Regifting: Tacky or Totally Acceptable?

The Holiday Gift Nobody Talks About

Every holiday season, it happens. You unwrap a gift, smile politely, and immediately think, “What am I supposed to do with this?” Maybe it’s another tin of sweets, a candle in a scent you’d never choose, or a gadget that will quietly live in a cabinet until spring cleaning. That moment raises an uncomfortable question: is regifting rude—or just practical?

Why Regifting Gets a Bad Reputation

Regifting has long been treated like an etiquette sin, whispered about as if it were socially dangerous. Many people associate it with laziness or ingratitude, assuming it means you didn’t care enough to choose something yourself. Add in the fear of the gift boomeranging back to its original giver, and the guilt can feel very real.

But the truth is, most of that discomfort comes from how regifting is done—not the act itself.

The Case for Passing It Along

At its best, regifting is efficient, thoughtful, and environmentally friendly. Why let a brand-new, unused item collect dust when someone else might genuinely enjoy it? Thoughtful regifting reduces waste, saves money, and keeps perfectly good gifts in circulation. In that sense, it’s less about cutting corners and more about matching the right gift to the right person.

Where Things Go Wrong

Problems arise when regifting is careless. Gifts that are used, expired, personalized, sentimental, or clearly mismatched to the recipient’s tastes cross into rude territory quickly. Regifting also becomes risky when it stays within the same social circle, where recognition—and embarrassment—is more likely.

The Bottom Line

Regifting isn’t rude. Thoughtlessness is. A carefully chosen, unused item that suits the recipient is still a gift. When done with intention, discretion, and common sense, regifting can be both generous and responsible.