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?

You're declaring I struggle socially and am neuro diverse.

I do not struggle socially and how you could consider diagnosing someone as neuro diverse based on this thread is quite ridiculous.

It feels like you have an agenda?

I think people are getting muddled up on this thread

It is not odd to reuse a gift bag, most people have said the same

It is odd to steadfastly refuse to write on the tag, despite prompting by someone else, which would then make it hard for a recipient of several bags to know whose bag is whose.

Thats what people are saying is odd and then the doubling down of it each time.

OP seems a bit rigid about that which might be were some of the ND commentators are coming from

Nope. I read the Op and your follow up posts and asked a question

Exactly!!!!

I never write on the tag, the present always has the card stuck to it. I have a stack of bags, most have been given to me a few times as my whole family do this ! I have a lovely one with fur on it. I was given this a few years back and the person I gave it to gave it back to me last birthday !

I agree.

Write on the tag next time, the bag can still be used with a new tag or a card. That's what most people do. It is not a 'widely understood unwritten rule' to leave the tag blank.

However the woman was silly to go on about it.

It's over!

I'm not rigid I've explained my thought process that I feel people are more likely to reuse if it's not been written on. I am not adverse to writing on a tag. It seems pretty normal from this thread for most to reuse the bags and many also don't write on the tags.

It's honestly mad that it's descended into someone trying to diagnose me.

Yup

even the idea of this being an unwritten rule is just plain odd. Just one of the many things odd about this scenario

Asked a question.

Yep, it is really weird.
Make sure you ask your GP about an assessment, and tell them why. MN post about gift tags 😂

I write on the tag - I spent more than £1 on a bag for you, you are NOT free to regift it!! 😤😤

The woman was weird for polling the audience though 😄

If you think it all so odd then why bother to continue to comment?

I never claimed this was a serious thread. Like most threads on here it's just something to chat about.

It seems a bit rigid to say that this is an unwritten rule, @GiftTag. As I said earlier - it is one valid choice, but there is another, equally valid choice - writing on the gift tag, in the knowledge that the tag can be removed, and another tag used next time the bag is used. Neither is wrong.

Since when is finding something odd meaning you don’t comment or aren’t interest in watching the thread unfold?

Yes its the unwritten rule thing. Its assuming your way is correct

100% yes

Well forgive us but the title of your thread is 'AIBU to think this is a widely understood unwritten rule' about writing on the tag

And the answer is no, its not a widely understood unwritten rule

And then you're arguing about that but muddying the waters by now including the 'rule' being to reuse the bag

Reusing the bag, not unusual
Not writing on the tag BECAUSE you assume the recipient wants to reuse the bag, not usual.
Arguing with someone about it, unusual.

The tag is usually detachable , so the recipient can reuse the bag if they wish by attaching another, loose tag?

They're free to do whatever they want with it since it's theirs 😳

And obviously they'll remove the tag.

Fine for all those focused on the unwritten rule thing I concede it's not a rule unwritten or other wise but it is from this thread clearly a common thing to do which was the whole point of my thread as the women acted as though it was completely alien behaviour.

Is that better? Can we all please accept it's not meant to be this deep.

100% this is what people I know do and, as a PP said, some have come back to me.

I don’t need to write on the tag because I stick the card (in an envelope before that particular detail is jumped on) to the present therefore no confusion.

It’s reusable so why wouldn’t you?

That is true OP, there should be more threads about mundanity. I try to do my bit too.

They will have a field day about my best friend. She carefully unwraps wrapping paper, removes the tape, then irons it so it is ready to be resused.

Haha I thought this exact thing as I reused a gift bag today with a blank tag. Between me and my friends this is totally an unwritten rule! And my kids' friends too it seems. I don't remember the last time I wrote a tag.

It’s reusable so why wouldn’t you?

You'd think it wasn't even something that needed questioning but this thread has shown many don't reuse gift bags at all, tag written on or not.