This year, Americans will spend a whopping $9.5 billion on unwanted holiday gifts. That’s a lot of neckties, ugly sweaters, and frog-shaped tape dispensers. (You know who you are, you givers of unwanted gifts!) Not surprisingly, more than half of all Americans say they receive at least one present every year that they don’t like.

Unfortunately, many of those bad gifts end up in a landfill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans produce 1 million extra tons of trash during the holiday season—including unwanted presents as well as bubble wrap, wrapping paper, and other packaging materials. But you don’t have to let Santa’s slip-up spoil the environment or take up valuable space in the back of your closet. You can turn your holiday “trash” into treasure by selling your unwanted presents on eBay—and directing a percentage of your sales to PETA. Here’s how easy it is:

• Add PETA to your favorites.
• List your items and select the percentage that you wish to donate, between 10 and 100 percent. (If you donate 100 percent, the selling fees are waived.)
• Enjoy the feeling of satisfaction that you’ll get from knowing that the snowman socks from Aunt Ethel will soon be helping animals.

The holiday season is a time of giving, receiving, … and unloading unwanted gifts. This year, spread the holiday “cheer” a little further by selling those suckers and supporting PETA’s vital work.

And remember: Even if you don’t like something, you still need to send a proper thank-you note. It’s just polite.

Posted by Paula Moore