Seven Things to Do With Your Unwanted Christmas Gifts

When it comes to Christmas, it's the thought that counts- but that doesn't solve the problem of the pile of unwanted holiday gifts under the tree. While nobody wants to be a grinch about it, there's a good chance you received at least one or two presents this year that left you cold. What to do with these unwanted Christmas gifts? You may have more options than you realize. Here are seven ideas:

1. Return Your Unwanted Christmas Gift for a Refund

Your well-meaning aunt may not have figured out that vegetarians don't need sausage-making machines, but somehow she was savvy enough to include the gift receipt. You're in luck - just head to the store and ask to return the gift. If you don't have the receipt, some stores may not give you a cash refund. However, as long as the packaging is intact, most merchants are happy to let you exchange an unwanted gift.

2. Make Money Online with Your Unwanted Christmas Gift

Online communities such as Amazon, eBay, Craigslist and Etsy always see an influx of sales around the holidays, as wily consumers flock online to sell their unwanted Christmas gifts. You can post any number of items for sale, and even if you've never sold an item on the internet before, you'll find online marketplaces surprisingly easy to navigate. You typically will have to sell at a discounted price, but any money you earn is clear profit.

3. Regift Your Unwanted Christmas Gift

A plastic garden gnome may not be your cup of tea, but wouldn't your kitsch-loving cousin get a chuckle out of it? If you don't feel comfortable selling a gift for money, pass it on to someone who will appreciate it more than you do. Be sensible: don't regift to someone in the same circle of friends as the original gifter.

4. Donate Your Unwanted Christmas Gift for a Tax-Deduction

If Santa has been especially generous this year, you may have ended up with quite a stash of unwanted holiday presents. Take the opportunity to do some decluttering around your home. Then donate everything to a non-profit organization like the Salvation Army or ARC. Make sure you save an itemized receipt so you can claim the donation on your tax return.

5. Free cycle Your Unwanted Christmas Gift

Freecycle is an organization that encourages the giving and receiving of unwanted items among members in order to keep clutter out of landfills. Just type "Freecycle" and the name of your town into Google to find out if there's a group near you. If so, all you'll need to do is join up and then post your unwanted Christmas gifts. Other members in your area will respond if they want the items, and you can simply place them outside your house to be picked up.

6. Trade Your Unwanted Christmas Gift at a Swap Party

You're probably not the only person who received unwanted gifts this holiday season. Invite your friends to a Christmas gift swap party. Guests can pick and choose items that they like, and you can arrange to donate or sell the remaining gifts. Again, just be mindful not to attempt to swap gifts that were given to you by an attendee.

7. Refurbish Your Unwanted Christmas Gift

Some gifts just require a little creative thinking to turn them into something special (or at least usable). Hideous plant pot? Spray paint over the tacky pattern. Too-big woolly socks? Cut off the feet and turn them into leg warmers Teapot when you're a coffee drinker? Use it to store loose change. With imagination and goodwill, even the most unwanted Christmas gift can find a space in your home.

Once you've cleared your closet of unwanted holiday gifts, you'll feel a lot better. There's only one problem left: how to answer your best friend when she asks why you never wear the lime-green faux fur camisole she bought you for Christmas.