Sipkin/New
Tons of people will regift unwanted presents this year, but make sure to be thoughtful, dress the packing up a bit, and know your target before you give. That doesn't mean your gun-happy cousin and your razzle-dazzle-obsessed niece won't love them.
Regifting is "a smart way of keeping green," says Money Management International, a nonprofit credit counseling group.
"You're keeping your green, on the financial side, and it's environmentally friendly because a gift isn't languishing in a closet only to end up in a landfill," said Cate Williams, a company spokeswoman.
There are rules for doing it right. First up? Be thoughtful.
"Is the gift appropriate for the person? Do they really want 'Channel 47' perfume if you didn't enjoy it, too?" Williams said.
No. 2, doll it up: "Make sure you take the gift completely out of the old wrapping. Then give it a fresh look with some new, fancier gift wrap and fresh tissue," Williams advised.
No. 3, know your target: "Make sure if you get caught regifting that both you and the recipient can do it with a sense of humor and you're not going to be embarrassed," Williams said.
Really, regifting comes down to being tactful, says Barbara Bitela, author of the book "The Art of Regifting."
"If you do it right, no one will know the difference," she said. "Rather than having this stuff sitting around collecting dust, it's a very economical use of items you don't want or need."
Lots of last-minute shoppers said they intended to regift this year.
Chris Hsia, 32, of Manhattan, a banker, gave an iTunes gift card he got from work to his cousin.
"As long as it looks new, who cares?" he said.
It's quick and easy, said Jennifer Perez, 33, a Woodhaven, Queens, property manager. On Wednesday morning, she got a bottle of Victoria's Secret Love Spell body mist, something she already owns. She regifted it the same day.
"All I had to do was change the wrapping paper," she said.
Nicole Woolford is skeptical about the practice.
"If you don't like [a gift], why do you think I'm going to like it?" the 30-year-old King's County Hospital nurse said.
knelson@nydailynews.com
With Jeff Wilkins and Jake Pearson
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