I am pretty sure I got regifted! My neighbor has always been nice to me throughout the year by sharing cookies and whatever shes been cooking. I gave her a small box of chocolates as thanks. Then I found a bag from her at my door with Trader Joe’s cookies and a small jar of gin soaked raisins. The raisins looked like they had been sitting around for awhile and had a handwritten label that was not her handwriting. It occurred to me that someone else gave her the TJ’s cookies and she passed them along. I couldn’t even begin to open the jar of raisins. They were seriously stuck shut. They went in the trash.

Got me wondering who ended up with the chocolates I gave to her! Other than that, Imwill use all my gifts.

Interesting thing about scents along with many other things. It may be one of the ingredients that can cause you problems not the whole class of things. Unless you are using unscented soap like ivory you are using a perfume product each time you bathe. Even the supposedly unscented products can have a smell. Find someone who would like it who is not around you often and gift it.

I got a beautiful shirt that is the wrong size. No receipt, no return.

My husband bought me two face gaiters that I doubt I will use. I don't like the fabric.

I once got got a rooster tea pot and platter from MIL. Sat in back of our pots and pans closet for years until hubby got rid of it. Love my MIL but had no use for it

I think perfume or cologne is a difficult gift to give, unless you know that the person receiving it actually likes it and uses it. I gave my mother some Tabu Cologne one year, but only because I knew she liked it.

When I graduated from high school, a few friends/relatives gave me after-shave cologne, and some of it I really could not stand. One in particular came in a bottle shaped like a Buddha, and I liked the bottle and so I kept it, but I never used it. If they had given me Aramis, I might have worn it, but I never bought that for myself either. The only cologne I really liked was Ricci Club by Nina Ricci, and it has a fairly mild fragrance. Mainly, I avoid fragrances, especially when buying laundry and dish detergent.

Lars, Tabu ... that brings back memories. Funny but I loved the smell of that perfume and also the old Brut. I come from a generation that men & ladies alike never left home without it (or at least where I hailed from). Mind you, I love most 'scents' but understand they effect alot of people. I currently wear Shalimar which I love but use with discretion.

I was given a set of hair and body care items from a fairly expensive brand. It's too heavy for my hair. I know the giver likes it and uses it herself so I would really like to find a way to give it back to her so it doesn't go to waste, but I probably will throw it away because I don't want to insult her.

I wish people wouldn't give me personal products like that. What works for one person doesn't work for another. On the other hand, it was kind of her to think of me and to want to share products that she likes. It's always a dilemma to know what to do with those kinds of gifts. I don't want to donate an opened product.

Ladydi, I used to love Shalimar. I bought some at a perfume factory in France years ago. There was another cheaper version that I can't remember the name of that I bought before that. I only bought the Shalimar because it came in a tiny metal bottle that was somewhat affordable for me at the time. It lasted for years because back then I never used a lot of perfume, just a dab.

I used to love the smell of Chaps and Stetson for men.

Most perfume smells toxic to me, especially if they are very floral smelling.

I would put the hair and body products in a spare bath.

I'm not sure if this fits "regifting" but my brother sent us a load of frozen steaks and on his next visit we will grill one up for him at dinner time.

I still use Tabu but although it has been for years considered one of the heaviest scents on me it turns light and floral. I love the stuff even if I seldom use it. I have been told several times that I could not be wearing it because it was a musky scent.

I know some folks don't think gift cards are a good idea, but all of these are reasons why I like them. If I know, for example, that you love to read, I would much rather give you a gift card to your bookstore so you can have the joy of choosing what you want. If you are a coffee lover, a gift card to your local favorite coffee place gives you the opportunity to treat yourself.

My son and I exchange Amazon wish lists, so we both get things we want. We typically buy one thing that isn't on the list. I don't buy for siblings/nieces/nephews unless they give me an Amazon wish list either.

Not this year, but my first mother-in-law, may she rest in peace, thought long and hard about gifts, but could never really get it right, because she was bound by two things: spending the same amount on everyone and getting something as cheaply as possible. She had four sons and three DILs. Every year, before we started the unwrapping, she would announce, "Ijust want you to know that I spent the same amount on everyone!" And we opened gifts from oldest to youngest. I was the oldest DIL, so I opened my gifts before the other two. When I opened a gift from my MIL, everyone knew what the other two would receive. The only unknown might be what color or pattern she might have chosen for them, if she even dared to change it up. I disliked Christmas at her house.

I have to say, though, she listened. If she overheard something in conversation, she filed it away until time to buy a gift. I once mentioned that I thought I might buy a cast iron skillet and received a set of three from her for my birthday. A brand new set of three sizes that cost her $6.99. How do I know? She told me. I tried and tried to use them, but the bottoms weren't smooth, there were ridged rings on the bottom. And eggs came out gray on the bottom. I finally ditched them.

“, but I probably will throw it away because I don't want to insult her.”

