My parent's are baby boomers, and would never regift. I think I would also be uncomfortable doing so. I feel though that under certain circumstances it is OK.

A few years ago I had admired a vase a friend of mine owned. It was something that we had found at the back of her cupboard when she was shifting. Christmas rolled around, and knowing that she had a new baby and her husband earned little, I made a hamper for them (I was a student at the time, so lots of baked goods!) The plan was to help them out. When I went around to drop off the hamper (sort of unannounced :) ) I was presented with a beautifully wrapped gift, and inside was the vase. Regifted yes, but still precious.

Does it bother you if you get a present that has been 'regifted'? Is a no brainer. How else do you get rid of what you neither want nor need, which is where most xmas stuff fits in. (discretly bin it??) Especialy as you get older, you neither want or need the stuff, regardless of when/where it came from. Giving stuff is for Kids Retailers To make you feel good (and for to some women, if you want to stay married) For others, is an obligation to give something in return. Give the giver their previous stuff back the next year. They get the message, if all else fails. (and if they thought you wanted it, they might want it too) Best. Xmas is the thinking of you. Just give a card if you must. Please. Better yet, do it the hard way. Just give/spend time with those who mean anything to you. It's possibly the only thing they want - and you may not mind it gifted back to you.

Yes I have an Aunt who always did this and would still do it if you gave her something she did not like or need. It is OK if you do not let the person giving you the gift find out but if you do it blatantly and with little care then you would not bother going to any trouble to buy that person a gift again. As they say it is the "thought that counts" but if someone thoughtlessly gives away the gift you spent some time agonising over then it the whole sentiment becomes meaningless. Better not to give gifts at all and just give the gift of company and conversation on Christmas. Christmas is really only fun for the children in terms of gifts.

For the two Christmases after my brother-in-law got married, they regifted their unwanted wedding presents to us. At least we didn't get our own gift back! I think it depends on the recipient - we have an elderly relative who doesn't have a lot of money nor the space for random clutter. When we buy gifts for her, we choose them with recycling in mind (or give something consumable) and we're not at all offended when she "regifts" the items. In the case of a double-income, no-kids household, we find it cheap and stingy to regift items to family. Another point, my brother-in-law and his wife are Gen Y; our baby-boomer parents would *never* regift.

I love christmas and i love taking the time to choose something for my family. Better yet I love baking home made gifts. And putting up lights. But I also agree consumerism is not good, setting limits is a good way to help prevent that, and buying in advance of the advertising also helps. Never borrow or credit xmas gifts even if its for your kids, the best gift you can give them is the lesson not to borrow and they will be wealthier for it their whole life. Regifting is okay if the gift is appropriate to the people. My husbands nana regifted us a lawn mower. I can say it is really truly useful, no matter where it came from.

Horrified to see the number of people voting "yes" in the poll regarding whether they would mind receiving something that had been re-gifted. Perhaps I am being unfair in thinking these people must be greedy, grasping grabbers - maybe they prefer to receive nothing at all.

Last year my friend got a set of books which she already owned... litteraly... her mum took them off the home bookshelf and wrapped them up and gave them to her AGAIN. She won the worst xmas present award.

My family are classic re-gifters. It became a standing joke with one particularly ghastly plastic cigarette holder, the aim was to disguise the gift. The 'gift' was passed around every year for about ten years.

Christmas gift giving is a dumb idea all round. It causes huge stress: "Will they like it?" "Is it enough?" and leads to arms-race style escalation. Aunt Dot gave me a $100 gift last year and I only gave here a $10 gift. I better make it up to her this year... Will our kids think they are hard done by because the neighbours gave their kids better presents?

All it leads to is pointless consumerism that does nothing except fuel national debt.

Just don't play the game.

What a ridiculous story.