To buy some Christmas presents second hand?

[Deemented]

Money is very tight this year.

I've been buying a little bit every month since about May, and putting it aside. But DS, 5, has been going on and on about getting a DSi. To be honest, i don't feel he's old enough for one yet - it's a lot of money for something that's easily broken, and i thing the only reason he wants one is because his cousin who's a year older then him, has one.

So he knows that he will not be getting one. However, i've been talking to DP, and we've come up with the idea of perhaps getting him a gameboy and a few games, and if he's shows me that he's responsible with it, and can look after it, then i'd be inclined to think about getting him a DSi next Christmas.

We went to a car boot sale yesterday, and found a gameboy colour with five games, a battery pack an a few other bits for just a tenner, so we bought it and put it up for him. I was telling my sister about it, and she was horrified that i'd even consider giving him second hand presents. It's in good condition, and works perfectly, so i can't see what the issue is.

DD will be 20 months at Christmas, and she really likes books, yunno the thick card ones, and i've picked a few up for her from car booters that have been in good clean condition. Again sister is horrified and wants assurances that whatever we get her son will not be second hand!!!

AIBU in buying second hand, or is she BU in turning her nose up at it?

[Dominique07]

This is a GOOD idea - Xmas has become too commercial, we actually believe we have to buy everything new. Thanks for this, I am going to look for DS's trains/trucks/toy cars... he will get so many toys that i couldn't have afforded new.

[teech]

If it's something they want and you can get it second hand then why not? If it isn't something they want, but a second hand 'sort of alike' because that's all you could get, then I'd be wary.

Of course, this could just be residual bitterness from the time I really, really wanted a Sindy Dreamhouse. Please note that I didn't ask for one, I knew my parents couldn't afford it, it was a dream present. Like diamonds are to me now. I wouldn't have been disappointed not to get one, I'd have been overjoyed if it had happened. All I ever wanted was a present I could enjoy.

My mum took on board my Dreamhouse fantasy. Then went second hand shopping. That year I became the not very proud owner of a Sindy caravan... With painted on furniture and not enough room to swing an action man. The childhood equivalent of a cubic zirconium.

In the same way that I appreciate jewellery from DH that may not be expensive but is definitely to my taste - I'd have taken, and cherished, a handful of second hand Enid Blytons over that ruddy caravan.

[maxybrown]

oh yes deemented, sounds like my sis that does!! She now has no money and still is talking of silly presents for birthdays....sheesh! Although she wouldn't bother if I bought her kids second hand. The 1st of DS's second hand Christmas presents arrived today and it is so lovely!

[Deemented]

Well thanks for all your replies. TBH, this thread has really encouraged me to think much more about buying second hand/pre loved, and i fully intend to do more of it, as and when i need to.

I had to laugh at my sister this morning.... she phoned me to say that she was really struggling for ideas over what to get her DS this Christmas, as he has virtually everything anyway. Says it all, really, doesn't it?

[scratchet]

I have just bought second hand bikes for dd and ds and have managed to save around £100. The added bonus is that dh can now spend the next 12 weeks doing them up which keeps him out of my hair!

YANBU at all. If my sis said that i would request that we didn't buy each others children anything.

[maxybrown]

Me too devandra and 1stTimeMama! Sometimes I buy new clothes with money I have made fomr selling second hand ones

[1stTimeMama]

I'm expecting my 1st baby in 2 weeks and I've either bought everything 2nd hand or had it given to me by friends/family who's kids have outgrown stuff. The ONLY thing I've bought new are mattresss, and even then they've been from E-bay so I haven't paid full price. I love trawling E-bay, Freecycle, car boot sales and other websites of the same ilk to find the bargains that are just waiting for me to buy them! I've bought 2nd hand presents for Xmas and birthday's and whether it's been for a child or adult, they've not known the difference. With kids, like a lot of you have stated, they get bored of toys or grow out of clothes so quickly, it can only be common sense to get as much as you can, as cheaply as you can.

[Devendra]

My DS is 2 and I have bought every single toy and book he has ever had second hand. Car boot sales and charity shops are brilliant. He certainly doesn't go without!!! I also get most of his clothes from e-bay and car boots and recycle them in the same way.

[MissMoopy]

Have just got Scooby Doo mystery Machine and Polly Pocket nursery on ebay for ace price! Feel great, have saved money, got things I know dd wants and will love, and done a bit of recycling! Am converted. Have bids in on tons more!

[mumbee]

I brought 2nd hand gameboys 2 years ago and my 2 (DD 10yrs and DS 8yrs)have been happy with them. DS is getting my DS for christmas this year. DD is getting a 2nd hand clarinet for christmas they will not be bothered just as long as they get presents

[CloudDragon]

My DSS likes getting second hand stuff as he has turned 14 and is all environmental.

As for the little ones I have never ever bought them a new thing, carboots/ebay/charity shops have so many good quality stuff that it;s just a waste.

DS1's all time favourite toy (a huge box of little plastic animals) cost me £1.50, he has played with it everyday since last christmas.

