How to Return a House Warming Gift

Housewarming parties allow your friends and family to see your new house and celebrate this next step in your life, and they provide you with items you might not otherwise be able to afford for your new home. Sometimes people give identical gifts, items you already have or something that just doesn't suit your taste or décor. The question of returning the gift is a delicate one, and unless the giver also gave a receipt, it's hard to decide if you should or should not return the gift. Returning housewarming gifts is okay, but there are some etiquette guidelines you should follow.

Returning a Housewarming Gift

• 1

  Open gifts after the party is over. If you have to open them while guests are present, thank the giver and set the gift aside. If the giver mentions that you can return it, then set it aside as well if you wish to return it. Politely thank them. If it's a duplicate of something you have, say so. If it is a matter of the item not being to your taste, just thank them and deal with returning it later.

• 2

  Look for receipts that might be attached to items you want to return. Often receipts are hidden under tissue or taped to the bottom of the gift or gift box.

• 3

  Keep gift receipts with gifts you want to return and make a note of the person who bought it so that you can thank them and tell them what you exchanged it for instead.

• 4

  Look at the gifts that didn't include a receipt and consider the consequences of returning these gifts. If the gift-giver might be insulted or if it's someone who will know you have returned the gift, you might be better off keeping it. If it is someone you rarely see, barely know, or who won't likely return to your home, set it aside for return.

• 5

  Search for stores carrying the gifts that do not have receipts and find out if they accept returns without proof of purchase. It's okay if you're not sure where the gifts were purchased; many stores will return an item as long as they already stock it.

• 6

  Accept that you may have to take store credit rather than a cash return on many gifts. Stores will typically return a gift without a receipt nowadays, but some do not give cash returns on these items. (See reference 2, page 4)

• 7

  Keep unique gifts that can't be returned. This includes homemade gifts or gifts that you can't find a store to return them to.

• 8

  Start a re-gift box to give away, or recycle gifts that you can't use or don't want. Don't forget to attach a note before you store it away listing who gave it to you and when, so that you don't re-gift it to this person or to one of their close friends or family.

• 9

  Donate gifts to charity if you can't return them, don't want to re-gift, or do not want to keep them yourself.

• 10

  Write a thank you note to the giver whether you keep the gift or not. Don't mention that you returned the gift. Just thank them for coming to your housewarming party and for their thoughtfulness in giving you a gift.