- So this is for you Michelle

- Thank you.

- Hey. Thank you.

- Oh wait,

these have your star sign

and your birthday on them.

I'm a Gemini

and these are for Leo

and this candle's used

- Gently used and yeah.

- Wait, I got you those for your birthday.

- Yeah it's a re-gift.

You guys re-gifting is eco-friendly, sustainable

and it's better than

throwing this useless shit in the garbage.

Plus when I thought about the trash, Michelle,

I thought about you and hoped you'd love these.

- Thanks.

- Merry Christmas.

- Wow. It's a cute cat mug.

Thank you.

- Hold on a second. I got,

No, I got you that last year.

You, you said specifically you wanted a cute cat mug.

- Yeah. I said I wanted a cute cat mug.

That's two out of three.

- Wait, so you got me a non-cute cat mug?

- Of course.

All your stuff is ugly.

It will fit right in.

- Check out my gift.

You guys got me my own merch?

At ghostandstars.com?

- Yeah it's a re-gift.

You gave it to us and we gave it back to you.

- Yeah.

- No you, you have to re-gift to someone else.

You can't give someone the gift that they got you

as a re-gift back to that person.

- Says who?

- Yeah who makes the rules of re-gifting?

- My name is Natalie Tran

and I create the rules around re-gifting.

I've been working actively to gradually shift the culture

around re-gifting from shame to acceptance.

And this all started when I received my first useless gift

and I was like, no, no.

I'm going to put that uselessness

back out into society in a never-ending cycle.

- Honestly, I feel really torn about re-gifting.

I have a friend who re-gifts

and she will make sure you know it.

- I got this for free at an event.

- Oh, thank you.

- Happy birthday.

- And I don't know why, but someone saying

that they put no effort, thought or money into a gift

which is a tangible material expression

of one's love or thoughtfulness or appreciation

makes me feel like maybe they don't love,

appreciate or think of me at all.

And look, I do not philosophically disagree with re-gifting.

I think if you're given a gift

that's better suited for someone else.

Absolutely. Pass that gift on.

I mean, it's better than throwing

in the trash or just leaving it somewhere never to be used.

The title ownership has transferred

so now that gift is yours to do with what you want.

But the act

of telling someone it's a re-gift

feels like a weird power move.

- Hey, what's up?

(phone ringing)

Hey, so listen, I just wanted to call you and tell you

that you're not invited to my birthday party this year.

You just didn't make the cut

but I didn't want you to see it

on social media and get your feelings hurt.

So I wanted to call you and tell you personally

that you're not important enough to come

because I care about you.

- Oh.

Okay.

Thank you?

I think if you're going to re-gift,

and there's no shame, just don't say it.

Just give the gift.

Don't say it's re-gift.

And look, I'm sure tonight and tomorrow

you're going to get tons of things you don't like

or don't need.

So feel free.

Just don't say anything about it.

So you're welcome guys,

not only for this, but for community channel

(chuckles)

I have been called a poor man's Natalie Tran

since the beginning of time on the internet

and it is still the highest compliment

I have yet to receive.

If you, for some reason,

have not watched community channel yet,

be sure to check out Natalie's brilliance in a binge,

but honestly

do not ever expect the lamingtons to come to fruition.

I'm Anna Akana

and thank you to the patrons who supported today's video

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