Can I Reclaim the Gift if It Hasn't Ever Been Used?

I find giving gifts to teen-agers a precarious adventure. I hate asking for a list as much as my teen-agers hate making the list. My aversion to asking for a list is that I find it a manifestation of my failure as a parent to really know my child. The need to ask for a list means that I have not been as attentive to their likes/dislikes in order to successfully pick out a desired gift--at least that what it means to me. I'm not sure why my kids drag their feet in making a list, but perhaps it is because they feel like I should know them well enough to not need a list.

Eventually, they usually comply with the request and we do our best to accommodate their wish list. Although, I must admit, there have been times when Dave and I have gone rogue and not purchased anything from the provided list. That usually only occurs when the requested items are beyond our ability to provide, such as the time that Carson asked for a tree large enough in which to build a tree house.

So with all of that said, I am now at the subject for today's post. Last year's Katelyn's Christmas list included just a few items. First was clothes, usually a safe gift as long as a gift receipt is included. Next was make-up. Then there was a laptop and i-phone, neither of which was in the budget. There were a few other items that I can't remember. Last, but not least, was an i-pod nano.

All of the received Christmas gifts have been used with the exception of...

The i-pod nano

Yep, the nano and the $50 gift card sit in her room completely untouched. Actually it's worse than untouched. They remain unopened. Discarded, as if they were completely unwanted, even though they were on the list.

I could use the nano. It would be nice, on occassion, to run with some tunes. I haven't purchased a nano for me because I'm just too cheap to buy one just for me. But if there is one in the house that has been unopened for over 6 months, does it become fair game? Can I take it back? It's tempting. It may happen. We'll just have to see.