Giving or receiving the same present twice
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31366)
Denmark
April 26, 2013 11:15am CST
Last time I visited my parents my mother showed me 4 small pictures and she asked me if I wanted to have them. I recognized the pictures because they were an exact copy of the pictures in my parents' living room and I asked my mother where the pictures came from.
She laughed and said:" The man who gave them to your father has forgotten that he has already given us the exact same pictures in the past, and we didn't want to embarrass him so we just thanked him and pretended that we didn't recognize the pictures"
Did that ever happen to you? Did one of your friends or family members ever give you the same present more than once because they had forgotten that they had bought the same thing for you in the past? How would you react if it happened? Would you be honest or would you hide the truth because you didn't want to embarrass the person? Did you ever give someone the same present twice by mistake?
3 people like this
9 responses
@verolop29 (1096)
• United States
26 Apr 13
Yes that has happened to me several different times. Like u, I didn't want to say anything but usually I'd say oh! I have the same thing. Like my mom because she has many children she often forgets what she has given to one child or the next...! She gave me a Walkman once for Christmas when I was 15 and she gave me another one for my bday but I didn't say nothing because back in those days they were a huge hit so it was fine with me that I had an extra just in case I lost it or it broke. Even after it happened I would still act surprised. I would say " oh u got me a...uhuh one I've always wanted"! And then would would be happy that I was 'happy'.
But it's polite to act this way a lot of people do this so they won't hurt other people's feelings.
I personally don't like it when friends or family do this. If they like it fine if they don't like it I want u to speak up and tell me because for one thing I can't read ur mind lol!
2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
30 Apr 13
Your response reminded me of the time when I received my first walkman. That was many years ago, but I still remember how excited I was to receive it because I finally able to listen to my cassette tapes when I was away from my home 
I think I would have done the same thing in your situation and just kept the extra walkman in case I lost the other one. Yes, I think that a lot of people would react the same way if they received the same gift twice, because we don't want to hurt the giver's feelings or embarrass the giver if they have forgotten that they have already given us the same thing.
I think I would have done the same thing in your situation and just kept the extra walkman in case I lost the other one. Yes, I think that a lot of people would react the same way if they received the same gift twice, because we don't want to hurt the giver's feelings or embarrass the giver if they have forgotten that they have already given us the same thing.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
26 Apr 13
No, I've never given anyone the same gift twice. Gifts depend on budget, on how the relationship currently is, what the person wants or needs at that particular time and a whole host of other factors; therefore, the likelihood of giving the same thing to a person twice would be fairly low even if I don't remember all of the gifts I've given people over the years.
I've also not received the same gift from the same person twice.
2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Apr 13
I don't think that I have received or given the same gift either. Some people forget which gifts they have given their friends or family members in the past like the man who gave my father the pictures that he had already given him in the past. My parents didn't want to hurt or embarass the giver so they just accepted the pictures without mentioning the fact the that they already received the same pictures in the past. They liked the pictures, but they didn't want more than one copy of the same paintings so they gave me the new pictures that they had received.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
26 Apr 13
I have had it happen to me but I never said anything because I didn't want to hurt my aunt's feelings. She would wrap gifts around her house and give them to other people, it's the thought that counts, right? =)
I have never done it, not that I remember anyway...
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
26 Apr 13
Yes, I believe that it is the thought that counts 
I don't want to hurt the giver either and I would probably do the same thing as my parents and just give the things away if I receive the same thing twice. I try to keep track of the presents that I give my friends and I don't think that I have given someone the same thing twice or if I have done it I didn't realize it.
I don't want to hurt the giver either and I would probably do the same thing as my parents and just give the things away if I receive the same thing twice. I try to keep track of the presents that I give my friends and I don't think that I have given someone the same thing twice or if I have done it I didn't realize it.
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
26 Apr 13
No it never happend except if it comes to perfume or chocolate. In the first case: I give it to someone who likes it (so I do accept it) and if it comes to chocolate I accept it also (if it's dark I eat it myself, if it's something else I give it to my children). BTW I would not put pictures someone gave to me (unless I like them and asked for it) on my wall. The way I furniture/decorate my house is a personal thing.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
26 Apr 13
I always eat the chocolate that I receive. I don't care what kind of chocolate it is, because I love every kind of chocolate I feel the same way about the pictures that I receive from others. I am an artist myself and I know exactly which kind of pictures I like and which pictures I don't like. In my living room I want to pick out the decorations based on my own taste. That is also the main reason why I don't give my paintings away as presents unless the person has already seen the painting and told me directly that they would like to receive it.
I feel the same way about the pictures that I receive from others. I am an artist myself and I know exactly which kind of pictures I like and which pictures I don't like. In my living room I want to pick out the decorations based on my own taste. That is also the main reason why I don't give my paintings away as presents unless the person has already seen the painting and told me directly that they would like to receive it.
@roshigo58 (4859)
• Pune, India
27 Apr 13
Hi,
Your parents behave so nicely with the giver of the present even if they received the same present twice. The feelings of the person who is giving present are attached to it. So we should respect his feelings. I never experience the receiving of same present twice.
2 people like this
@Deepak2J (1178)
• India
27 Apr 13
If something like ever happened to me, I would love to hide the truth and accept the gift. After sometime around 2-3 weeks I will tell them that how they gave me the same thing twice, and i am sure at this they would laugh and hence i would laugh too.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
27 Apr 13
hi Porcospino I have to laugh reading this as I used to work in the library and every year we had a big Christmas party with food and games and a gift exchange. Well one year I brought the name I drew a large bottle of Vasoline super body lotion as my gift and wrapped it in blue paper Okay we all had a chance to exchange gifts twice if we did not like the gift we drew.So somebody got my body lotion and exchanged it with someone else who liked that brand.So the next year at C hristmas I had brought a box of Choclates for the person whose name I drew and I got guess what a neat blue package with guess what, Vasoline super body lotion in the same blue package so I soon exchanged that with another gift a crystal bear skating on ice skates for a Christmas tree and I loved it so did not let anyone have it for an exchange.So I did not get to go to the next Christmas party as I had b
een retired. I often wonder if my blue package was still going around or if somebody finally kept it. 
een retired. I often wonder if my blue package was still going around or if somebody finally kept it. 
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
19 Aug 15
This has happened to me a countless of times, receiving the same gift. In all times, i have been polite and I accepted the gifts. I just re-gift the items and I'm just careful not to give it back to the same person who originally gave the gift to me. LOL!
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
28 Apr 13
hi porcospino.
this happened to me last year. i actually received two sets of perfumes from a cousin who is based in singapore. for my birthday last year, she gave me a hot and cold perfume set from united colors of benetton. then christmas came and lo and behold, i got the same set fo perfume. not sure if it was on purpose, she knows that both are my favorite, but to give someone the same set fo perfumes a couple of months apart is a bit peculiar. of course, i appreciate the thought but it would have been nice to get a different gift, a different perfume perhaps.
anyway, i didn't made a fuss about it. one of the perfumes i gave out to my wife and the other one i gave to my mom.
as for me giving out the same present twice... i doubt if this happens as i seldom give out gifts! lol! yes, i'm a cheapskate!!!
1 person likes this
