Here's what you can do with unwanted Christmas presents you can't exchange in store

Don’t need another pair of Christmas-themed socks? Don’t like the smell of this candle? Does this plaid not fit the colours of your interior? Undesired, unfit or boring gifts are a part of every Christmas, but luckily, there are clever ways of dealing with them.

Consider these easy hacks to give your unwanted presentsa chance to be useful or to make someone else happy.

Regift it

According to Elaine Swann, founder of the Swann School of Protocol, regifting is ‘absolutely acceptable’ with a few caveats.

The key to remember is to not ‘recycle’ within the same circle of individuals. If you receive a gift from a coworker and you want to regift it, you wouldn’t bring it back to your workplace.

Swann advises to only regift items that you have not used. Make sure they stay in its original packaging and re-wrap them in the new paper.

Repurpose it

Maybe you won’t use that patterned bowl as part of your daily meals, but would it look cool on your coffee table, or perhaps in the bathroom to hold hair ties and lip balms? If that art print doesn’t really go with your interior design vibe, what if you change the frame it came in? Could you wear that tank top for spin class?

Be creative and you may find that the present you didn’t think you wanted becomes part of your daily life in a surprising way.

Sell gift cards online

Did you receive a gift card to a store you don’t shop at or a restaurant you don’t frequent? You can sell it online. 

Raise or Cardpool is a great place to start; you can get cash and store credit for gift cards and get paid via PayPal, direct deposit, or a check.

Give it away

Did you get a book you’ve already read, a kitchen gadget you already have, or a perfume that’s just not your thing? It could be the perfect fit for a friend, coworker, or neighbour.

You can place unwanted items in a box labelled 'free' outside your doorstep or in your apartment building lobby.

You can even host a ‘gift swap’ party, where all invited bring an unwanted gift to exchange it for something they’d rather have.

Donate it

New and unopened items can be sold in your local charity shop, so consider donating them to the one whose cause is close to your heart.Shelter, Cancer Research UK, and British Heart Foundation are just a few high-street options that are easy to get to.

If you receive beauty products you know you won’t use, keep them in their original packaging and donate to a women’s shelter or Dress for Success-style organisation.

Sources used:

- Apartment Therapy: 'The One Thing You Should Never Do With a Gift You Don’t Like, According to an Etiquette Expert'