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?

[SqueezyCheese]

YANBU at all! I also think it's a nice lesson for your DS as he will learn about looking after things. Good for you!!

[mustrunmore]

omg of course second hand is ok! If I didnt do that, neither boy would be getting anything this xmas , apart from their main present which came from Argos clearance/Hawkins Bazaar half price sale!

You know, if you dont pick up things half price or charity shop (new condition) when you see them, then its a nightmare when all the party invites come from school . Getting things half price means you can give friends something nice rather than a bit of tat that they'd be better off without!

[pigletmania]

YANBU I would do exactly the same thing, good on you and stuff everybody else, its you son after all not hers, its not like you are buying all the families presents secondhand.

[MrsSantosisafeminist]

Not in the slightest bit unreasonable. Your SIL's attitude is ludicrous. Lots of people buy second hand because they have to (like me) or because they want to save for bigger stuff or even, because it's quite eco-friendly. It seems kids get so much plastic crap these days that easily breaks and that they hardly play with and then the little blighters want everyone else's toys anyway. Good for you getting such a bargain - it's hardly a moth-eaten teddy bear is it? Have a fab Christmas!!

[Dalrymps]

YADNBU I bought some of ds's 1st birthday [resents 2nd hand and some of his xmas presents too. It's just good sense, they don't play with most things for that long anyway and get the same amount of pleasure whether brand new or not. Also good from a recycling point of view.

[DoNotPressTheRedButton]

We've always included a few second hand for the boys- some things like DS games can be bought far cheaper in as good condition as to be unidentifiable as previously owned.

I think you're doingt he right thing with the gamboy- exactly what we did: old gameboy, second - hand - but - immaculate PSP later on at 7 (and that was broken over the summer so awaiting repair now!)..... ds1 is getting a DSi but he is having it jointly with his tenth birthday also in December- far too expensive otherwise.

They do get new in the mix too- for examlpe ds3 is getting the Spike Dinosaur thing from ELC and that's costly- buying many things in sales / second hand enables us to get thr right gift per child by juggling new and old.

[DoNotPressTheRedButton]

Although of course condition is the caveat- my well-off sister saved one year by buying ds1 some inflatbale spiders reduced becuase they were punctured- er, ta then LOL

[choosyfloosy]

I agree with the thread so will just tell a rambling anecdote as usual - one of the greatest presents I ever had was a pair of little plastic skis from my brother the Christmas i was 12 - they were 'just' toy skis but it was 1981, the snow was thick on the ground and i was able to ski in the local park!! i was totally ecstatic, and even better than that, my brother looked really cheerful that he'd been so clever and got just the right present, and my brother usually hated Christmas and was gloomy whenever he was at home. it is a fabulous memory and just the thought of him shopping carefully for his annoying little sister just makes me well up all over again [blub]

Your sister is a pain, but each to their own I guess.

[choosyfloosy]

sorry d'oh the point of the story was that the skis were from a charity shop and my brother could never have afforded anything like it new

[MintyCane]

YANBU my kids get second hand stuff every year.

[Pushingonthrough]

Second hand toys have saved my bacon many times!

YANBU - very sensible as many toys get lost in the toy box after the first few days anyway.

[expatinscotland]

Oh, mine gets loads of 2nd hand stuff.

And the teacher gifts we give out we make at home, too. Baked goods, butterscotch vodka, soap nuts liquid for cleaning and an ornament+ card.

I'm an excellent baker, though and I love it!

[posieparker]

Actually the PFB is my fourth and I have a thing about babies, clean and mouths.... maybe a little pointless as I am not a clean freak and my baby chews shoes when he gets his hands on them!!

YOUR DCS YOUR DECISION.....

[posieparker]

ooooo sorry for the caps.

[deaddei]

YANBU at all. Very sensible if you ask me. Children get bored with things so quickly, and I remember getting most of dcs big presents- Fisher Price castle, kitchen etc from car boots or charity shops.
I was told once that "people like me" (i think she meant reasonably comfortabley off woman) should not be in charity shops, I should leave the stuff for poor people.

[DoNotPressTheRedButton]

exp- butterscotch vodka?????? yum! (how?)

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

Ooh, I hate that argument that anyone with a household income of any sort should keep their paws off the charity shop goods. Wholly ridiculous. The more people who use them, the better for the charity, obv.

I know it is tough for people in poverty to afford new things, but the notion that everybody else should therefore stop supporting charity shops is so clearly bollox.

[mamadiva]

I prefer to buy 2nd hand where I can as it normally menas I can get nicer things at a lower price and I do like the fact that it is more economical aut money is the main issue.

Oh and I had a gameboy when I was younger and LOVED it! Addicted to Tetris to this day right enough but still

[sparklesandwine]

I think you know there is nothing wrong with it at all, but if you sister wants to spend her money on all new for her DC then thats up to her but she doesn't need to be quite so rude to you about it!

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Your sis is being an awful snob. Can't stand that attitude. YANBU at all.

[DoNotPressTheRedButton]

Hoew can you tell if someone is sconfortably off or not by looking at them in a shop ffs? I hope I don't look poor

[StableButDeluded]

YANBU and very sensible. Reduce, Reuse, recycle! And save lots of money. And make child happy by giving something that they may not have had if new because of the cost.

Snobby, silly SIL.

[WidowWadman]

YANBU. I've bought presents from charity shops before and never thought twice about it. Good presents don't need to be new, they only need to be thoughtful.

Would they also sneer if you bought a second hand console from Gamestation at probably quite a bit more than at the car boot?

[StableButDeluded]

Oh, forgot to say my sister bought my DS, aged three at the time, a secondhand Sega Pico from Ebay. It was probably at least 10 years old but in good condition, and she had remembered how her daughter had loved hers when she was little.

my DS loved it & none of us had any problems with it being second-hand.

[Habbibu]

Just tell her there's a fine line between second hand and antique, but just to be on the safe side, you'll avoid giving her priceless antiques as a gift.