1. We've had very few donations over the year. I'm going to be short soon as some personal things are keeping me from putting up the money. If you have something small to contribute it's greatly appreciated. Please put your screen name as well so that I can give you credit. Click here: Donations
    Dismiss Notice

QOTD #61: What to do with unwanted gifts?

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by genuinemommy, Feb 25, 2016.

  1. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Have you ever been given unwanted gifts?
    What do you do with them?


    Our washer broke, we went a week without laundry. It wasn't a big deal. Some family offered to do laundry for us. When I realized that our bath towels were smelly, I took them up on their offer. They washed stuff, gave it back to us... and the next day they showed up on our doorstep with a giant bag of brand new towels. Too many of them. We got a new washer/dryer set. Now that we have a new washer/dryer, the new bath towels are redundant.
    I said thank you as I took the towels. I was a little confused, but I know they mean well. Now I need to figure out what to do with them. I've been thinking about making some hooded towels for their baby that's due in a month. Those towels may come back to them with modifications.
     
    genuinemommy, Feb 25, 2016
    #1
    • Like Like x 1
  2. Borla

    Borla Moderator Staff Member

    Towels are something IMO it is hard to have too many of. I like being able to rotate towels, so maybe they just thought it would be something practical and helpful. At times we've gotten towels as a gift that we thought were ugly, or that we didn't need at the time, but we always eventually used them.


    That being said, I have gotten gifts that I didn't want, didn't need, or had a hard time finding a use for. In general I try to be polite and make a show of using the gift for it's intended purpose. But eventually things like that often get regifted, especially if I do know someone who can use them.
     
    Borla, Feb 25, 2016
    #2
    • Like Like x 1
  3. Japchae

    Japchae Very Tilted

    I often "regift" to the domestic violence shelter. Often, women (and men) and children have had to leave quickly and are without comfort items. I recently took tons of smelly stuff and robes, blankety things, and fuzzy socks to the shelter office. They loved it.
     
    Japchae, Feb 25, 2016
    #3
    • Like Like x 5
  4. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    I don't receive a lot gifts, my family isn't big on gifts. The gifts that my wife receives as a teacher, way too many knickknacks, most with a Christmas theme, get taken to the Salvation Army store and/or a local addiction treament group that operates a couple of resale stores.

    If the gifts could be useful to someone we know, we'll pass them along and be upfront that we're giving away items for which we have no use. A good example is many of the scented lotions, soaps, etc. that my wife can't use because of her allergies. One of my sisters is quite happy to take the "smells good" stuff, and she gives some of it away. Some items will get regifted, but not very often; I'm not big on regifting just to get rid of something.
     
    Chris Noyb, Feb 25, 2016
    #4
    • Like Like x 2
  5. ASU2003

    ASU2003 Very Tilted

    Location:
    Where ever I roam
    For my birthday last year, I just bought the gifts I wanted. It was easier that way.
     
    ASU2003, Feb 25, 2016
    #5
    • Like Like x 1
  6. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something, but I would never make a donation of unwashed soiled items.
     
    Lindy, Feb 25, 2016
    #6
  7. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    I interpret her words as fragranced body lotions, perfumes, and other non hypoallergenic cosmetic goods.
     
    genuinemommy, Feb 25, 2016
    #7
    • Like Like x 4
  8. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    Oh, OK. That makes more sense.
     
    Lindy, Feb 25, 2016
    #8
    • Like Like x 2
  9. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX

    But they might make $$ selling womens dirty............well maybe I should stop here :D.
     
    Chris Noyb, Feb 26, 2016
    #9
  10. Japchae

    Japchae Very Tilted

    Omg, no... I meant fragranced items. For some reason, people often give B&BW hand sanitizers or mini gift sets to helping professionals at the holidays. I can't use 98% of them, so I save them. This last time, I had tons of Bath and Body, some L'Occitaine, The Body Shop, and a collection of bath soaks and bombs.
     
    Japchae, Feb 26, 2016
    #10
    • Like Like x 2
  11. ZombieSquirrel

    ZombieSquirrel Brrrrrrrains

    Location:
    Oregon by way of "Oh-hi-ya"
    This is SMART. I have TONS of that stuff in scents I don't care for, but I'm sure someone else would love. Since I'm looking to get rid of stuff, this is a great way to do that!!

    THANKS!
     
    ZombieSquirrel, Feb 26, 2016
    #11
    • Like Like x 1
  12. Japchae

    Japchae Very Tilted

    :)
     
    Japchae, Feb 26, 2016
    #12
  13. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    Believe it or not...I keep everything.
    Or I share.

    Pretty much what I do with everything I own, so same diff.
     
    rogue49, Feb 27, 2016
    #13
  14. POPEYE

    POPEYE Very Tilted

    Location:
    Tulsa
    I re-gift or donate. I see poor gift giving as close to personal insult as thoughtless words. Don't even get me started on Christmas
     
    POPEYE, Feb 28, 2016
    #14