To gift or re-gift? — Kandy Shepherd

Today is Black Friday—the day after Thanksgiving when shopping venues across the United States (and now online too) turn on a shopping frenzy with heavily discounted goods. The idea has now spread to other countries who don’t even celebrate Thanksgiving. Like the UK. And now Australia. (Where our traditional shopping frenzy day is Boxing Day, the day after Christmas Day.)

Being somewhat of a shopaholic I rather welcome another bargain shopping opportunity. Working at home on writing a book that doesn’t seem to want to end in spite of a looming deadline, I’m easily distracted by the cyber shopping mall that surrounds me. I have now done all my Christmas shopping—ninety-nine percent done online.

Which brings me to the vexatious question of re-gifting/recycling to someone else the unsuitable/unwanted presents you might receive. The body lotion in a scent you know will make you sneeze. The wrong size T-shirt. The book you’ve already read. I’m sure you can think of lots of examples. There’s the second-hand gift dilemma too. Does a present have to be brand new to be worthy of being a present? Would a pre-loved item do as well?

Does it matter if they’re recycled?

 Problems can abound if you choose to re-gift. You forget to take off the tag gifting the item to you with love. Worse, you re-gift the present to the person who gave it to you in the first place. Do you tell the recipient that the gift is recycled or pretend it was all your idea?

In an era of “too much stuff” I think recycled gifts are a great idea both for the planet and for over-stretched budgets. One of my most cherished presents is a small blue vase I admired in a relative’s house. I was thrilled when she gave it to me as a gift. She’s long gone now and I always think of her when I use it and how lovely it looked in her house.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any funny stories of when re-gifting went wrong? I’d love to read your comment!

In The Wheel Tracks of An Everyday Hero

by Sharon Archer

We’re on the road at the moment... so before I go any further, it’s time for a picture of the stunning scenery we’re being treated to...

Spectacular Porcupine Gorge, QLD, Australia

Anyway, anyway... one of the highlights of our trip is the amazing people we’ve met along the way.  All ages, walks of life,  so many varied and wonderful stories to tell!

This is about one of these people.  Igor Bilek.  We met Igor in Outback Queensland at the Julia Creek park when we stopped for lunch. He’s taken a year off to explore Australia... by bicycle!



We got talking about his unusual bicycle and his adventures, places he’s stopped and work that he’s found at those places.  The distances he’s travelled are huge!  No support vehicle so he needs to carry everything he needs – tent, sleeping bag, food, water, clothes.  He said the solitude on the road, just him and the bike, is like a meditation.

All set up for the night!

He’d been on the road for a few months when he decided he could use his trip to fundraise for a charity.  And the one he chose is perfect for the mode of transport he’s using – Bikes for Humanity.



It’s a terrific organisation, volunteers and groups collect unwanted bicycles and refurbish them for distribution in countries where a bicycle can be a life-changing asset. Recycling with a difference!

The bicycles are affordable and maintainable with basic tools and parts. They provide transport, greater carrying capacity and business opportunities.

As a writer of medical romance stories, I was particularly excited to see that one of the groups to benefit were healthcare workers.

Having a bicycle to do their rounds means these caring people can carry more supplies, see the people who need them more often and for a longer visit!  At a pinch they can transport a patient to a doctor or clinic by carrying them on the handle bars or carrier rack.  As I was browsing through the different websites, I even saw a bicycle ambulance where a trailer was used to transport the patient.


So would you be tempted to tackle a trip like Igor’s?   Have you been on a long bicycle trip?  Actually, I suppose the very first question should be – do you like bike riding!

PS you can read more about Igor and his adventure on his blog .