Ok, so Angie and I took our walk with the dogs to Starbucks this morning, like we do many mornings when we aren't at work. Angie brought 2 Starbucks cards, one we re-load and register so she can get free soy milk and one card that was a gift from one of her students.

As we were drinking our coffee/tea she mentioned that she maxed out our regular card and needed to re-load it and that there was $3.65 left on the gift card.

Now we have "newspaper hawkers" on our busy corners in the morning, guys and gals trying to stay clean and sober. Other than I worry about their safety I have no problem with these folks selling newspapers....I never buy, as I get both papers they sell delivered to my home....but I do throw them a buck or two on occasion. We all exchanged Merry Christmas with each other as we headed up to Starbucks.

Well, on our way home, right before we crossed at the corner, Angie walks over to one of the "hawkers" and gives him her gift card with $3.65 on it....I asked her "What did you do?"...she told me and I asked if she told him it was a USED card?...she said oops! and hollered "it only has $3.65 left on it"...he hollers back..."Thanks, that's enough for a coffee mocha".....

As we crossed the street I gave her a hard time ...

"I can't believe you just re-gifted a Starbucks card"...."you didn't really give that guy a half used gift card"...."what next dear, are we going to drop by and give him the 1/2 sandwich you are going to have left from lunch today when we go to the deli?"....

We got a kick out of all this...

I told her she was damn rude....

She said she wasn't...

What do you think?

Well, we give away our childrens outgrown clothing and toys . Gary, I'll bet even you donate to Salvation Army or Goodwill. Gary, don't forget the Widow's Mite, she gave what she had.

She basically bought the guy a latte. I call nice gesture!

I think it's nice. I give granola bars to homeless people at intersection when I'd driving because while I never have cash, I always have a Luna bar in my purse, lol!

I have no idea why what she did was anything but giving him $3.65 Nothing but nice.

I'm sure the guys freezing their butts off loved a warm coffee. Definitely a sweet gesture.

If it was supposed to be a Christmas present then it would be tacky. But as a spur of the moment act of good will it was definitely nice.

A nice gesture. May be the only hot drink he gets today.

Yeah, I think it was a very nice gesture.

I have leftover cookies from Christmas Eve dinner last night that I plan to take to some people. I didn't bake the cookies for any of these people, but I'm passing them on since there are more left over than my bf and I will eat. I'm sure they'll be appreciated anyway.

Re-gifting...um...that's a tough one.

Now, what your wife did was a nice gesture.

Re-gifting "bad" gifts to someone else...well that's kind of a touchy thing. If you are giving someone something you know they would like (that someone purchased for you)...go for it. Just remember the rules.
1. Do NOT give the "re-gift" to someone who gave you that gift.
2. Do NOT re-gift something used.
3. Do NOT re-gift something broke. (happened to me)
4. Do NOT re-gift something that a person in your "group" gave to you.
5. Do NOT re-gift something personalized.

I think in essence she bought a guy who works a street corner a Starbucks drink and that's a nice thing indeed. If he has some spare change in his pocket, he can even squeeze 2 cups of coffee out of that gift card! Sweet! How could that possibly be rude?

Just for the record....for those that don't know me....

I was only kidding about it being rude....that is the reason I threw the after I mentioned it....

I thought it was a very thoughtful gift....