Would you allow someone to give your children counterfeits for Xmas?

[ChestnutsroastingintheFireligh]

I don't mean obvious Primarni copies of designs (the school arnt fussy about labels just style) - I mean actual items that are bought from a dodgy market stall/warehouse with fake labels etc

My feeling is that dd especially would be laughed at as she's gullible & wouldn't know the difference but her friends would.

The quality of the items (handbag & sports clothing) are very poor.

No, fake goods fund terrorism

It's hard to tell the difference to be honest. An acquaintance has shedloads of black market items and it's very hard to tell what's not real. I wouldn't buy it due to ethical issues though, eg are fake ugg boots man made or made from the skin of some poor creature etc..

I'm very tempted to just bin the items as to my mind they are illegal - it's fraud - but I'm afraid of looking grabby/ungrateful.

No then.
You are right, children are cruel and would spot the fakes straight away.

My dd is under pressure to fit in too and everyone wears Miss Sassy trousers to school and Hollister coats. We simply can't afford brand names and to her credit she doesn't ask for them. She says that real friends wouldn't care what she wore and she's quite right.

Encourage your children to be different. Tell them how proud you are of them. Have a word with the school if this is happening in school to see what they can do (some schools have second hand clothing stalls and you can get trousers and sometimes jackets from there) or look on ebay to see what they have.

It's really hard to fit in as a teenager. It was for us and it is for them. Nothing changes sadly. But not every teen has these designer clothes and whilst some simply don't care, others like your children perhaps, do.

I would try and get second hand stuff for them but honestly, nothing is better than fakes because that will only make a bad situation worse

Auto correct changed dc to school by the way. It should read the dc arnt fussy about designers.

Don't know what Primarni is....

I wouldn't rule it out if they were ok quality but probably not if they were naff.

To be honest what would worry me far more would be my dd hanging around with children who are so shallow and graspy that they can tell a designer label from a knock off.

Can't you just get her some normal non-label clothes?

I wouldn't - for the reasons previously mentioned and also for the fact that any toys will not have been tested to comply with safety regulations so you have no idea if they are made from things that can be dangerous etc.

You can't tell people what to give your kids. You say, "Thanks very much, it was really kind of you to get them something." What you do afterwards is fine and up to you...give them to charity, or keep the ones that look ok.

Chestnuts sorry didn't read your OP properly and thought you were buying.

If these items have already been gifted then have a word with your children, let them know that so-and-so has bought them these and give them the option of choosing to accept them or not. Chances are they won't.

Just say thanks, encourage your kids to do the same and give them to charity.

misskatamari, I think if the kids are old enough to spot a knock-off, they will probably be grown out of 'toys with small parts'.

Primarni is a nickname for Primark clothes that are based on designer styles (but not attempting to pretend they are the real thing)

The dc probably won't even register they haven't had a present from my cousin if I just bin the parcels.

How old is dd? I would accept but tell her they are copies off the market and let her decide whether she wants to use them.I would never buy. And kids round here would never have the real versions.

Chestnuts you should encourage them to say thanks though. Your cousin has obviously tried and that should be acknowledged.

As for funding terrorism, there must be loads of terrorists in Turkey then (never knew it was such a hot bed). Likewise Malaysia. Oooooh they're both Muslim countries.

I have relatives who will buy awful tat from markets.

Generally toys/ornaments. We accept them graciously and do what we can with them.

In your case, I'd accept graciously, and make sure the child knew they hadn't acquired an actual Radley or whatever, but rather a 'toy/copied' version.

That's coloured by the fact that we don't really do 'brands' in this house though.

my bil got me some fake Mac makeup last year. I was (inwardly) horrified. it was so obvious.

I accepted graciously and then discarded. he saw me using my real Mac once and asked if that what what he had gotten me

'yes bil, I liked what you got so much I bought it in another shade... from the shops'

They are. 12 & 10

I opened them because cousin always buys the wrong size. Ds is exceptionally small for age (age 6 clothes) & in previous years has become distressed about receiving clothes that are massive (ASD issues) so I have opened & discreetly exchanged in advance (has always been Tesco m&S or BHS in the past)

Obviously I can't exchange this time & ds's outfit might fit him in about 3 years.

Yes, I would allow them to keep them.

I shop in Primark. I think my ship has already sailed in terms of my morals regarding where clothing comes from.

I think it depends on the item as well. I went to Egypt last year just before Christmas where the streets were literally lined with Ice Watches at 2 for a fiver. When I got home I compared side by side with a genuine one and the only difference was a spelling mistake on the back of the case.
I bought two as stocking fillers for my friends kids who were 15 and 22 at the time, I did tell my friend that these were brought back from Egypt so were fake. They loved them, still wear them now actually. I wouldn't have gifted them without them knowing they weren't the real thing though.

I do! My brother lives in Hong Kong and the annual package of fake stuff is both a highlight and a tradition of Christmas.

Kids are better at dealing with stuff than we are, we just don't allow them to half the time.

Sit the kids down. Explain why you opened the presents (your ds will be aware of the size issue I'm sure) and why you can't exchange them. Then suggest that whilst they say thank you to cousin x for thinking about them and spending money on them, they could perhaps give them to a charity shop so that at least the charity can make a bit of money on them and the clothes might just go to a child who would appreciate them.

That would be more in keeping with the Christmas spirit and you know, kids are quite understanding once you have explained things to them.

Would a charity shop take counterfeits? As they could be in trouble for selling them on?

Egypt!!! Oh my goodness, are we seeing a trend of...Muslim countries. Must be terrorists...

Oh dear, shame about Hong Kong ruining that one.

MerryMarigold, have you completely taken leave of your senses?