Would a Christmas book help children embrace secondhand and reloved gifts?

[relovedchristmas]

Hello! I'm a mum of 2 and I've been wrestling with the Christmas 'more, more, more' cultural script for a few years. Last year I decided to do something about it, and wrote a children's book! The Polar Pledge is the story of a boy named Aren who writes to Santa when the song of the ice begins to fade, and a promise that helps the world sing again. It's a Christmas story, but it's also a gentle invitation for children to love what they have, share what they can, and care for the world that gives them wonder.

Inside the book is a QR code that leads to a simple website, where children also sign the Polar Pledge themselves, and receive a certificate from Santa for Christmas morning, helping give parents a way to wrap a secondhand gift in genuine magic.

I self-published it last Christmas as a way of testing, and really just to get the idea out of my brain and into the world. I'm coming back to it now to understand whether this is something more parents want help with, or whether I've written something only I needed!

So I'd really love to know have any of you tried shifting your kids' expectations toward secondhand or reloved gifts? What worked, what didn't, and what age did you find they were receptive?

And honestly - is a book like this something you'd find useful, or am I trying to solve a problem you don't have?!

All the people i know who overspend on new do it because they see being able to spend on new as being a symbol of success. One particular friend was bought up in extreme poverty and never had anything new and views second hand things as a something to make do with until you can afford better. This is a well educated logical person who totally understands that second hand is fine but has a deep emotional responce to physical stuff and cannot overcome it.

I suspect there are a lot of other people in the same situation.

Adults definitely and I admit to having similar issues. But I don't think children feel that way.
I buy new things for my grandchildren because I can afford it and when I was growing up I had nothing. But that's my issue not theirs and not their parents. I don't say anything about the things I buy being new or better than second hand because I know they are not. And so don't be children It's just something that makes me.feel better (if that makes sense!)
Having said that I also enjoy browsing and buying from charity shops with my grandchildren.
A book wouldn't stop.me buying new things for my grandchildren sometimes.
Also and equally important. The economy and businesses need people to buy new things! If no one bought new many businesses would collapse.
Second hand is good, new is also good. It doesn't have to be either /or

I agree with lots of pp's that the problem that the book seems to be aimed at children who are young enough to not care about things being secondhand. The kids likely to have an issue with things not being new is older children and teens, but they're unlikely to engage with a book about Santa etc.

As Pp's have also said the issue is the people buying the toys (i.e. adults) and not the people receiving them. Children want toys at Christmas they're not really worried about the plastic packaging. That's all about the adults.

I think a book focussing on less being more/experiences being more valuable than presents is likely to be more help to people. I don't think the issue is as much people buying new as people buying far, far too much.

in all honesty I don’t think a book will help this. Most young children, who would be of the age of believing in Santa, don’t care or know if a present is second hand. Older children wouldn’t really be interested.

Adults probably do need to change their mindset in this but I don’t think a book would help.