Okay! Okay! I can here you tutting under your breath already…Maybe the head-shake is disbelief that I would consider not accepting a plant. Or, perhaps you have complete disdain for the selfish act of re-gifting. Whichever the case, it’s going to make this discussion an interesting one.
Let’s start with the first proposition – not accepting a plant. As this is a gardening blog one would expect that plants are the quintessential ingredient. Correct. Yet while 99.9% of plants can grab, and hold, my attention there are a few that I honestly do not like. In fact, I struggle to stop myself from gagging whenever I see them used in a garden.
So, while most plants would excite me and would certainly make their way into my garden – somewhere – a few are certain candidates as regift potentials. And the reason they are is because so many people love them, which is, sadly, why they’re popular.
But the real question is whether to regift it or not? For those who may not understand the term “regift” it is the practice of passing the gift onto another person, for whom you may be obligated to give to, as though it were a present solely intended for that person. It’s a socially acceptable fraudulent act where the consequence of being found out is shame and constant ‘ribbing’ within that circle of influence.
If you think of all those times when a ‘gift’ is a social obligation – Mother’s Day, Thank you occasions, Housewarming parties and taking a token when visiting a family member – it makes perfect sense that a regifted plant could come in handy.
But as always, there are rules;
- Never make the major faux pas of regifting to the same person that gave you the plant initially.
- Try and remember which friends may have seen the plant when you first received it – and ensure that it’s a different circle of friends when regifting.
- There is usually at least one person that you complained to about the gift – never regift it to that person.
- And, try and ensure that the original giver has very little, if indeed nothing, to do with the recipient of your regift.
And if all that sounds a little sneaky, underhanded and a little too much effort – you could always try and sell it at a local market.
But, there are rules on how you go about doing that… Another time, perhaps?
Have you ever regifted a plant or found another way of disposing of it thoughtfully? Love to hear your thoughts.