Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
If someone gave you a gift that you would not use and you already had multiple of them, would you have a problem with giving that gift to somebody else? Would that be sin?
Is Regifting Morally Okay?
- Thread starter Ryan&Amber2013
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Why would that be a sin? If someone gives you something, doesn't it become your property? Can't you do what you want with it? Even throw it away?
It might not be polite, but it would not be a sin.
It might not be polite, but it would not be a sin.
SolaScriptura
Puritanboard Brimstone
I love it when I get a gift I’ll never use because I count it as them having saved me the time and money of buying a gift for someone else!
Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
Too funnyOne mans trash is another mans treasure!(2 Regifting 3:32)
ZackF
Puritan Board Professor
Regifting is fine even if a bit awkward. I have no problem telling someone if asked about the gift that I had found a use for it because I already had one or just plain wasn’t going to use it. A very endearing, personal or craftsman like gift is different and you wouldn’t likely have one anyway. I would think hard on that one. However regifting that third toaster you were given for your wedding despite having a registry shouldn’t give you much pause.
Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
I have a couple of second-hand books that contain very nice hand-written messages to the original recipients at the front. Was it a sin for them to sell them? Perhaps it was a bit impolite, but it was hardly a sin. If the book was no longer of use to them, there was little point hanging on to it just because someone gave it to them.
RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
No. I do it all the time.
nickipicki123
Puritan Board Freshman
I don't think it is a sin, but it would probably be very rude if you forgot who gave it to you and gave it back to them by accident!
timfost
Puritan Board Senior
One mans trash is another mans treasure!
P.S. unless of course you hold to exclusive giftody
It only applies in corporate, not individual regifting.
Alan D. Strange
Puritan Board Senior
It depends. If the giver has impeccable taste and knows better than the recipient what a good gift is, it might reveal a striking failure of taste on the part of the recipient.
A truly egregious gustatory lapse might prompt someone to do such even with a gift given by you or me!
Is this clearly sin? Surely it comes close!Peace,
Alan
Grant
Puritan Board Graduate
Tim,
Please remember this is a "reformed" board and historically none of the reformed church fathers held to exclusive giftody.
Moderators please watch him
bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
It depends. If the giver has impeccable taste and knows better than the recipient what a good gift is, it might reveal a striking failure of taste on the part of the recipient.
A truly egregious gustatory lapse might prompt someone to do such even with a gift given by you or me!
Peace,
Alan
Alan, a fine gift to me would be all the review copies of books you've received over the last few years.
Just an idea. . .
Alan D. Strange
Puritan Board Senior
In some cases, I would be more than happy to get rid of them!
It depends. If the giver has impeccable taste and knows better than the recipient what a good gift is, it might reveal a striking failure of taste on the part of the recipient.
A truly egregious gustatory lapse might prompt someone to do such even with a gift given by you or me!
Peace,
Alan
Ah! Now I know where to send the fruitcake that I always receive this time of year.
Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
I am yet to try one I actually like. I hear they exist out there, though.Ah! Now I know where to send the fruitcake that I always receive this time of year.
Edward
Puritanboard Commissioner
You beat me to it. I was going to suggest that one keep impeccable records to make sure it is not re-gifted to the original giver.
Collins Street Bakery. $29.95 - $82.90. Domestic shipping $6.75 to $19.95 based on speed. So in less than a week, you can have a really nice fruitcake for around $100. (Foreign shipping more).
Jack K
Puritan Board Doctor
It's morally wrong to lie or deceive, so regifting is a good idea only if you can be aboveboard about it. Assume both the person who gave you the gift and the one who receives it from you will find out. After all, they may ask you about it.
If you would be okay with having to say to the giver, with sincerity, "Yes, thank you so much for that lovely desk calendar. I already had a couple of those, so I passed it on to a student I know who will really appreciate it. It was a great gift because I was able to bless someone else with it," then you are free to regift it.
Of course, the year I actually received two desk calendars, one from each of my kids, regifting either of those was out of the question.
If you would be okay with having to say to the giver, with sincerity, "Yes, thank you so much for that lovely desk calendar. I already had a couple of those, so I passed it on to a student I know who will really appreciate it. It was a great gift because I was able to bless someone else with it," then you are free to regift it.
Of course, the year I actually received two desk calendars, one from each of my kids, regifting either of those was out of the question.
ZackF
Puritan Board Professor
If it was the same exact calendar who would know?
Jack K
Puritan Board Doctor
Reminds me of a recurring conversation between me and my wife.
Her (holding a "Christian" book): The teaching in this book is bad. I'm going to give it away.
Me: Why would you want to give someone a bad book?
Her: Well, it feels wrong to throw a book away.
Me: And it's better to perpetuate bad teaching?
Her: You're right. I don't want my friends reading it.
Me: Trash it then.
Her: And it would be wrong to sell it. But I could give it to the jail ministry.
Me: You want prisoners to get bad teaching?
Her: It might not be as bad as some of the other books they get.
Me: You want prisoners to get semi-bad teaching?
Her (tossing the book on my desk): You throw it away then. I'm giving it to you.
ZackF
Puritan Board Professor
Yeah I remember I gave a couple of boxes of RC books to an exgirlfriend. I had left the RCC shortly after we broke up. I wouldn’t do that today though I have saved some for reference purposes.
OPC'n
Puritan Board Doctor
If you re-gifted my present, I would think two things: 1. You thought my present was such a great present that you turned around and gave it to another person. 2. You're a very generous person to give away such a great gift. Think "pay it forward". Does that show how egotistical I am? 
Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
ZackF
Puritan Board Professor
Since gifting a fruitcake to begin with is questionable on moral grounds, regifting....?Ah! Now I know where to send the fruitcake that I always receive this time of year.
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