Consider giving it to a food pantry. Many have shelves for personal care items.

Consider giving it to a food pantry.

How do you feel about donating homemade jams to a food pantry? I have SO many jars given to me as gifts throughout the year and on holidays. I'll never be able to finish all of them. ( hope my neighbor isn't reading this LOL).

Not really, My family doesn't exchange gifts, thank heavens. I hate obligatory guilt gifting. The only gifts I got were from SO and a couple of women in a different department at work. I will use them all happily. The two women got me tacky (in the BEST way) Christmas earrings and some ornaments, Santa riding a pink sparkly unicorn and a pink gingerbread lady. Perfect. Oh, and the other night minion, who got me a rechargeable pink electric toothbrush and a 100 pack of pink disposable face masks. All will be used eventually.

I used to have a coworker who gave the most useless stuff and I cannot remember anything she gave me that did not get tossed. It was such a waste.

“How do you feel about donating homemade jams to a food pantry?”

The food pantry I volunteer at doesn’t accept homemade goods.

Maybe the unsuitable hair and body products could be returned to the giver, with the excuse "I tried these, and they really don't work for me. I know you like them."

My friend always gives fragrant soaps. One scent I really enjoyed, but it dried out my skin terribly. It was a box of three bars, I gave two to the thrift shop.

Fun2BHere, do you think that she would react badly if you thank her sincerely, but explain that you can't use the product and don't want her gift to go to waste? I know that my ex MIL would have, but not some others in my family.

Kathsgrdn, hold onto your Chanel until your student has returned home - then sell it on eBay.

People keep giving me bottles of wine which, in general, I don't much like (I don't like most forms of alcohol) and recently feel terrible the next day if I do drink a glass even if it is one I like. These folks never see me order wine or drink at parties, so why they think it is a good gift for me is a mystery.

My brothers are the best gift-givers, while I, well, I am the worst. Really. It’s a rare occasion when I knock it out of the park like they do. My one brother and I were talking about that, I mentioned how he was so good at giving gifts and I didn’t have that “gift”. He very tactfully, for him, said “well, I won’t talk about that, but yeah.”

So, please, be kind to those who are lousy gift givers. It doesn’t always have anything to do with how they feel about you. In fact, it is harder for me to shop or write cards for people I know and love, than for people I don’t know well.

Raee, my daughter said, "why don't you smell it and see if it's really strong" right after I opened, it so I did. So it is now used. He also brought a bottle of wine, which is good that my daughter and her girlfriend are here and the girlfriend loves red wine. So, she is drinking it. When I lived in Germany my landlord and car dealer used to give me wine every Christmas. I used to pay them both in person. Every year I would just give them to friends.

Bpath, there are people who are just bad at it but what would you say to someone who asks you specifically what kind of things you like and when you tell them you love to read, anything BUT romance novels...and they give you a bunch of their old romance novels?

Most people would love to receive Chanel #5 as a gift!! :-) It’s such a lovely perfume. Would it be ok for you to just spray a little on your clothes (not on skin)? Spray on the clothes on your back , you won’t smell it much but others would enjoy the lovely fragrance . :-) You will get compliments.

Raee_gw, I don't know how she would react, but I'd rather not risk seeming ungrateful or picky or critical. My relationship with her is more important than one gift and the gift was thoughtfully chosen, just not right for me.

My SIL is a really good knitter, yet she never gives me anything she has knitted. We have stopped exchanging gifts for birthdays or Christmas now for years.

She somehow thought my birthday was Dec13, it's June, and decided to send me a gift.

It looks lie a knitted cupcake filled with lavender. For me, it 's too strong a scent and DH is highly sensitive to strong aromas.

Last year I gave a friend a heating pad scented in lavender. from Uncommon Goods I felt bad when I received it because like I mentioned, it is too strong for me. I gave it to her as I didn't not have time to get something else.

This year she asked where I bought the pad as her Dh keeps "stealing" it . So, I am guessing lavender is okay with her and her family. I think I will pass along the "cupcake" along with the gift I have for her but of course tell her where it came from.

I have to use original Ivory. Can't stand stinky things. Living up here in the land of retirees/old people, why do so many think rather than take a shower, just spray on more perfume/cologne?

I have asthma and COPD and it really affects me. Have to avoid stinky people! Think Before You Stink info page!!!

When I bought my new car I ended up putting bamboo bags in it to suck up the new car smell.

Gifts of wine can be used for cooking. We receive wine as gifts, neither of us drink red wine, so I keep it for making various sauces. Same with white wine. If we don't like it, I save it in the fridge for cooking.

Perfume is tricky. I worked in a medical office for many years and patients would give me gifts of perfume. Most I didn't like or use. I discovered that you can add a small amount to a spray bottle filled with water. It dilutes it down and can be used to freshen pet beds, rugs, furniture. Used in on my car carpets. Because of dilution, it was very weak but was better than air fresheners.

