What to do with unwanted gifts this holiday season
Lifestyle expert Carey Reilly joined 'Fox & Friends Weekend' to discuss what to do with your unwanted gifts after the holidays.
If you or your family members are struggling with how to handle Christmas gifts you were given (with the best of intentions, of course) by friends and loved ones — and these are gifts you don't want, need, or really care for — well, struggle no more.
There are practical ways to deal with them or unload them without hurting anyone's feelings (and while doing what's best for you).
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Carey Reilly, a lifestyle and retail expert, appeared on "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday morning, Dec. 26, 2021, to share some key tips.
"Sometimes we get a lot of gifts that we aren't necessarily loving," she said.
An array of beautifully Christmas gifts are shown here. What do you do when you receive something you really don't want, need, or care for (if truth be told)? Lifestyle expert Carey Reilly shared tips for how to deal with the conundrum. (Unsplash)
But we should understand that there are better ways to solve the problem than assuming there's nothing we can do about it.
One: Know that help is available
This tip for getting help applies especially to tech gifts that you or your family members might have received but find annoyingly problematic to set up or understand.
"A lot of times you might get a tech item — whether it's a tablet or a laptop — and you think, ‘I don't know how to work this thing, so I’m just going to throw it in the closet. Well, don't."
What if you or a family member received a really thoughtful tech gift but have trouble setting it up or understanding how to use it? Help exists and is just a phone call away, says lifestyle expert Carey Reilly.
She noted that a tech hotline exists to help people through sticky problems.
"You can call 855-355-TECH," she said, and the folks there will help with setting up new tech items, including cellphones.
Two: Consider regifting
"Regifting used to have a bad stigma, and it doesn't anymore — or secondhand gifting. It's actually very much appreciated," said Reilly on Sunday morning.
"Regifting is great. And there are a lot of secondhand stores online — we are really seeing a resurgence of popularity" in this option, she said.
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She mentioned several options, including MPB.com, which offers an online platform for selling unwanted gifts.
Reilly said the group inspects all items and includes a warranty.
Three: Return the item for store credit if possible
In terms of returning something, "this is exactly when you want to know the retailer's return policy," said Reilly, noting that stores offer "a lot of leniency" right after Christmas.
Can you return an item? On ‘Fox & Friends Weekend,’ Carey Reilly noted that a month-long window exists on Amazon to return most items you might have received but don't want.
"Check with the retailer [about] their return policy window."
With Amazon, for example, "you can go until January 31st and return [most] items," she said.
There are other ideas as well, of course — donating your items; hanging onto them for now and using them later; sharing the gifts with friends and neighbors; and practicing gratitude for all you have and all you have received, during this Christmas season and throughout the year.
To learn more, watch the video at the top of this article, or click here to access it.
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