Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to give DC hand me down bike for Christmas?

36 replies

Wordau · 03/12/2024 22:34

DC1 will be getting a new bike for Christmas as his is too small now.

His old bike is still in good condition and perfect for DC2.

However DC2 would be fully aware that their sibling is getting a brand new bike while they get their old one. So more a hand me down than a gift. Also DC1 has asked for a new bike, DC2 has not (but desperately needs one as current one too small - but they love it.)

Last time they needed new we just gave DC2 the old bike (DC1 got current one for birthday).

On the other hand, it seems a bit unfair to DC1 that their Christmas present is "used up" by a bike, whereas DC2 just gets one "for free".

What's the fair way to handle this?

OP posts:
Mugler · 03/12/2024 22:44

Why would you give your child a hand me down for their Christmas present? Also why does your DC1 always get the new bike and DC2 is expected to get their hand me downs? Your thread title doesn’t match the post you made tbh.

@MamaWeasel why would you give a child their older siblings bike as a Christmas present? That’s very odd when the older sibling got a new item.

Pandasnacks · 03/12/2024 22:41

I wouldn't give it as a Christmas gift. But it will be a nice bonus for child to receive it after Christmas anyway

phoenixbiscuits · 03/12/2024 22:41

Can you repaint the old bike?

Goinggold · 03/12/2024 22:40

I would take away the old one now so it's forgotten for a few weeks. Then change the handle grips and pedals to a bright colour and ta da! Cool new bike!

Bloodybrambles · 03/12/2024 22:39

DC1 gets a new bike.
DC2 should get a different new Xmas gift.
When the kids go out on their bikes DC2 should get the option of DC1 old bike.
You really cannot wrap up DC1s old bike for DC2. Imagine if your DH regifted a gift to you for Xmas and bought himself something new.

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 03/12/2024 22:38

Our solution is both get second hand, decent brands like frog. We then sell them on after they're both done with them. We lose less than £50, so it works out about £15 a year to hire them. They sometimes get them at Christmas or birthdays but not as their main present because of the hand me down thing for the youngest. But one has a winter birthday so we tend to buy theirs in the summer

Vaxtable · 03/12/2024 22:37

I assume you will be spending the same on your younger son though? So DC1 gets a new bike, old one handed down for free, dc2 gets another present of the same value as the bike

FoxtonFoxton · 03/12/2024 22:37

I wouldn't give DC2 the bike as a gift personally. Certainly not as a main or only present, especially as they haven't asked for one at all.
Put the bike to one side for now, buy DC2 what they have chosen and rethink at another point.

Usedtobeslummy · 03/12/2024 22:37

Can you sell the bike and buy a new/ different 2nd hand one if that’s their main gift?

Or try and hand down the bike at another time.

MamaWeasel · 03/12/2024 22:36

Perhaps your oldest could be persuaded to give his old bike to his younger brother for Christmas?

JustMarriedBecca · 03/12/2024 22:35

We have the same problem. We just buy a bike in the summer and it's a new bike rather than it being a birthday or Christmas present. Not figured out any other way to do it.