All you need to know about Mindful Gifting, Re-gifting and Consumption and want NOT to do this Christmas.
GroupTogether, a tool that organises group gift collections, dis some research to discover what Australians have actually received as re-gifted gifts. The results are hilarious and remind one to be mindful when re-gifting and gifting.
Here Are The 10 Worst Re-gifted Gifts
- A scratch pack for my birthday that had been scratched and re-gifted. Needless to say none of us were winners.
- An engraved salad bowl engraved with the event it was won at ten years before!
- Cracked Dinnerware complete with a $5 reduction sticker
- A scarf that I had given someone for their birthday a month prior to mine!
- A book which had a Happy Birthday note for Sally. I am not Sally.
- Make-up with finger marks through it…
- Freebies from a hotel. Not even a real re-gift.
- A gift card that had already been spent. It had a big fat zero balance.
- A box of Xmas chocolates that wished the person who gave it to me a Merry Xmas
- Bath and body products with the internal seals removed!
Ali Linz, Co-founder, GroupTogether says: “It’s about Mindful Consumption; grouping together for one gift that’ll be valued. Less waste from unwanted gifts, packaging, petrol and time. It’s better all round.”
Julie Tylman, Co-founder, GroupTogether, adds: “We think of GroupTogether as a type of mindful giving. Not only are you giving one gift that is truly wanted, at the same time you are cutting out all the waste: wrapping paper, ribbons, cards, envelopes, plastic packaging, petrol used running around to the shops.
“So you give one great gift, make the planet happy and can even donate a bit to charity. A true win-win-win!” Tis’ the season of re-gifting so make sure that you know the rules.
The 9 cardinal rules of re-gifting
- Make sure you do not give the gift to the person who bought it for you!
- Make sure that you do not give it to the original givers friends or family.
- Remove the gift tag, price and any left-over bits of old wrapping paper or tape
- Never re-gift something that is bespoke, handmade or homemade
- Only re-gift brand new gifts that have not been opened
- Make sure to re-wrap in new wrapping paper or a new gift bag
- Donate to charity
- Check for any forms of personalisation e.g. message in a book
- Next time you have to organise a gift for a friend, family member or colleague, pool together and get one great group gift or voucher that you know that they will really want!
Ali Linz concludes: “I really feel for the January babies, they struggle. They’re so ready to go out: party, drink and feast on cake but literally all their family and friends are partied out, losing weight or saving money.
“Now we can’t help with the hangovers and diets but we can help make it a birthday to remember. No need to give the sad, re-gifted Chrissie present, instead friends can keep their new year’s resolution and stay on budget by pooling their money together and giving one great gift (detox, spa weekend anyone, anyone?).”