I can admit it. I've regifted.

One time, I gave a Starbucks gift card my boss had given me to a friend for his birthday. It's not that I couldn't find a use for the gift card myself or that I didn't want to pick out something especially for my friend. Life just got in the way.

The card was in my wallet, and I didn't have time to shop for another present before the party.

There are other times when I've turned around and given other people unwanted gifts I've received. And I'm sure there have been plenty of times that others have given away the gifts I've given them.

As much as I hate the thought of someone giving away a gift I might have put a lot of thought or effort into, I can understand it. Sometimes regifting just works out better for everyone involved.

My mother has a friend who loves to give designer bags. My mom doesn't have the heart to tell her she doesn't carry them. I generally end up getting the bags for Christmas or a birthday. The way I see it, everyone ends up happy: The friend gets to happily give her gift, Mom gets to happily accept it, and I end up with a cool new bag I'll actually use.

My friend Ashley has a $100 gift card to Tuesday Morning she hasn't yet spent. If she's got a friend or relative who just loves the store, the gift card would be a perfect regift. Besides, Ashley's had it more than two years now.

Sometimes the perfect gift for someone else in your life might be something you've already been given — perhaps that cookbook you got last Christmas would be a better gift for someone who actually uses the kitchen, the car buffer better for someone who doesn't rely on a bus pass to get around and the airline gift card better for someone who doesn't fear flying.

I like to think of regifting as a form of recycling: I have something that's of little value to me but great value to someone else. If I get a gift I find useless or undesirable but would put a huge smile on a friend's face, why shouldn't I give it to them, especially if it means saving a few bucks and a shopping trip?

I'm not saying you should grab from a pile of unwanted gifts every time you're looking to give, but if you happen to get something that's not for you but perfect for someone else, pass it along. It doesn't have to be as a birthday or Christmas gift, but it could be.

Of course, you should make sure the gifts are still in givable condition and that any gift cards you pass on aren't expired or left with 38-cent balances.

Regift when it works and go shopping when it doesn't. Whatever the situation, remember this: A regift is still a gift. And with gifts, it's the thought that counts.