Although I haven't worn any scent for decades now, when I did it was Chanel number 5.

Summersrythm, odors don't work that way lol. Chemical odors attack my lungs, even if they are across the room. I won't be wearing it.

I do cook with wine but not very often.

Lol, I tried. I don’t smell my perfume after a few seconds , so I thought it might work for you. I normally spray 7-8 times on my clothes and hair because of that. You can sell it.

My lovely, generous but clueless, non gardening SIL, knowing I’m an allotmenteer, got me a bumper pack of 35 different vegetable seeds. Sadly at least 3/4 of the them I know from experience, won’t grow in my conditions, such as three varieties of carrot, and the ones that will, I got my preferred seeds for long ago. I feel I must sow a few but even though I am a gardener, sadly it really is a useless gift.

She was so excited to find it she bought herself the same thing. I’m afraid she’s going to be sorely disappointed when she discovers how much hard work is involved. She doesn't even have a vegetable garden yet. And even fewer of the varieties would grow in her climate. She has no idea how time consuming raising so many plants would be nor how much space, medium, containers and heat they would need. Some even require a greenhouse. I’m annoyed the seed company plays on buyers‘ ignorance.

floral_uk I had to read "allotmenteer" 3 times before I understood it! We have "community gardens" lol.

seagrass

No. ☺ Two stores basically gave me gift cards to their stores. I purchased what I wanted.....even picked up 2 pkgs(14 prs) of Goldtoe socks for DH. He shouldn't need socks for awhile. haha (one gift card was good for one time use online "and" a one time use IN the store) You can't get "stuck" with gift cards.

Kath, you might have trouble shipping that fragrance gift as it probably contains alcohol which is flammable. Not sure, just my guess. Hang on to it for a while, then donate to a thrift shop.

Yes, I got a lumbar back rest thingy for the car. I'm fine in the car.

I buy perfume online all the time. and had no problem with shipping.

No, I did not get anything I can't use. I can use the wine, cheese, chocolate, and cookies. I can use the oil painting to cover the nail remaining in the wall where I took down someone's gift Egyptian papyrus souvenir.

I talked to my daughter and she said she would take it. I wasn't sure she would like it. We'll wait until our exchange student leaves, though.

Did you know that Tabu was created as a mass market perfume based on the smell of a prostitute? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabu_by_Dana

I'm very sensitive to scents, and they may as well call all perfumes Migraines in a Bottle. A few minutes in an elevator with a scented person is enough to set off an excruciating, nauseating headache. I've had to change tables in restaurants, move to a different seat on an airplane, even walked out on an expensive theater seat, because someone nearby thought they were "gifting" everyone around them with their favorite stench. My friend who's getting chemo has the same problem, except whereas I get a headache first, she goes straight to throwing up. My brother's doctor actually has a sign in the waiting room forbidding perfume. I'll bet a lot of scent-loving people would think twice if they realized the sickness they leave in their wake.

I first smelled Chanel No. 5 as a teenager when a boy brought it back from France for me. Loved it ever since, although I don't wear it (or any other scent most of the time) now.

No unwanted gifts to report, but I have the opposite story: I'd put a rechargeable hand warmer on my wish list--not my Amazon Wish List, but a list I gave to my daughter. So when a rechargeable hand warmer arrived from Amazon, I assumed she ordered it. But she didn't. Neither did my granddaughter or anyone else in the family. I even posted on Facebook, "If you sent me a rechargeable hand warmer, please let me know so I can thank you!" But no one has owned up to it.

I'll take your Chanel #5! What can I send you in return?

Barbara, Kathy has mentioned her daughter would take the perfume. I hope she likes it. It costs normally $135 a bottle (3.4 oz), not cheap.

Kathy knows me summersrhythm_z6a. She also knows it was a joke. I know well enough how expensive #5 is. Stop with the lecture.

Barbara, I asked my daughter just now if she really wanted it. She got a bottle of Black Opium for Christmas from this same kid (his family), which she can't wear while in my house. I just let her smell the Channel #5 and she is okay with giving it away. I'll send it to you. Send me your info via messaging. Will probably wait till next week to send it since I'm on vacation again then and things may have quieted down in the mailing centers.

I went back to work and got two more gifts I can't use. Perfumy hand lotion and Bailey's non-alcoholic truffles. The lotion is really strong, gave it to my daughter. The truffles I did try but they taste just like Bailey's Irish creme. lol Put them on the kitchen island, someone will eat them.

One of my coworkers had perfume or some other strong scent on last night and I ended up having to use my inhaler, irritated my lungs even though I was wearing a 3 layer face mask. She is a nurse and should know better. There are two of them in my office and they both now sit in my pod of desks.

Barbara, I was trying to help you out. I thought you didn’t see Kathy’s post. That’s all!

This year, I can use everything I received. In past years, though, lots went on Buy-Sell-Trade or were donated outright to the local Goodwill.