Disguise second hand gifts? Help!

[Alohoho]

Nc for this as I feel a bit shitty I can't afford to get the kids all new gifts this year.

I have 2c, 3 and 5. 3yo will be oblivious I think but I'm worried my 5yo is going to realise that alot of her presents aren't boxed like new toys.

Just looking for ideas for how to present them or cheap ways to make them look like they're not second hand. It's things like dolls with accessories, my little ponies etc.

Any ideas welcome!

Don’t point out the packaging is missing, use something like this..

www.amazon.co.uk/SANTA-SNOWMAN-REINDEER-CHRISTMAS-LARGE/dp/B07XYBT9G8/ref=sr_1_8?crid=JUAK0G78SKRO&keywords=christmas+boxes&qid=1665330568&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI3LjM2IiwicXNhIjoiNy4wOSIsInFzcCI6IjYuNTEifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=Christmas+b%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-8

I wouldn't feel quilty, of course there's the evriromental side which is a massive plus, but you're being super organised starting early and putting lots of thought and effort into it too. I bought second hand when adult dd was a child, I looked out for items months in advance too from charity shops and the ad mags (no Facebook or ebay back then), I just used to buy some Christmas boxes from the shops in various sized, lined them with Christmas themed tissue paper and wrapped them in it too, then tied the box together with Christmas ribbon and wrapped it. It really did make then look extra fancy, and even now adult dd talks about how she loved how her presents were so beautifully wrapped and presented, she has fond memories of her child hood Christmases.

Do you remember the excitement of doing lucky dip at a school fete?

Wrap the presents individually in newspaper, put them in a big cardboard box (ask at supermarkets) then put loads of shredded newspaper and other paper in red, green and gold to make it Christmasy, wrap up some of their favourite sweets too. Have a box each wrapped in Christmas paper. They take turns taking a gift out and unwrapping it, they'll love it.

Don't feel bad about giving second hand toys, it's good for the Environment, your pocket and the children won't mind. I massively regret the amount I spent on toys when I couldn't really afford it because I felt that I should. One year DDs favourite 'gift' was some extra large pipe cleaners, she used to pinch the plastic colander out of the kitchen and stick the pipe cleaners in the holes. She would do this for hours, the other toys I brought her stayed barely touched.

Also as a child my dad would occasionally bring me home a giant box of books from the Loot paper. It was super exciting to have all these books, I still love the smell of old books obviously they were from people having a clear out as their children had grown but I loved it, I didn't care other people had read them first.

I've given second hand for years! I've done clear plastic storage tubs with corresponding stickers on the outside.

Or nice Christmas boxes/tins (poundland, b&m and loads of other places) I have lots of different sizes now and still reuse each year.

Supermarket or amazon boxes wrapped up in Christmas paper.

Set things up with a big bow (that was an ikea tent!)

Boxes from the works are lovely and strong and good to keep toys in afterwards. I recently bought some reduced to £3.50.

I once got a free suitcase from Facebook for a set of barbies and their accessories. Was great to keep them all in too!

Paper sweet bags are the best for stocking fillers or wrapping small bits. I use a personalised sticker to seal them, takes barely any time to wrap and they come in loads of colours!

And if you are worried have a conversation about second hand, ive always been upfront with dds, I could buy you 1 new lol doll or i can buy a bundle of 5/6 for the same price with no doubles! They understand they could have a few different things they wanted if it was second hand compared to just 1 new thing.

Nice gift box or bag or even leave them out. When I bought my DDs our generation dolls a few years ago I tidied them up and just set them up around the Christmas tree with the spare clothes in a little gift box.

P.s nothing to feel shitty about, your doing what you can and that’s all that matters.

For the main present, big box filled with balloons and present at the bottom

You'd be surprised how exciting a box of balloons is 😂 and how long they are played with! With all that excitement, then finding their gift, they won't notice the lack of packaging

My kids were that age last year - both oblivious to what was new and what was second hand.

This year I am going to wrap new stuff without packaging anyway to try to avoid the massive pile of rubbish that builds up on Christmas morning that you can't get rid of until New Year. They are still getting a mix of new and 2nd hand. Not sure dd6 even realises you can buy Sylvanian Families new 🤣

I agree. Don't train them that secondhand is second best.

Giving new life to an item is a great thing for the planet.

If you have the wherewithall, it's pretty easy to make drawstring gift bags out of fabric, and handy for storing the toys afterward (don't use christmassy fabric).

Ask on Freecycle for boxes and bags, and put some toys inside multiple so they have to unwrap more than one thing to get to the toy.

Tbh we were the first grandchildren and used to get mountains of toys, as I see in old photos, and I remember very few of them. It was the rituals that stuck with me the homemade advent calendar mum tied sweets to, decorating the windows with some frost-like potion and stencils, hot chocolate, helping wrap gifts for grandparents, baking, popcorn, etc. etc. all of this was when we were well under 10 years old.

