5 Ways to Get Rid of Holiday Gifts You Don't Want

Christmas always works like clock-work. I know I will get a bath set with lotion that smells like something a 14-year-old would wear. I also know I will receive a sweater that is too short in the sleeves and too short in the torso (I have been blessed with obnoxiously long arms and mid-section.) Over the years, I’ve learned about proper gift etiquette: Pretend you love the gift and later determine its fate.
If your holiday season is anything like mine, you’ll get a gift for which you have no use. Before you stash that disliked gift in storage, check out these five ideas to thoughtfully dispose of it:

Re-gift it: Just don’t get caught doing it. Make sure that when you give a re-gift as a present, give it to someone who doesn’t know the person that gave you the present in the first place. Save those unwanted items for a January birthday or use it as a white elephant gift for next year’s Christmas.
Exchange it: Don’t you just love the aunt that always places a gift receipt with that itchy, lumpy sweater? Some stores will give the option of placing the amount of the exchange on a gift card. This is the best option because you’re not pressured to pick an item right then and there. Save the gift card for when you’re low on cash and need to update your wardrobe.
Donate it: “Oh, how neat, a scarf” may be what you say when you get that unnecessary gift for Christmas. Contrarily, what you are really thinking is: “What am I going to do with another scarf?” Don’t feel bad about giving away a gift that will just sit in a storage box labeled “scarves.” Go to your local DAV, or ask your church if they are having a winter-clothes drive.
Sell it: Books and electronics especially do well on eBay. Companies like iSoldIt will sell your items for you on eBay, but the item has to be worth a certain value. You will also have to pay fees and a percentage of the sale price to the business. If you do it yourself, you will only get stuck with the fees.
Swap it: Host an after-Christmas party, and have all your friends bring their un-wanted gifts. You could either re-wrap it for a game of white elephant, or just swap with someone who wants your gift. Have friends bring over their holiday leftovers so you don’t have to supply the food.