{"id":108649,"date":"2025-12-26T22:07:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T22:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=108649"},"modified":"2025-12-26T22:07:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T22:07:00","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-unwanted-christmas-presents-without-being-found-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=108649","title":{"rendered":"How to get rid of unwanted Christmas presents \u2013 without being found out"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>5 Minute, 28 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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Most of us have received at least one Christmas present that missed the mark \u2013 a jumper that doesn\u2019t fit, a hideous ornament or a perfume you don\u2019t like.<\/p>\n

Not every present is greeted with delight \u2013 so instead of banishing them to the back of a cupboard, how can you get rid of them without causing offence?<\/p>\n

1. Regift<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n

For Dawn-Maria France from North Yorkshire, the solution to unwanted gifts is simple \u2013 pass them on to someone else. She says right after Christmas is the perfect time.<\/p>\n

She never feels guilty about doing so and believes it is a more sustainable way to celebrate the festive season. \u201cOne year, I was given some garden seeds that I had no use for,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Rather than letting them go to waste, Dawn-Maria re-gifted them to a green-fingered friend. \u201cIt\u2019s a budget-friendly way to manage spending, especially during the cost-of-living crisis, and it\u2019s helped me declutter my home,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

The habit could also help tackle a much bigger problem. Each year, an estimated\u00a0\u00a342m worth of unwanted presents\u00a0are thrown away in the UK, with some ending up in landfill.<\/p>\n

Dawn-Maria re-wrapped her garden seeds, adding a personalised note hinting that it was a regift. \u201cI was given this, but I knew you\u2019d love it,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt promotes sustainability,\u201d she says. \u201cI have no regrets about regifting\u201d.<\/p>\n

2. Hide the evidence<\/h2>\n
The original gifter mustn\u2019t risk crossing paths with the new recipient of the gift, says etiquette expert Antoinette Akanji\u2019s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So how do you regift without causing offence?<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t get caught out,\u201d warns Louise Minchin, who presents the BBC\u2019s Rip Off Britain programme, advising regifters to remove any labels or notes that might be addressed to someone else.<\/p>\n

Before re-wrapping, she recommends scrutinizing the gift to make sure no seals have been broken or show signs of wear.<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s been opened or is part of an incomplete set, it\u2019s a clear giveaway that the item isn\u2019t new.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been caught out,\u201d admits BBC Radio 2\u2019s Reverend Kate Bottley, who forgot to check there wasn\u2019t a card inside a gift she passed on. \u201cThey opened it, and I said \u2018Oh no, I\u2019m so sorry,’\u201d she recalls.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s enough to make both parties cringe. The BBC\u2019s Morning Live regular Dr Oscar remembers being handed a box of chocolates with the message \u201cDear Mrs Smith, Thanks for being my teacher this year\u201d. It didn\u2019t stop him regifting, though, \u201cI just took the label off for the next one,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Etiquette expert Antoinette Akanji\u2019s has another golden rule: regift outside your social circle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your aunt has given you a jumper that you didn\u2019t like, do not regift this to your cousin,\u201d she says. \u201cShe may see your cousin wearing it, and this could provoke an awkward conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to ensure that the original giver and the new recipient aren\u2019t likely to cross paths.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Resell<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n

Kirsty Quinn, 36, from Oxfordshire, says she makes about \u00a3500 a month reselling items sourced from car boot sales and charity shops on eBay and Vinted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if you receive a gift that you\u2019re not going to use or don\u2019t like, and it\u2019s likely to just sit in a drawer or even end up in landfill, then I don\u2019t see the harm in re-gifting\u2026or selling it online,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cSelling unwanted gifts can help someone else get something they want at a cheaper price, which feels especially relevant given how tough the economy is at the moment,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt also means the seller can put that money towards something they actually need, something that improves their life, or something they\u2019ll truly use. To me, that feels more practical and sustainable than letting items go to waste.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vinted says the first Sunday of each year sees a spike in listings of unwanted gifts \u2013 averaging three times the normal daily rate.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s top-listed items women\u2019s toiletries and perfumes, jewellery, nightwear and make-up, according to the platform.<\/p>\n

Fashion dominated the most-bought items after Christmas, closely followed by entertainment and electronics, Vinted says.<\/p>\n

Vinted\u2019s tips for reselling presents without offending the person who bought them include using a username that is not readily identifiable and keeping photo backgrounds neutral.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany members will, however, choose to regift openly, and will include phrases like \u2018unwanted gift\u2019 in their item description,\u201d a Vinted spokesperson says. \u201cThis often helps buyers better understand the condition of the item.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Donate<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\n

If regifting doesn\u2019t feel right there are plenty of other ways to pass on the joy, says Louise.<\/p>\n

Donating to charity is an obvious option \u2013 and one that can make a real difference. Charity shops eagerly await the post-Christmas clear-out, when unwanted gifts become someone else\u2019s treasure.<\/p>\n

This is also echoed by Allison Swaine-Hughes, retail director at the British Heart Foundation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have decorations that didn\u2019t quite fit your theme, a board game you\u2019ve been gifted twice, or a Christmas jumper that\u2019s no longer your colour, why not let them brighten someone else\u2019s home or wardrobe by donating them to us?\u201d<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not about just donating \u2013 shopping in charity shops over Christmas can make a difference too.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur stores are full of unexpected treasures \u2013 quality items just waiting to find loving new homes,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re worried a relative might stumble across the item they\u2019d bought you while they bargain hunt, you can always donate to a charity shop outside of your local area.<\/p>\n

5. Include a gift receipt<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re the one giving the present, you can make life easier for the recipient by including a receipt.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re giving someone a gift and include a gift receipt, it gives them far more options,\u201d explains Louise, especially when the item is high-value.<\/p>\n

A gift receipt usually allows the recipient to exchange the item in-store or receive a credit note.<\/p>\n

In some cases, a refund may be offered, but that depends on the retailer\u2019s individual policy.<\/p>\n

Without a receipt, things can quickly become uncomfortable, so Louise recommends an honesty first policy: \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to say, \u2018I\u2019m really sorry, but I\u2019d like to exchange this for something else do you have the original receipt?’\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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