To think this is a widely understood unwritten rule?

[GiftTag]

At a birthday party and as I was dropping off the present with the others another mum noticed we hadn't written on the gift tag. She asked if I wanted a pen so I could write on it and I politely explained I never write on the gift tag so the bag can easily be reused (this one was actually already being reused probably from my own child's party).

She thought this was completely bizarre and genuinely didn't seem to be able to comprehend that this was quite normal behaviour.

She continued to repeat of course you write on the tag that's why its there and how would they know who the gifts was from (I did say the card was in the bag). She seemed stuck on a loop even asking others nearby if they had heard of people doing this before. It not me is it? This is not weird, most people don't write on the tags so the bags can be reused?

So if its an unwritten rule that everyone knows...

How come gift tags are still made? I mean if no ones writing on them, everyone saves them with the bag to use for the next person, so they remain blank.. that person saves it.. doesn't write on it.. etc etc.

Whats the bloody point?

Of course you don’t write on the tag!! Totally with you OP 😃

It's not an unwritten rule at all.

Me and my mum never write on gift tags to each other, so we can reuse the bag for someone else later haha. I think gift bags are quite wasteful, so the more they can be reused, the better. Of course, they can be given without tags and reused as many times as you want, but I would rather use the tag on someone who needed one, rather than someone who's in the same room as I'm handing them the bag!

re using gift bags = normal

not writing on the removable gift tag = weird

O always write on the label and remove labels and regift bag without writing on it 🤷‍♀️

I agree with OP i never write on gift bags

I do the same as you, OP.
And it's weird saying "I don't know anyone who does this" as it's unlikely that you've had a conversation about not writing on gift tags with everyone you know.

If I’ve put a card in the bag, I don’t write on the gift tag. If no card (rare) I do.

I always reuse gift bags.

But I wouldn’t say it’s an unwritten rule. Some people chuck reusable stuff away.

@GiftTag- I never write on gift bags that are going to immediate family, as they know who the gifts are from and will reuse the bag. If one of my DCs is taking a gift to a party then we do write on the bag gift tag as that is the one they are most likely to check. I totally support reusing all gift bags, but it isn't that hard to tear the original gift tag off and add a new one.

So I don't disagree remotely with what you are doing, but I think saying it's an unwritten rule is going a tad far.

So bizarre!
I write on the tag because else how will they know who it's from? And then when it's reused they can attach their own tag or find some other way to put their name on it.
I do the same when I receive a gift bag.

Yes, I do not write on the tag when giving it to family.

It is definitely the unspoken rule where I live

Nothing weird about your behaviour, OP, but I’m a bit surprised by the other mum!

Totally with you on this @GiftTag. I love reusing these bags. After my kids’ birthdays, I stash all the bags to reuse and love it when the gift tags haven’t been written on!

Maybe not an unwritten rule, but I do the same, OP.

I can't believe people just throw gift bags away. I switched to mainly gift bags because I thought everyone reused them to death and that was better than wrapping paper being binned.

I even made some fabric ones for us to use within our family at Christmas. We just put them away again afterwards and reuse them next year. No wrapping! DC are teenagers now, so they also leave out bags for Father Christmas to fill.

i agree with you OP. reuse the bag as ma y times as it feasible. surely nobody on planet earth has ever bought a gift bag? they are just in a constant regifting cycle aren’t they?!

Same here

For me, the point would be that the recipient knows from whom each gift is given.
Back in the day, (as Mum in Charge of DC's b'day celebrations) I used to keep running list of who'd given what.

This was so DC would a) KNOW who had given what and so b) know who to THANK for what in the thank-you notes written at some later date. Same with Christmas presents.

That DC is now in their forties and supporting own DC to draw / write the simplest Thank You cards after presents have been given.

May seem very old-fashioned, but it hasn't escaped me, over the years, how touched people have been to have their gifts appreciated. Kindness and good manners.

I sometimes put a sticky label over the writing on the tag so that I can reuse the tag and the bag.

I was coming on to say this!

If it’s a family member or very good friend, then I don’t write on the tag.

Anyone else, I definitely write on the tag.
I especially would if it was a child’s birthday.

If someone wants to reuse the bag, then they just take the tag off and attach a different one or just have no tag on it.

I take off the tag and reuse the bag. Add a new tag!

I love it when people do this and I do it myself. I always assume people are deliberately not writing on the tag so it can be reused, rather than forgetting to write on it. And enough people have done it for it to be a thing. Otherwise, I would have to assume they don’t know my child’s name or their own name.

Of course you write on the tag! How weird to think otherwise!! Tags can be removed and new ones added ffs!! 🤦‍♀️

OP, at what point do you think the tag should be written on?

You must be expecting that to happen sometime, otherwise it would not matter if there was a tag or not. Is there some sort of ultimate prizewinning recipient who deserves it, like the 100th user or something?! 🤷‍♀️