It was Christmas day, and you were nearly bursting at the seems with joy. It was the last present you had to open, and how beautifully it was wrapped! It sat beckoning you as it's shiny wrapping paper reflected the Christmas tree lights just so. This—this certainly was the present you were waiting for, what else could it be? Carefully, you pulled back the wrapping paper, trying to contain your excitement when… oh. Socks.
So here’s what you do—after mourning the loss of your should-have-been-perfect present— with the unwanted christmas gift.
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Return Them
Plan A is return the gift. It’s simple, and guarantees you’ll get cash back, or at least store credit. Then you can buy what you really wanted.
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Regift Them
Returning a gift is ideal, but you can’t always break it to your Great-Great-Aunt Mildred that she’s a terrible gift-giver. So, Plan B, regift it. Give it to a friend with a birthday near Christmas, or can save it until Valentine’s Day or even, at desperate times, next Christmas. The good new is, you’ll save some money on a gift and don’t need to go through the hassle of going to a store and returning it.
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Save Them
The problem is, these are the worst socks you've ever seen, so no one in your close—or even distant—group of friends needs them. So you can save them for a rainy day and regift them later, when you meet someone who LOVES cat socks with jingle bells on them.
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Donate Them
If you don’t want these socks anywhere near you and need a quick way to get rid of them, you can always donate them! Even if you hate the gift, someone out there will be grateful for it. While you’re at it, you might as well go through your closet and give away some other, less hideous, gently-used clothes, just to spread the Christmas spirit!
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Sell Them
If you really need money to buy yourself the gift you originally wanted, don’t worry. Someone somewhere must love cat socks with jingle bells on them. Heck, they’re probably a collector’s item! Post pictures of your unwanted gifts on eBay and Craig’s List and you’re bound to get at least one buyer.
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Silence at the proper season is wisdom, and better than any speech.
Redesign Them
If the gift is salvageable, try to redesign it! Get on Pinterest and you’re certain to find a few creative ideas for how to improve your unwanted item.
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Learn to Love Them
If you can’t change the gift, you can at least change your mindset. Learn to love the hideous cat socks with jingle bells—they are one of a kind after all, maybe one day they’ll be worth millions. They won’t be, but go ahead and tell yourself that. Enjoy and appreciate the gift because it really is the thought that counts!
Unwanted Christmas gifts always make for an awkward situation. You know you should be grateful, but it’s hard to overcome the disappointment. Luckily, there are a few alternatives to keeping the gift. What do you usually do with your unwanted Christmas presents?
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