store, was driving home, stopped at a yard sale, and saw a perfectly good waffle iron for a dollar! He bought and gave her the used one and returned the new one. The gift came with a funny story that drew a lot of laughs at the birthday party. But this scenario might not fly in some families.
- Best not to re-gift if the original giver will be watching when the gift will be opened. Letting some time lapse is wise as well…in case the giver asks about the gift.
- A re-gift should be given with good intentions…be something you’d might given the person anyway or know they would love.
- Make sure the original giver did not insert a note inside the gift or inscribe it if it’s a book.
- Family items can be tricky. If you give a friend a piece of family jewellery, be sure it won’t cause a major incident if your sister sees her wearing it.
While some may think re-gifting is tacky, we at Clean North think that re-gifting, when it’s done with careful thought and consideration for original giver and the recipient, is a great way to help reduce the production of new stuff and packaging, to divert items from the landfill, and to help people lead healthier lives by clearing clutter they don’t need or use out of their homes.
The Clean North volunteer who received the $1 waffle iron says she still smiles at the memory of her brother’s mischievous grin as he explained how he gave her exactly when she wanted…without contributing to the world’s stuff problem. And the Sault Area Hospital retirees can vouch for the fact that when done well, re-gifting can bring people much joy.
Happy gifting to all our readers!
