Recycle, eh

Every Christmas (actually any kind of celebration) comes with the inevitable unwanted or unneeded gift or present.  Getting rid of these without offending the person who gave you the gift requires a lot of skill and diplomacy. And you do have some options. Selling online on sites or through local consignment stores will give you a little cash to buy what you really wanted all along or just to save for something in the future.

Regifting is another option but you have to make sure that the new recipient is not a close friend of the original giver - it can get complicated. Donating unwanted gifts to charities is an excellent option. If it's games, DVDs, CDs, or books, consider taking these to a local hospice or respite centre. It will be greatly appreciated and you will be teaching your children a valuable life lesson.

Here are a few sites for your information:

Clothing Consignment Stores (Ottawa)

HushReSale

ClothesEncounter

BoomerangKids

Household Consignment Stores (Ottawa)

JustStuff

TotalHomeConsignment

Swaps (mostly USA sites)

Swap

Swaplot

Swapace

TrashBank

Barter

Barter Network

Barter Network Ottawa

U-Exchange (UK)

Sell (free listings)

CraigsList

EchoAdelaide (Australia)

Gumtree (UK)

Kijiji (Canada)

UsedCanada

UsedUK

Note that you can barter and also give away stuff at the above sites.

Sell (pay for listing and also take cut of sale price)

BookScouter (books only)

eBay

Etsy (Check policies first)

Sites similar to Etsy

Donate or give away

Freecycle

Donate (Charity or Thrift Stores-Canada listings)

Salvation Army

St. Vincent de Paul

Neighbourhood Services (Ottawa)

Value Village

For other charity listings in Ottawa area

Ottawa Charities Listing

Good Thrift Stores

And don't forget to check out second-hand stores for specialty items like CDs/DVDs, vinyl records, etc.

Did I miss anything?

Happy New Year!