According to British Heart Foundation research conducted last year, two-in-three of us will receive at least one unwanted gift at Christmas. Many of us are too embarrassed to ask the person who gave us a poor present for the receipt, so we look for alternative ways to get rid of the item. Don’t head for the bin just yet: check out four great ways to make use of gifts you don’t like below.

 

Donate

Donating is the guilt-free way to get rid of unwanted presents, so consider maintaining the festive spirit by giving yours to the local charity shop – avoid opening the packaging to ensure they can sell your item for as much as possible.

 

Sell

You can turn unwanted presents into cash by selling your items on websites like eBay or Gumtree. Again, keep the items in as-new condition to command the best prices. There is also the option to put items like books and DVDs up for sale through platforms like Amazon Marketplace.

If you think that your item could be a collectable, make sure you get it professionally valued first, or you could end up underselling it. Value My Stuff offers a convenient online service and can tell you how much anything from antiques to sports memorabilia are worth.

 

Recycle

You can recycle an unwanted present by regifting: giving it to someone who might be a more welcoming recipient at another special occasion. This saves you time and money when it comes to getting someone else a gift, but can be embarrassing if anyone finds out.

There is also the option to upcycle or repurpose an item. For instance, knitted Christmas jumpers can be sewn into festive cushion covers; socks can be crafted into puppets for the kids; and bottles of wine can be used for cooking rather than drinking.