Study: It’s a wrap, regifters rarely get caught

Thinking about passing along that cat-festooned sweater from Aunt Linda? It’s OK, the next recipient of your kitschy clothing will probably never even know it.

According to a new CouponCabin survey, not only do nearly four in 10 Americans regift, but most of them get away with it. While tell-tale tape marks and tamper damage may be obvious to you, your lucky co-worker probably won’t know the difference. Turns out, only one in 10 perpetrators get called out.

CouponCabin blames lengthy gift lists for driving people to give gifts they’ve already gotten. More than 50% of people buy presents for people outside their extended family, which can add up.

“Regifting can be a savvy way to save money on holiday gifts as long as it’s done with care,” said Jackie Warrick, president and chief savings officer at CouponCabin. “Make sure the gift is appropriate for the person you’re giving it to and all signs of its previous gift status, like cards and wrapping paper, are removed.”

So, who are the most common victims of the regift?

• Co-workers, supervisors, managers at my workplace – 20%
• People who provide services (dog walkers, handymen, etc.) – 18%
• Friends from my church, synagogue, religious center – 13%
• Neighbors – 12%
• Teachers – 9%

Come on tell us, have you ever regifted or caught someone regifting?