Ha ha! I didn't get it until I read the gift tag lol! He made the fatal mistake of giving his wife a gift for himself. That NEVER WORKS!

But there isn't anything wrong with trading a gift you don't need for something you do. If the giver had known you needed something, they would probably have given it to you. Anyway, wouldn't they want you to have the thing you really want?

Most people that give you a gift, know you well and are pretty good at selecting something they know you would like. Sometimes though they give you a thing you already have. In that case its ok to exchange it.

It is OK to exchange something you get two of. The gifter would understand that.

At least exchanging is better that regifting. Better you exchange the gift than risk regifting it to the person who gave it to you.

If someone I know well gives me something I don't need, I make it a point to use it anyway. We are such a fickle society that would receive a gift and not even use it. The recession may force us to reevaluate our priorities.

LOL funny! A set of radials "for my untiring wife". That is rich!

That is as bad as giving his wife a mop and bucket!! He should be shot!!

I have fond memories of the old "Friends" sitcom. Remember the episode on "regifting"? I think that is where the word originated.

I think there are times when both exchanging (trading in) and regifting are acceptable. For example, I received a blender and already have one I like. My daughter, however, doesn't have one and would love to receive one. If I give her my "extra", everybody wins. Or if I exchange the extra blender for a toaster oven I really need, again everybody wins.

I am probably dating myself but too many years ago to mention, my husband (we hadn't been married for very long) gave me for Christmas a new Hoover vacume cleaner he bought from a friend who was selling them door to door. We really needed one so it was appreciated but I had always wished for something a little more personal. Of course it was a different time then, but if he did it today I would hit him with it! (tee hee)

I bet he knows better now too!

Very funny cartoon (I thought Cox & Forkum stopped cartoons).

If I am to weigh in on the issue, I would have to say that exchanges sometimes are appropriate as someone mentioned above, but not routinely. The practice does seem crass.

I think, however, that part of the fault lies in our not knowing those for whom we are shopping as well as we should. If we did, we would do a better job of choosing gifts for them. It is when we simply buy any "object" for someone in order to check them off our list. It says we haven't thought enough, or learned enough, about the person to have an idea of what might brighten their day.

Maybe we are too self-centered and not the friends we thought we were.

I am afraid I would have to kill him, quarter his sorry carcass and then feed the parts to wild dogs! I understand when things are tough and couple's agree to buy a thing they need for the house or something instead of exchanging gifts one year, but giving you wife a mop or tires would be unforgivable!