People usually respond after someone gives them something they don't like or want in two different ways. Your own reaction probably depends on whether you perceive gifts as having more economic or symbolic value.
| Options | Economic rulebook | Symbolic rulebook |
|---|---|---|
| Return to giver | Allowed. But only when both giver and recipient agree. | Not Allowed. Generally believed this will hurt the feelings of the giver. |
| Return to the store or online vendor | Allowed. Gifts store monetary value. | Allowed only after considering the feelings of the giver. When needed, keep the return a secret. |
| Exchange | Allowed. Recipient may exchange it for another item or receive a store or online vendor credit. | Allowed only for a different size of clothing. For other items, follow the same conditions as returns. |
| Find a new use | Allowed. Recipient must believe they are receiving value. | Allowed when it does not denigrate the original intention. For instance, don’t use an ugly sweater in your dog carrier. |
| Store | Allowed, but not optimal. Takes up space and may not ultimately be used. | Allowed. Good option when the recipient prefers not to use the gift but does not to hurt the giver’s feelings. |
| Donate | Allowed. A great option when the recipient does not need or want to obtain the gift’s monetary value. | Allowed only when considering the giver’s feelings. |
| Sell | Allowed. A good choice when returning the item to the store will not result in obtaining full value. There are apps that make this possible, such as LetGo. | Allowed only when considering the giver’s feelings. |
| Re-gift | Allowed. Excellent choice because of the convenience. | Allowed only when considering the feelings of both the original giver and the new recipient. |
| Throw away | Not allowed. Wastes monetary value. | Allowed only when the gift was intended to displease the recipient. |
