AIBU to buy second-hand toys as birthday presents for my daughter?

[Sadian]

I have purchased a variety of toys for my daughter for her birthday second hand- it was £45 for 5 of them - think Disney etc
She's also got a few new toys too
Main reasoning for buying second hand is environmental rather than financial but still, the toys would have been £150+ new
I was talking to my mother and told her I'd got sets off vinted
She was outraged. Said new toys are 2 for 20 in B&M, no excuse for buying second hand as a present. Also thought I'd vastly overpaid and no second hand toy should go for more than a few pounds
So there you go- am I a total cheapskate?

Of course YANBU. Ridiculous to think otherwise in this age of overwhelming landfill and waste.

We can afford to buy new but have always bought our DC a mix of second hand and new and I'm so heartened to see so many do the same. My DC are very aware and they appreciate the value of money as young adults now far more than many of their friends.

How snobby.

We have a very healthy family income. When DD was young I bought many things for her at a big consignment sale every year. So much for under 5’s is used so briefly.

Used items weren’t about being cheap. They were about getting more for our money and being wise with our consumption.

The sheer amount of plastic shite my girls were bought new and the accumulative cost of that over 14 years gives me the absolute boak. Half of it was used once and broken or discarded. They could have double the amount of savings they have now if they weren’t indulged in gimmicky crap. They loved our generation horses and accessories from Smyrna. But I bet the kid that got them got just as much pleasure out them for a fraction of the cost.

It’s good to get your kids used to secondhand from an early age too. They will learn to appreciate good quality and longevity over brand new rubbish.

We definitely have done this. Not any old things but quality stuff. Baby toys for sure - and bikes/push along trikes etc all second hand, great condition gifts we’ve done in the past.

One Christmas both DC had second hand gifts - a lovely selection of sylvanian families and a brio train set. We set them up under the tree and they loved it!

Like other people - it’s about value and sustainable choices for us. Not a cost issue.

Excellent idea. Children grow out of toys so quickly it’s awful to think of tons of the stuff going to landfill. And if it saves you a few quid as well, it’s a win-win.

I'm trying to do as much second hand for Christmas presents as possible! I am also challenging myself to sell things on vinted to pay for it. You can buy unopened stuff reasonably on there.
It seems mad to buy new for young children and we don't need more plastic in the world.

Shein and temu scream new money 🤣🤦‍♀️ I am poor and to me they scream poorly made, slave trade rubbish.

I wouldn't necessarily gift second hand to someone else but if it was something my child wanted that would be good quality and otherwise out of reach I probably would.

My niece wanted a certain Barbie doll and we found it at a car boot for £1! She was over the moon.
my kids and nieces love charity shops and don’t know half the time that their toys are from there (ones I’ve given for Xmas etc).

I have bought ds second hand toys they were all in very good condition and I have given many of his toys away to charity shops some not used at all

I have received second had bag I was very happy with it as they knew it was very much my style

Brilliant. We all need to be doing this more. The planet is dying under tons of plastic. Plus the children don’t mind. It’s the right thing to do on so many levels

You are absolutely not being a cheapskate... and b&m toys are absolutely crap anyway

I bought my DD a 2nd hand guitar last year for Christmas and she was absolutely thrilled with it

Why not?

of course YANBU. I can't fathom why anyone buys anything new (groceries and underwear excepted) unless they really need it and can't source it second hand. I will occasionally buy a new gift for an adult who I know or suspect wouldn't be okay with vinted etc but I'll still buy it second hand 'new with tags' if I can get away with it.

I don't have children but my nephew (3 years old) has as many toys as a playgroup. Mostly beautiful wooden toys, allll the books and puzzles and huge amounts of duplo sets. My grandma thinks my sister spoils him but she doesn't understand that everything cost a fraction of its new price on vinted/facebook. He's never received a new present from me (or from anyone in our generation or below, I don't think) and probably won't for another 10 years. Older generations buy new for him.

As someone who sells vintage I would point out that pre loved items are often of much better quality than new plastic tat. I had christmas tree decorations from the 1950s in my shop and someone in the USA just bought the lot. The only NEW items in my house are the white goods and the tech. Everything else is inherited or from auctions, antique fairs and boot sales.

Have you given these gifts to your daughter yet? If you have and she likes them, I think you can congratulate yourself on being thoughtful, thrifty, and environmentally aware. My son wouldn’t have given a hoot where his Legos came from.

Don’t see any issue with second hand toys or even regifting for that matter. Went to a kids party the other day and my 3 year old just picked a teddy bear she’s barely played with and wrapped it for the birthday girl. Birthday girl was totally happy, and my DD was excited to send Penguin to a new home.

YANBU at all. I’ve got a lot second hand. Much better getting something quality second hand than some cheap plastic crap from b&m that’ll end up broken and in landfill, just for the sake of buying new.

We often do a mixture of old and new. Dd has sometimes asked for something no longer available from new, or I have sometimes seen something I know she'll love that is at a great price. As long as they are cleaned and well looked after it doesn’t make any difference really. I actually don't mind B&M for some things, but for me I find their own brand toys are a bit rubbishy.

It's fine - i often do charity shop trawls in the weeks leading up to Christmas/birthdays to see what's available. And I've made it be known i have no objection to second hand toys/books as gifts. My MIL often regifts this to me that she's been given but won't use and thinks i will - better than leaving it on a shelf.

Yes secondhand toys are fine.

Secondhand things like books, physical media, bikes, jewellery are fine for any age if in good condition and the receiver will genuinely enjoy the item.

There are actually a lot of carcinogenic chemicals on new stuff made in China. Second hand means that's worn off/off gassed. Same goes for clothes actually.

I do all the time. Why add to landfill because of some weird preconceptions?

This is bob on