I'm ashamed that i'm getting the kids gifts from charity shops this christmas

[ShakeysGirl]

But its all i can afford to do. I have £20 per child to spend. I have 2 children and i've decided that for them to get the most out of their money that charity shops are the best option. I feel like such a loser and i'm ashamed of myself. I feel like i am letting them down in some way. I know they are only young (6 & 4) so wont know but i'll know. I feel like i've failed.

So will you accept this scalextric then?

I dont want owt for it (unless you do babysitting )

Ill email you pronto. reply when you get it please!

I'll be looking in them too hun.

Yes please but i really want to send something in return even if the kids just make some biscuits for your children or something. I need to go as my friend has turned up but will be back later. Thank you so much

ive emailed you.

Also, do check out the sales threads on here (but do check that the person selling has sold before or is recommended).
Often before christmas people sell stuff for pennies to make room for new stuff.

Don't be ashamed. My parents are doing this too for some of the DC's presents. If there is something there they will like why does it matter where it comes from?

Apparently I had second hand christmas presents quite often! First I knew about that was this year!

God no NEVER feel ashamed! My mum found a lovely Brio Bob the Builder Muck at a car boot sale in the summer for ds1 (aged 3) that was a quid, she was going to give it to him there and then. I said no no no, keep it for his birthday, he won't appreciate it and it doesn't matter where it came from and how much it cost! Much more exciting unwrapping it on bday/xmas morning imo.

Your dcs faces on Christmas morning will tell you that you are not a failure

Remeber X-mas is not about how much you spend....it's such a shame that in our society so much emphasis is on presents.
You know, just make it a lovely lovely time and about spending time together, etc....and it may well be one of the best x-masses ever.

Don't be ashamed. My dd has all her Christmas present for less than £20 and they are partly charity shop and partly car boot sale, and one new book. There is enough to feel guilty about at this time of year, don't add this to it.

wish our charity shops were better stocked i would get from there if I could find stuff but when I do I definately buy it.

Where are you based. Is there a Salvation Army near you? They may be doing a toy appeal and might be able to help you. Look them up under churches in the yellow pages.

you will not sound sad or useless believe you me they will love to help someone out that has genuine need. So many times I have gone to deliver toys to houses where the hallway was stacked up with crates of booze but they apparantly had no toys for the kids.

You have your priorities right.

Oh aye if their not doing a toy appeal they will definately help you out with a food parcel. If I was doing food parcels I would do all the veg for a roast, a chicken, some tins and some treats for the dc. So you may get your roast on christmas day yet!

I buy as many things as I can second hand- a great proportion of my children's things will be from charity shops and NCT sales.

Another good reason for doing it- you won't have to contend with 80m of plastic coated wire stuck to the toy and a bit of cardboard in 3092 different places on Christmas morning!

One of my best ever Christmasses was when my parents were very very strapped for cash, my mum knitted and made a load of dolly's clothes which seemed like hundreds and we were allowed to eat our Christmas dinner with the guests (they ran a hotel). fantistic time.

I am curious about your user name. I used to go to school with someone male whose surname was Shake.....
Are/were you married to him?

As for the charity shop buying - good for you! You are helping to teach your children a lesson as well as being environmental with the recycling of toys.

my kids had loads of second hand toys last xmas, and some rather wonderful gift packages from mumsnetters. my kids love the charity shop here, they call it a 'treasure shop'. i never find the good bargains though my mum seems to.

but dd2 is now a v v v v proud owner of 'lumpy the huffalump' from winnie the pooh after finding him in the charity shop when no shops had them.

Liitle Lapin, sorry to crash in on this thread, but I think you may have sent me another beautiful box of chocolates today (there was no card) If so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU - it is the nicest thing that has happened to me today (even better than putting them all to bed!!!!!) You are great.

My kids think going into a charity shop to spend their pocket money is a great treat. Skakeysgirl, there is nothing to be embarassed about.
If you hocked yourself up to the eyebrows to buy stupidly expensive crap and then couldn't put food on the table, that would be something to be ashamed of. More people should live according to their means instead of splashing out lavishly when all kids really want is to know they are loved and thought of and treated kindly.

please don't feel like you have failed, quite the opposite, it is recycling!

i spent an hour this afternoon going round our local charity shops and have bought lots of clothes, toys etc for our dc's second hand.

Shakey, dont be ashamed, you sound like a wonderful mum, how HOW can you be a loser??? You are doing what you can - you can make xmas deccies, get out there and collect fir cones and buy some glitter (cheap cheap cheep) make paper chains, the kids will love it.

Boot fairs are great this time of year too

Sorry i dont have time to post more, being pestered by hungry 2 year old

I think your kids are going to have a great xmas, you are giving them what so many dont get, that is pure mummy luuurve and that is perfect, just perfect.

shakey, i am loving the charity shops, of course people wont think "your poor children" you would be surprised. Im always scouring, even if i won the lottery i would be after a bargain. I am pleasantly surprised by the well dressed, yummy mummies from play group who i have seen popping in and out. I think your children are lucky, you are having to think outside of the box this year and you will have a better xmas for it

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i have been scouring car boot sales for weeks looking for things to re box and give to the children at christmas.

why should you be ashamed? its not about monetry value its about worth and enjoyment. if you have given something that they will enjoy then does it matter if someone else has played with it first?

if you geta book frm a library is it any less enjopyable simply because someone else has read it first?

your children are lucky to have parent care enough to even go to charity shops

Have you got a poundland or pound stretcher near you? I've brought most of my prsents from there this year including 2 bob the builder books, they have loads of really good stuff.

The box of balloons is a good idea too.