To plan on buying dcs christmas gifts second hand?

[TulipsInBloom1]

By christmas they will be just turned 4 and 7. One is into Transformers and Playmobil, the other Polly Pocket and Playmobil. Visiting a market the other day one of the stalls was chocked full of all of this, nearly new, and all cheap. Plus the bonus of no hideous mounds of packaging.

Having already planned to get a used Wii bundle with games as a main "family" gift for them; would it be a step too far to plan in a return visit to the toy stall and pretty much buy exclusively second hand?

They will be getting new pjs; outfit and a book each but doing this would save probably 150 quid overall.

Of course not. I'm sure they will be more than happy.

Goodness YANBU, they’re young enough they won’t care where it comes from.
You’ll save ££ and do your bit for the planet and like you say not have to deal with packaging rage.

Do it. What difference does it make it theyre in good condition. It wont effect the childrens enjoyment of the toys. Plus you dont have to deal with packaging and you're helping the environment as well as your pocket. Its a win win in my books.

I’d be concerned about missing pieces / broken toys buying second hand. Also will the older one realise it’s second hand?
My mum used to do this and as a child I definitely did know, and felt kind of a bit and sad I ‘wasn't Worth’ new stuff’.

Do it! One year ours were Thunderbird obsessed, so we had no choice but to buy second hand. We used old shoe boxes to box them (mainly so curious little hands wouldn’t work out what they were!). We got ours on eBay, but if you can get yours from a shop/stall, then you can check condition before you buy.

Ah good responses generally.

If there is something they ask for specifically which can only be bought new then of course i will do that - eg the eldest wants an Incredibles costume so that will be new.

Generally they dont seem to care about this though, they loved rummaging through the market stalls.

Of Course YANBU. Better for the environment and as long as it's good condition just as good for them.

Yeah there was a couple of stalls where the toys were raggy or marked so we wont go near those. But this specific one everything was immaculate and had all "parts" to everything on sale.

Of course not! They won't care one jot!

I currently have serval second hand items stashed away for bday and Xmas and some years if it's been possible most of the presents have been second hand

At the same ages, we bought the dc a big load of second hand Playmobile. It was all in its boxes with instructions and everything. They were delighted to get so much!! I didn’t tell them it was second hand, they didn’t notice and I know that they wouldn’t care. They are still playing with it 3 years later.

A few years earlier, DH was made redundant about a month before Christmas. I bought everything from charity shops.

Just do it.

Great idea :) and good for the environment

Not unreasonable at all. Your kids get the gifts they want, excess packaging rubbish is avoided, you save money. No downside.

My DD will be getting her cousin's dress up clothes hand-me-downs wrapped up at Christmas. She will be thrilled.

If the toys are immaculate I would do it then OP 👍🏻

My son is in to Thomas the tank engine and I've bought him lots of second hand stuff to do with it, which has all been in great condition. In fact, some of the older stuff is better made than the newer stuff. Environmentally and economically friendly - do it!!

I don't think young kids care, my DS1 3.5 comes car booting with us and loves it, he tells everyone his 'new' Transformer came from a car boot sale, it's so sweet! Our kids have so many toys and when they outgrow them we sell them on again. I just sold baby's secondhand Jumperoo and made a profit! Great for the environment and our bank account :)

We did it with animal hospital stuff.

Have also done it with phones - DD had the choice, brand new but lower spec, or previously owned but vgc with higher spec.

I am doing it with books and lego this year for my dd and ds. Its all so expensive and they don't mind. We talk about the environment and we call it preloved not 2nd hand.

In fact we are trying to reduce the amount of stuff generally and will do more experience type things. Bdays around xmas don't help.

Yes of course do it - surprised you even felt the need to ask! I used to take my DDs separately to charity shops so they could choose affordable Christmas or birthday presents for each other with their pocket money. I bought most of their presents from me as new ones, but did get the odd one second hand online if I couldn’t find it elsewhere - particularly useful if the DDs wanted something from an old video such as Clangers or Bagpuss.

Op where is this magical stall I need to get some stuff for niece and nephew 😂

YANBU! In the past I've bought play kitchens and all sorts for my DC's for Christmas as long as they looked new.

We buy most big presents second hand.

Unicorn Tynemouth

I got my ds a load of second hand brio from ebay last Xmas. I don't see the issue with second hand toys at all, in fact there's loads of positives: better for the environment, cheaper, doesn't matter if you get or 'wrong' and they don't play with it.

Do it, there are some ridiculous bargains to be had, and as people say it's good for the environment too. Until my little one is old enough to really notice, most of his stuff from me and dh is likely to be second hand, my budget for his Xmas gifts is pretty small but will go a lot further on eBay/Facebook market place than in the local Argos.

I bought all sorts off eBay when mine were younger, loads of playmobil and a fab ELC castle. Just set it all up instead of wrapping it. My dc came down to a whole roman army set up ready on Xmas morning and loved it ! I also sold loads of stuff as they got older.