I will say the gift that has stuck with me for literally 50 years was a random cardboard box stuffed with inexpensive art supplies -- watercolors, colored pencils, scissors, paper, glue, glitter, ribbons, etc. along with an instruction book. I still have the book and I'm 59. The wonderment of opening that box was amazing.

Also a dress-up box with scarves, purses, fancy (old) tops, skirts, empty perfume bottles, costume jewelry, a few items of makeup, hats, etc. collected from the closets of various aunties. We LOVED that and it cost nothing. Could be housed in a little suitcase or carry-on bag.

Those little Xmas gift bags. I doubt child will care if happy with gift.

There’s no way a 5 year old is going to question why a doll didn’t come in a box. I think you’re really overthinking this.

Another northerner here who woke up to a fully unwrapped and staged sitting room of toys on Christmas day.

One year my dad told us that our dolls (because they are magic) could stay up to meet Santa if we brought them down to meet him. The next day the dolls were all set out playing with the new toys in the sitting room. I was literally 30 years old before I realised it was probably a wheeze to bulk out the present display. It was absolutely magical and didn't cost anything

I'd unbox everyone's stuff.

Cheapy bags and gift boxes of all sizes from the card factory or poundland, and fill with tissue or shredded paper. Everything right ready to play with. No one has the obvious brand new or used stuff.

A roll of cellophane from the Works or the Range. Works wonders with presentation for most things. Cheap too and lasts ages.

I put multiple store bought flowers into cellophane to give as a gift.

I've wrapped toys as they are in paper or put in a box and wrapped. I don't think they'll be bothered how it was wrapped once they get their hands on what they have asked for. The surprise is what's under the wrapper or in the box.

I've got some toys this year which I'll group together in a box and wrap. Another set i might just set up ready to play.

Fabric sacks are nice, can reuse each year and easy to fit awkward shapes in!

Personally I wouldn't buy baskets and cellophane for children. But that's my personal choice.

I'm sure they'll be happy with what they have and yes helping the planet along the way.

I remember the year my son was the envy of all his friends! Weetabix had an offer of collecting tokens to get free Thunderbirds vehicles and as we ate a lot of Weetabix, I had enough tokens to get all of them. My husband then made “Tracy Island” from a Blue Peter programme pattern out of chicken wire and papier-mâché - he was very skilled with making model train sets so his island was fantastic! I did not try to wrap the island but just left it under the tree set up ready with the different characters and rockets. My son ended up taking it into school to show to everyone as he was so proud of it. Everyone knew it was homemade as the plastic ones had sold out in the shops and lots of people tried to make the Blue Peter model but failed dismally!

Pink, gold, blue, whatever tissue paper she would like (Poundland) with tubes of glitter scattered all over inside (again, Poundland) it will fly everywhere as she pulls the parcels open and she’ll be delighted and not at all worried about packaging.

Sometime between now and the lead up to Christmas, ask your 5 year old to go through her toys and pick out things she doesn't play with anymore. Explain that toys can be donated to Father Christmas so that he can redistribute them, because he cares about the environment. Make that seem normal.
Maybe she can write a letter to him and leave them out overnight for him to collect, and in the morning they will be gone and a letter from him left in return thanking her (obviously you secretly remove them and donate/sell).
Then at Christmas, whether or not she notices some gifts are second-hand, that will be normal. Just wrap them as you would, it doesn't matter about packaging.

There is nothing wrong with second hand gifts - I got lots second hand when my dc were that age!

I collected gift boxes and put a bit of tissue paper in a christmassy colour in the bottom, then put the gift on that.

For some gifts, I just set them up and didn't wrap them.

One time (for a dc who enjoyed popping balloons) I just every piece into a separate balloon, blew them up and gave the dc a pin.

My 8 year old will be getting about half of her birthday and Xmas stuff second hand (double dolls buggy and large wooden rocking dolls cradle from FB marketplace and reborn doll new). I make things look as good as new if I can with a wash or thorough wipe down then wrap but nothing else. She wouldn't care!

This is a great idea.

I have never thought twice about buying second hand for presents. Somethings - like a scooter - I would clean up, tie a bow on it and either wheel it in or hide it under a sheet - the same with a doll's pram. I once had a big box of two dozen My Little Ponies. I scrunched each one in newspaper and put them in the box which I wrapped in Christmas paper and it was a lucky dip but ALL the presents were for her! When my daughter had a dolls house for her birthday it was set up and hidden under a cloth while she was in school.

The important thing is that you stop feeling about not buying new. I had a very privileged childhood but the present that stood out for me that I loved the most was a rocking horse that my parents bought second hand. I treasured that horse and loved it dearly. When I passed it on to my cousins and it got wrecked I was really upset! When I was in my 30's my husband found a replacement and bought it for my birthday! I loved that horse because I knew it was something my parents could never have bought new.

A shoe box (you can probably get some from a shoe shop) wrapped in Christmas paper - wrap the lid separately - filled with tissue paper will look fab filled with presents.