What to do if you receive a gift you don’t like

The holiday season is usually filled with presents of all kinds. However, you may not like some of the gifts you receive. Here’s what you can do if you find yourself in this situation.

• Say thank you. Presents are usually given with good intentions. Therefore, whether you like what you receive or not, it’s important to be polite and thank the person for thinking of you.

• Keep it. If the person gifted you a personalized or handmade present, it’s probably best to keep it. Unless the item doesn’t fit, as may be the case with clothing, it’s hard to turn down this type of present. Instead, keep it in a safe place and bring it out on occasion.

• Exchange it. If you’re given a receipt for the item, you don’t need to say anything. Simply exchange the gift for something you like. If you weren’t given a receipt, you can ask the gift giver to provide you with one. You can do so by telling them the item is a duplicate or that it doesn’t fit, for example.

• Regift it. Depending on the present, you may be able to regift it to someone else or donate it to a charity in your area.

To prevent this from happening again next year, consider making and sharing a Christmas wish list with your friends and loved ones.