Better to Give Than Receive: The Etiquette of Gifting

A guide to gracious gift-giving, from registries to regifting.

Random gift items can be very helpful to a new mama or young married couple, especially if those items are ones the gift-givers have enjoyed themselves. Bogdan Sonjachnyj/Shutterstock

‘Tis the season for Secret Santas and stocking stuffers. But gift-giving isn’t limited to the holidays. In fact, having a generous heart should be our practice throughout the whole year. So how can we navigate gift-giving graciously?

Etiquette instructor Bethany Friske shares some thoughts.

To Bring or Not to Bring a Gift

Any birthday or anniversary party invitee should automatically bring a gift to the party, according to Ms. Friske. The only exception comes when the invite specifically states, “No gifts,” an indicator that the host wants to “take out the extra strain” that gifts can bring to guests, both financially and mentally.