To HATE getting my kids getting given plastic tat for presents?

[Oops41]

Of course, for birthdays and Christmas people give presents (which is so lovely and kind and thoughtful of course) but I HATE it when they unwrap it and it's a piece of cheap plastic tat from Amazon. Inevitably they are poorly made, last one play, end up in the bin this creating more landfill. I thought I would avoid plastic crap this year with the children not having parties but some friends and family members have still been really kind and given presents despite this lovely kindness, I'm always really pissed off when they open it and its some cheap nasty plastic toy. I dont mean that I want them to spend more on them, they needed get presents at all, but in honesty a handmade card, a book, some sweets would be so much better. The children are always excited to receive presents and generally tear then open, get the toy out and it never lasts. They're not massively interested or it breaks very soon. Gaaaaaaah!
Does anyone else get really pissed off with this or am I a miserable old bag? Its seen rude to request certain gifts but honestly it would reduce so much wastage and landfill!

I don't mind plastic toys as long as they're durable, we've got lots that have been played with for years and we always donate unwanted toys, I'd never just bin them (unless they're broken and can't be recycled.)

We prefer wooden toys/books/clothes but it's really a minefield as your OP mentions you'd prefer sweets and I really hate it when people buy my DC sweets or chocolate...they just don't need it. Everyone is different and you've got to just chill and remember someone has been kind enough to buy, wrap and give your DC gifts.

I hate the waste as well. One well thought gift is better than a mountain of plastic. No gift and a handmade card is lovely as well (bit child may be disappointed if it is a close relative).

100% agree, I have actually said no to presents at my children's birthday parties, I don’t need 15 presents that are all plastic cheap £5. Sometimes I keep them and regift to other people as I can’t stand the single use.

I think it's the quality of the plastic and it breaking really fast is the sad bit. I remember feeling like this many years ago when my kids were small, and they were given a poor Polly Pocket rip offs, barbie fakes etc. I decided it was very kind for the person to think of my child and they enjoyed it while it lasted. Luckily though this was never from close family or friends so it was only a few bits each year. I do remember that feeling though.

@thesilentstars granny? Mumsnet classic insult.

As my OP said I always think it is very kind of people to give my kids gifts. But I FEEL cross (internally, dont stand in front of my kids and announce it!!) when it is something that doesnt last and gets chucked into landfill.

I have NOTHING against plastic toys in general, we have a house full that will one day get donated to other children/stored away for future grandchildren. It lasts being played with heavy handedly, provides lots of fun and will continue to be used for many many years. The stuff I'm talking about is the really cheap knock off stuff that is poorly made, as PP said kinder stuff etc.

I don't say to my children "oh auntie Doris has bought you a really flimsy toy how annoying!" I say "oh wow! Lucky you! Let's send a message to auntie Doris thanking her!"

@carolinaWeeper I agree re the sweets, as I typed it it wasnt a great example but it's less landfill and I can always share them to reduce the sugar

Obviously if something is badly made it's a shame, but I'm very much over this wholesale hand wringing that we get about plastic now. We have plastic toys in our house that are well over 30 years old and have seen a couple of generations of kids happy and likely will a few more. Similarly, all the talk about how it's "wasteful" to have plastic Xmas decorations: doesn't everyone keep their Xmas decorations for years, if not decades?

@TheSilentStars should say grabby. Shows how my phone doesn't recognised it because ive never typed it out before. Weird insult when my post is about reducing rather than more!!

@BeanToCup I am not against plastic toys. As said above, we have long lasting ones that have been handed down! Even some of my old toys! Plastic is fine and a good material when used properly. Cheap tat that is not fit for use is NOT!

@TheSilentStars

I find it annoying when grabby parents slag off the presents that someone has bothered to get their children. Hopefully the apple has fallen a long way from the tree and your children are kinder and less unpleasant than you.

You've probably misinterpreted deliberately but in case your reading comprehension is that poor OP doesn't want more expensive gifts. She specifically said so. She said no gifts would be preferable. That isn't grabby.

I know what you mean OP. I dearly wish there was a way to just reduce the amount of stuff in circulation with presents without pissing people off.

My SIL goes flat out with presents for my kids- I’m talking a bin bag full every Christmas. It’s lovely and everything but it’s just too much. The kids can’t use it all and the waste is awful.

I find the best thing to do is to let them open stuff, play with the one or two things they obviously like, and quietly disappear the rest. Sometimes they remember things after a few weeks, and I’ll bring it out again, but mostly they never notice. I give it to charity, regift it and pass it onto school events. It’s brand new so at least it gets a second life.

I can’t bear the stuff that is such low quality it breaks as soon as it’s used. It should be banned from production in the first place. We don’t have the resources for that sort of waste.

Exactly @notofthisworld thank you

Ok fair enough but your op is literally (cheap) plastic toys are bad, books, sweeties and handmade cards are good, so that's what people are responding to.

I mean, there's no mention of "good" plastic toys until you start backtracking further down the thread.

One person's tat is another one's treasure.

I don’t understand the responses on here! I’m completely with you @Oops41. I think this a lot of the time about gifts in general, actually. I think we all buy too much stuff (myself included and I buy less than a lot of people!) and I just think of it all ending up in landfill or the sea. I often think of the money and time we’d save if we just didn’t buy as many presents.

Well there is zero play value with a beautiful handmade card - it goes on a shelf for a week or two then into a box or the recycling.

Some plastic gifts are great! They last, are interactive, fun and washable. Others are awful.

I have a relative who enjoys buying my kids "tracks" - always plastic, either cars or trains or whatever. None of these tracks hook up with the previous ones so it's not adding to what they have. Some have zero play value (an adult has to build it, it can't be dismantled, nd the car races round on its own with no need for any interaction) Boring as fuck. I've suggested books/other track that would add to a set they already play with. But no. They choose to ignore those suggestions.

I had twins. I used to ask for a book, or something we could make for them. Any other toys would be unwrapped then put away to open later.
They would then be whisked upto the loft and given to our neighbour who works in a children’s hospital the following year.
People who gave gifts took pleasure in the giving so I would never insult them but I just couldn’t cope with loads of toys everywhere.

I completely agree with you, and a lot of my friends and family don't have the room for the mountains of crap anymore. I ask what to buy or otherwise put money in their junior-ISA.

@Cassimin

I had twins. I used to ask for a book, or something we could make for them. Any other toys would be unwrapped then put away to open later. They would then be whisked upto the loft and given to our neighbour who works in a children’s hospital the following year. People who gave gifts took pleasure in the giving so I would never insult them but I just couldn’t cope with loads of toys everywhere.

Gosh reading this makes it sound like your dc have no toys. Do they have any?

I hate this. My MIL doesn’t have loads of money which is fine - but she’d rather go to Home Bargains and spend £15-20 per child in order to get lots of little bits of utter tat and make it look more to them than just buy them a little outfit or a book set or even just sticking the money in a card. Drives me bonkers.

What are these toys that break after one use? I’ve never come across them. We have plenty of plastic toys, but all of them very durable and get lots of use.

Honestly if you want to live in a tasteful immaculate showhome with zero evidence that kids live there, just don't have kids in the first place