[Bumperlicioso]

My DD's first birthday present was a mama's and papa's pushalong horse worth over £50, bought on ebay for £15 and in perfect condition. Her favourite toy at the moment is a crappy plastic peppa pig house set. Someone at work was offering it for 50p but when I asked for it (he knows me) he gave it to me for free. There hasn't been one day since that she hasn't played with it.

I've managed to get my extravagent mother into freecycle and now there is no stopping her! She has got a load of Sylvanian Family stuff (which is from someone who is as old as me!) but I have made her save it till DD is at least 3 and old enough to appreciate it.

I have absolutely no problem with second hand presents, in fact for DD's first Christmas I insisted that my mummy friends do a present 'swap' rather than buy new stuff so we each gave a toy that our child was no longer using.

It is only as an adult that I realised that some of my favourite christmas presents (my Girl's World doll's head thing, a knitting machine) were all donated from our local church because we were pretty poor. I also remember that we were made by my mum to donate presents to the church ourselves. Jeez there is no shame in not being able to afford new stuff. It makes me seriously depressed that we even need to have a thread questioning this. Your sister sounds like an idiot, sorry. Not just for being a snob but for being so ungrateful as to insist that you buy her son a new present. What harm does she think it will do him? In fact it would do him more good than getting everything new.

[Rebeccadiamond]

YANBU. As long as it's in a reasonable condition, why not buy second hand? If you go to a charity shop or boot sale you are benefitting a charity, or somebody who is selling unwanted goods because they need the spare cash, not some large manufacturer.

[TheLadyEvenstar]

Woohoo
yesterday I bought

Big box of stickle bricks and mega bloks for £3
dr who centre of tardis and a dalek for £2.50

Battle ships £1

umbro jacket £1

6 board books £1.20

[thesouthsbelle]

yanbu, not at all - only read the first post btw, but the year XH & I split up poor DS had presents which i'd been given by my friends that their children had outgrown, and ones which i'd swopped in the thrift shop - he loved every single one (more than the thomas thing his dad brought him!)

[trikid]

Lucky you's to have the chance to buy SH at all! We live in Spain and my spanish neighbours look funny at me when I tell them that I have bought on Ebay (usually from the UK and sent to Spain). Some expat communities have SHsales once a year or so and I go there to find a bargain... such a shame.

[maxybrown]

here here littlebellsmum!

[littlebellsmum]

I always buy second hand if I can - car boot, charity shop, nct sale, hand me downs, freecycle etc.
My kids have no idea and an added bonus is that the items arrive ready to use rather than needing to be put together , taken out of boxes.
Funny story - for DD's birthday, I bought her a new copy of the Tinkerbell DVD. She got it and said great but why is it wrapped in plastic? ( ie the celophane wrapper) She'd never seen one like that before and was very confused! I was impressed!!
MY DC's get loads more of everything due to my thrifty ways - everyone wins!

[chickbean]

I love second-hand and home-made. I have bought second-hand books and toys for DCs and DNs - sometimes you can no longer get them new (I'm currently haunting Ebay for a talking petrol pump which is no longer available - missed DS1's birthday but am hoping for Christmas) and it seems crazy to pay full price when you can get things in greatr condition second-hand. My DPs have bought fantastic presents for my DCs from car boot sales and charity shops.

Just about to send my friend some charity shop clothes for her DDs - they are gorgeous and I would love to keep them, but know I'll have another boy if I have any girl stuff in the house.

[HappyMummyOfOne]

I dont think either OP or SIL is wrong, both are entitled to their own views - one likes second hand items and one doesn't thats all. Perhaps SIL shouldnt have commented though.

Lots of people dont buy second hand, doesnt mean they are snobby though.

[alysonpeaches]

If you think kids books need sterilizing please see a psychiatrist.

[maxybrown]

We ALWAYS buy second hand for DS (yes our PFB and last!!) I LOVE a bargain, so think it is great fun - I also buy second hand stuff for myself and for DH. Doesn't mean to say we don't buy things new, we do. DS had 2nd hand pressies for his birthday and already has some lined up for Christmas. He will be over the moon!

I am sorry but I do not get the issue with books being a problem? As someone pointed out, what about toddler groups etc ? And does that mean those people who had problem with 2nd hand books never use a library?

I have bought my niece 2nd hand books for her birthday too.

[tatt]

I have given second hand things to my niece and her mother/granmother didn't like it. Naturally they didn't tell me directly, it was said behind my back. So next time I said they could have a lovely play house my children had outgrown or I'd sell it and the child would get something new. However it woul be bought with what I got for the playhouse so probably worth a third of the value. They chose the playhouse.

If I was you I would get something new in lovel lurid plastic for SILs child.

[Sazisi]

DD1 got a secondhand ipod for Christmas last year; it's brilliant and she was/is delighted

DD2 got a pre-loved playmobil take-along house, again fantastic and came with way more accessories than it would have new

I love used stuff for my kids, but would be reluctant to give used stuff to other peeps' kids, unless I knew they wouldn't mind.

DD1's friend gave her 4 used books for her birthday this year (because her mum was broke) - it was possibly the best present she's ever got from a schoolfriend.