(this was supposed to be published in December, but then life got very complicated... the sentiment still holds, so here it is)
Recently I read this article in WaPo about how
The Donald regifted even monogrammed items, even those given to him by his son. Forget who this is about, focus on the idea of "regifting" and the pain (or amusement) it can cause.
There are many moments when we're supposed to give a gift: an engagement, a wedding, a birth, birthdays, Valentine's Day, Christmas/Hanukkah, and many more. Teachers get gifts before Winter Break and before Summer Break, usually from advisees or grateful students (or parents).
One year, a student at one of my schools gave me a gift. This student, and a sibling and their mother, had become friends of mine (we're still in touch nearly 20 years later) and it was a lovely gesture. Or so I thought. Of course, you don't unwrap the gift right there in front of the student, you smile and say "thank you" and wait until later, right? Which is what I did.
And when I unwrapped the gift, there was a gift tag on it. From this student's uncle to the mother.
Because we were friends, the next time I saw the mother I mentioned the gift - it was so typical of this student that that's what they'd have done, I was amused more than angry, but also, what if she'd been looking for that gift? Or worse, if the uncle had asked about it? Her response was a chuckle, a sigh, and an "Ohhhh, [name]... No, I didn't know about this." She'd suggested a number of items as a gift and this had been near them, but it wouldn't be a problem if I either wanted to keep it or give it back. I kept it as a reminder of both this family and the dangers of regifting.
As Valentine's Day approaches, do your due diligence if you're regifting: take off any tags, and make sure you weren't given the gift by the person you're giving it to (or that it wasn't given by someone who will see you've regifted it and be offended).
