Posted on March 7th, 2011 at 2:48 pm by 
I read an article yesterday on GREEN LIVING (thanks to Anna Shepard) it got me thinking…. one of the points was about recycling your unwanted gifts.
DO YOU OR DON’T YOU? THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING…
I have a draw with unwanted gifts, THERE, I HAVE SAID IT,  it is not a huge draw and it is not full, but it does contain gifts, ones that are either so NOT ME, or I already have, thinking mainly books here, or just have too many simular items already… they are the creme da la creme  of gifts…. I have great mates and family….
The chances are the people I get pressies for may well be doing the same thing, I went to a supper party once where the hostess was given a box of Ferraro Rocher, a few weeks later we were all at different house for another party, first hostess gave second hostess the same choc’s, the game was on, the Ferraro’s did the rounds of about eight dinner parties…god forbid anyone should open them!….hang on I digress.
I love the thrill of finding presents that are just right for the person I am buying for and I get great pleasure from the search, but there are some people (rellies mainly) that I have no idea what I can get and then I must admit to looking in the unwanted gift draw, you have to remember that these gifts are new so I can, hand on heart, say they are unused…brand spanking newbies, I feel less shame than I thought I would, of course hope I never have a lapse of memory and give the item back to the original giver!
I also use these unwanted gifts to give to mates, as in not just for a  special occasions, someone who may mention a book they are after…”hang on a sec I have two of those” off I go to my draw! or a birthday that I have forgotten all about and there is the birthday girl standing on the doorstep expecting tea and gifts… I also have a huge box I keep filled with cards, no! not used, they are brand new, I buy funny cards as and when I see them.
Back to the gifts, many years ago I was given a stunning vase…I already had the identical one, in fact I had a pair, a dear friend admired my original one so when it was her birthday my gift was re wrapped and given to her…along with a massive box of choc’s, she was thrilled with both.
Well there you have it, my secret into the green recycling world of re-gifting, how many of you do this but keep quiet, it seems to me in this climate of  ’tightening belts’ and ‘cutting back’ and ‘hard times’ a little gift recycling is a very useful way to de-clutter you house and bring joy to others.
