To give people second hand gifts

[GADDay]

Please be honest. Is this a really crap thing to do.

The gifts are good quality, in exceptional condition and if bought new, would cost £100's.

I would prefer to receive repurposed or second hand. So a bit biased.

I sometimes wonder the same. Great condition children's books are 25p in my local charity shop Vs £6-10 new.

I think you should ask your family first to give them a chance to buy your family secondhand too. I think it could be cheeky otherwise.

"Hey guys, what does everyone think about doing a Preloved Xmas this year? Where as many presents as possible are secondhand"

See what people say.

@CheeseIsMyPatronus What about buying a second hand book when you could get new? Once books have been out a few years you can usually get a second hand copy in very good condition for a fraction of the price. I'd prefer a £3 book and a nice pair of socks or luxury food item than a £10 book. As soon as I've read it it's now second hand anyway.

For those saying they wouldn't want secondhand - what if you really really want something that you can't buy new anymore?
There are some old Lego sets I really want that are retired now so I can only get them if I get them secondhand.
I am curious... when does 'secondhand' become 'vintage', 'antique' or 'collectable'.
Have the "no secondhand" folks among you never been to a collectors fair? Fantastic events full of awesome 'secondhand' stuff.

I buy DH, DC, DM and DMil secondhand gifts. DH buys me secondhand too.

I wouldn't gift some people in my family or friends secondhand as they wouldn't like it.

I wish more people would see it as an acceptable way of gifting. It's a fraction of the cost and often in very good condition.

I'd be delighted with a 50p book that you knew I would enjoy. Chuck in a £1 Galaxy bar and I'd feel like the luckiest woman in the world!

Why?

If I bought you an as-new book from the charity shop for £3, instead of the £15 from the book shop next door.

Why would that be poor manners.

How would you even know?

Even if I found you the PERFECT present for you? Even if it was still shrink-wrapped/in original packaging and was in immaculate condition? It just so happens I bought it from a woman on FB marketplace who was given a duplicate and is passing it on for a fraction of the price?

You'd rather a card than that? Just because it's "second hand"?

Woweee.

I think you should talk to your gift recipients about it, so they know why you're doing it (avoid waste, get a better gift for your budget) and are expecting it.

If it was just a case of recycling tat we’d have a laugh about it I’m sure. But I think my friends would regift something that they knew or thought I would love.

I have given second hand presents to people...never discussed it with them.

I think it's becoming the norm, which is much better for the planet and few people want to be wasting money right now either. I think if people have a problem with second hand for whatever reason then they should make it clear.

I think it sounds wonderful, and wish there were many more people like you out there.

The idea of a Christmas with second hand only presents sounds brilliant to me. All of the pleasure and none of the guilt!

Sounds like a great idea to me!

I think it would be wise to fly a kite with each recipient and gauge their reaction. I’d be delighted; I’m a huge advocate of second hand shopping for environmental reasons and to support charity. It would be a thumbs up from me.

And I gift second hand to a number of select people who share those values.

But it’s also important to me to try and fulfil other people’s sense of a gift experience too, so I wouldn’t impose it on someone who might feel snubbed.

I made that mistake one Christmas giving someone a first edition, signed copy of a book in their niche interest that wasn’t particularly cheap.

A friend and I have great fun buying each other a charity shop book or two for Christmas. I often give other people a charity shop book. I often put a label on explaining about it.

Then it's fine, I think

It's quite clear from this thread that some people only give gifts under the assumption that they will receive something of equal cost. This is really odd to me as I will spend exactly what I like and I don't care how much someone spends on me.

I always buy second hand if it's an option. I'd much rather receive second hand gifts. Obviously where the gift is something specific that's not always possible.

Some of you may recoil in horror but I have actually lovingly chosen books from my own shelf to add on to people's presents if I feel they would like it. One year I was really poor and everyone got books from my shelf. So third hand I guess as I buy most of my books second hand.

Yes agree with this. It's great buying things second hand as long as they're in decent enough condition, but not if someone isn't going to use it.

I got my DH’s iPad Pro secondhand for his birthday. No way I could have afforded it new so I got it reconditioned from the Apple store and it was about £400 cheaper. Could have got it even cheaper from CEX but I wanted the Apple warranty. He got me a reconditioned Apple Watch, no issues from me.

A good friend recently visited and brought me a very, very used book, which looked like it been through the mill and back. Unfortunately, I had already read this book several times, which she hadn't known. Forgetting my manner, I called out 'I've read this!' What I found touching is that she actually chose a book that I really love and she guessed I'd like it. So, in a roundabout way, second hand is fine as long as thoughtful and ideally clean and presentable.

@00100001

Even if I found you the PERFECT present for you? Even if it was still shrink-wrapped/in original packaging and was in immaculate condition? It just so happens I bought it from a woman on FB marketplace who was given a duplicate and is passing it on for a fraction of the price?

That's not second hand it's new.

In our family, it's perfectly okay to give second (or third/fourth) hand gifts. We're all keen upcyclers/ re-users.

One year we all managed exclusively " charity shop or home made/upcycled " Christmas gifts but we've not repeated it because it excluded some fun bits and pieces , chocolate etc.

@CheeseIsMyPatronus a few of years ago my sister gave me a secondhand book. She had bought it secondhand for herself from a charity shop, read it, enjoyed it, thought I would like it so wrapped it up and gave it to me.
I really enjoyed it. The book got me out of a reading slump and probably about 3 days after Christmas I was in the charity shops searching for more by the same author. Over the next 6 months I read everything by the author (about 10 books or so). All bought secondhand but I have since bought her later books not secondhand because I got them as they were being released new.
Pretty good present from my sister which technically came from her bookshelf.

Absolutely fine by me. I’d actually think more of you for it.

As others have said it totally depends on type of gift , the recipriant and if it's a wanted gift.
If its a I had this lying around/ unwanted gift/ damaged or well worn then personally I dont like it as its thoughless/ cba.
But if its a lovely vintage item or something expensive that you couldn't afford but in excellent condition and you know the person receiving it will love it then i think its ok.
Tbf i would probably sound them out first. The gifts you gave got sound fine as long as they are wanted and in good condition/ working order.