culture & style
TO GIFT OR REGIFT
By Katavia Larry, MBA, PHR
R
ecently my niece was invited to a birthday party. She was so excited to go and celebrate her friend that she decided on the perfect gift. This was the scene: My Niece: Titi, I’m going to a birthday party! Me: Oh you are? That sounds like fun. My Niece: I have to get a birthday gift for her. I know what it is. Let me go get it. (She runs upstairs and brings back a water bottle filled with several items, some of which I had bought her, and hands it to me with a big smile) Here’s her gift! Me: Oh baby girl….we can’t give your friend this. These are items that you have already used. Plus, didn’t I buy you some of this?! My Niece: But I want her to have it. It’s her birthday. Me: I know you want to buy her a gift, but you can’t give her something you have already used. We don’t do things like that. Your Mom will make sure to buy your friend a nice, new gift. My Niece: (Walks off pouting after pleading her case about why she wanted to give her friend that hand-medown gift….) Now, I know that some of you may have thought this exchange was a little mean. But even at 6 years old, my niece needed to understand that regifting is tacky! I don’t care how you spin this Christmas tradition! Even if it’s new, nice, or novel as a present, don’t give someone
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something that you were given by someone else. It’s inappropriate! For all of my frugal frans and freds out there, I am sure you are puzzled by this article. Are you asking, Well, why not? So here is your list of reasons why you should not regift: 1) Regifting is a sign that you are clearly “cleaning house” and getting rid of things you don’t want, and won’t use. It makes it seem like you’re passing them off to someone else. 2) You may hurt someone’s feelings. The person that gave you the gift might be hurt. In addition, the new person you are regifting the item to will get hurt as well. And what if they both find out? The person who gave the gift is then hurt that you did not like what they gave you. The person who received the gift is now upset that you recycled something you received. 3) Regifting is inherently deceitful. Giving someone a gift that you did not think through and pick out yourself is not honest. Don’t be a scrooge this holiday season. Take the time to make or purchase gifts for your loved ones that are meaningful, and that you think they will like. Don’t regift that horrible “hand-me-down” that you pulled out from the back of your closet. Choose to gift, not regift, and support a Black owned business while you’re in the holiday spirit! u
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