Sitting on Unwanted Holiday Gifts? 4 Options to Consider

All of these are worth considering.

It's common to exchange gifts during the holidays, and some people find that experience to be very enjoyable -- even if they wind up with gifts they're less than thrilled with. Certain people are just difficult to shop for. Or it may be that you're easy to shop for, but somehow, your loved ones and friends just never seem to make the right call.

Either way, there's a good chance you'll be closing out the 2022 holiday season with at least a few gifts you don't want or have a use for. And while you could simply stick those items in the back of your closet and let them collect dust, here are some options to consider instead.

1. Sell them

A lot of people could use extra cash these days given that inflation has driven living costs upward. If you could use a financial boost, whether to cover everyday expenses or pad your savings account, then it pays to look into selling your unwanted holiday gifts.

In this regard, you have different options. If you're looking at larger items, selling them locally may be your best bet so you don't have to incur shipping costs. That could mean trying to sell unwanted gifts by advertising on your town's social media page or participating in your next neighborhood yard sale.

For smaller items you won't want, sites like eBay can make your life easier. There are also sites that allow you to sell unwanted gift cards at a discount, like CardCash.

2. Swap them

Maybe you received jewelry as a holiday gift, only you're not the type to wear it. If your friend who loves jewelry got a gift card to a local bookstore for the holidays but they're not an avid reader like you are, they may be willing to do a trade.

3. Re-gift them

Chances are, you'll have birthdays, housewarming parties, and other events come up in the course of the year that will require you to bring a gift. It could pay to hang onto your holiday items and figure out ways to unload them on other people strategically.

4. Donate them

If you're doing well enough financially and you don't want to deal with the hassle of selling or exchanging gifts, then you can always look at donating unwanted holiday items to those who are less fortunate. There are different charitable organizations that can help make sure your unwanted holiday gifts make a difference in someone else's life. You can also see if a local house of worship can point you in the right direction.

In an ideal world, you'd get a string of holiday gifts you really love. But we all know how unlikely that is. So rather than bemoan those gifts you aren't thrilled with or shove them in the closet to be forgotten for months on end, do something with them, whether that means selling them for cash, giving them to someone else, swapping them for something you want, or bettering the life of a person in need.