Unwanted christmas presents
- For the first time ever consumers can use the web to auction off any unwanted Christmas presents, or exchange them for something they have always wanted. The world's leading person-to-person online trading community, ebay.co.uk, is launching a special post Christmas "Trade Me" zone on its UK website, which will go live on the December 28. The new zone has been developed on the premise that one man's rubbish is another man's gold. To take advantage of the "Trade Me" zone visit ebay on December 28.
How to Handle Those Unwanted Christmas Gifts
It’s almost inevitable that you’ll receive at least one unwanted holiday present every year. Instead of feeling upset about, why not figure out a way to turn it into a good gift? Returning the item might be an option. Or, consider sharing the spirit of the season by sharing the gift with others or making it into a donation. Additional options include regifting or selling the bad gift.
Returning an Unwanted Holiday Gift
The most obvious solution for an unwanted holiday gift is to return it to its point of purchase. If it’s not awkward or injurious to the giving party, inquire as to where the item was purchased and if possible, acquire the receipt. The sooner you return a gift, the better, as some stores have policies that don't allow returns after a certain period of days (often 30).
However, if this makes you uncomfortable or might hurt the giver’s feelings, you can also attempt to figure out where the unwanted present came from and try to return it without a receipt. If this is not possible, consider some of the following additional suggestions.
Share the Spirit by Sharing with Others
Sometimes, it’s more trouble than it’s worth to go through the hassle of returning an unwanted gift—not to mention potentially hurting the gift giver’s feelings as well.
Thankfully, certain popular but often unwanted holiday gift items such as food, in particular, are easily shared with others. You can bring such gifts (fruitcake, anyone?) to holiday office parties or potlucks and share them with others, who will probably appreciate your generosity.
Another great way to get rid of bad holiday gifts is to donate them to others who might appreciate them or even need them. For such items as clothing and toys, a simple search on Charity Navigator can help you find a worthy charity that can use the unwanted presents. Unwanted food items can be donated to a local food bank.
Share the Spirit by Sharing with Others
Sometimes, it’s more trouble than it’s worth to go through the hassle of returning an unwanted gift—not to mention potentially hurting the gift giver’s feelings as well.
Thankfully, certain popular but often unwanted holiday gift items such as food, in particular, are easily shared with others. You can bring such gifts (fruitcake, anyone?) to holiday office parties or potlucks and share them with others, who will probably appreciate your generosity.
Another great way to get rid of bad holiday gifts is to donate them to others who might appreciate them or even need them. For such items as clothing and toys, a simple search on Charity Navigator can help you find a worthy charity that can use the unwanted presents. Unwanted food items can be donated to a local food bank.
Regifting or Selling a Bad Holiday Present
Regifting an unwanted holiday gift is another way to make a bad gift into a good one. Just be sure to not regift the gift to someone who interacts with the giver, as this might hurt the giver’s feelings. This means that an unwanted clothing item could easily be sent to a relative or friend who lives across the country, but it’s probably best not to regift this item to someone who lives close by.
If none of the above ideas for disposing of bad holiday gifts will work, consider selling the unwanted present. Online auction sites such as eBay provide a simple and quick way to offer the item to a potentially enthusiastic buyer. Another option is to list the item for sale in a local paper or with an online service such as craigslist.
Making Good Gifts out of Unwanted Presents
Don’t get discouraged or upset by receiving unwanted holiday gifts this year. Instead, be proactive in transforming them into holiday presents that you actually want or enjoy. Options include returning the item, sharing the item with others, donating the item to a worthy charity, regifting the gift to someone who’ll love it, and selling or auctioning the item. Enjoy the spirit of the season by transforming unwanted Christmas gifts into good gifts, no matter what.
- Set up a Gaiam Gift Registry so your friends and family will know exactly what you need.
