Christmas Presents would you?

[Issey]

What do you think of giving your child pre-loved items for Xmas, ie: big ticket items you couldn't get new but are in excellent condition with the box etc for half the price. Would you do it?

What about other toys?

[Cheeky Little Monkey]

Nothing wrong with it! Once they have been out of the box and used once anything is considered 'used' anyway!

[Natsmummy]

I think its ok and particularly when they are as young as your little one - he's not going to know the difference anyway.

[jessgray]

depends on the toy. if its something that could have been munched on then nope i wouldnt buy it. but if it was like one of those motorised cars you know those jeeps then yeah :) i would buy one 2nd hand if it was in good nick.

here is a q sorta related to the topic: what would bub hubbers do if a relative gave your child a 2ndhand gift but splashed out on you and your OH?mil did this to us last yr and i was shocked coz i dont know if its what to expect every yr

[Issey]

I got my DS a Fisher Price Rocking Horse with the box etc hardly used as the boy it belonged to was scared of it :eek:

I am thinking of pretending it is new, wrap it up etc so when the grandparents are here Christmas morning they won't know any better, some people get all funny about it so I don't want them to know. Kind of feel guilty for doing it, not sure why though.

[jessgray]

i wouldnt think anyone will be none the wiser :thumbsup: sounds like you got a bargin.

my little bro was scared of his rocking horse too lol now my ds plays with it when he visits my mum lol

[jessgray]

to be honest i wouldnt like my kids to be given anything second hand as 'gifts'. might sound bad but if I dont know where it came from i dont want my kids playing with it. im not against second hand stuff i'd just rather check it out first..

hopefully it was a one off. howd you go with ds#2's name???

thats exactly how i feel too. i am ok if i know where it came from and stuff. but you kinda feel a bit wierd when your child gets 2nd hand stuff and you get stuff worth $400.
still throwing names around :D but getting closer to picking one lol down to about 4 names

[Mamaduke]

I wouldn't do it, but I don't buy anything second hand for the boys.

[shed]

Its the gift that counts, not if its second hand or not. If your kid is going to love it and you wouldn't buy it new then if I was your kid then I would say go for it! If its the choice between second hand or missing out then its obvious to me.

Its not like its some faded raggedy germy old thing.

Who's going to know anyway? and if they do, who cares? I would be in awe of someone who managed to pick up such a bargain!!

[our little treasures]

No way... I would not give my children anything second hand as a gift, I actually don't buy anything for my 2 second hand!!

I don't know but as a gift I think that is wrong, if you can't afford christmas presents I think it's better getting a $2 gift then something that wasn't pre loved.... Just my honest opinion!!

[my_lot]

i dont think theres anything wrong with it.

i got my DD a nice saddle club denim skirt from target in a sale cos it didnt have the top. i thought id get one sometime before her b'day so i put the skirt away. a few weeks later i was in vinnies and i saw a saddle club shirt, buttons all there, no stains or marks, the same size as the skirt and matched as well! so i got it ( all of 50c ) i put it in nappysan, washed it, ironed it and put it with the skirt and some little horse hairties and some undies with horses on them (on sale in best and less)and wrapped it up and gave it to her on the day. she was thrilled to bits, she loved it she wore it for her special day out.... and it cost me less than $7 for the lot!

[EllasMum1]

Wow what a great bargain!
I dont think that there is any thing wrong with that either. I've never bought any thing that doesnt look new. Why pay full price if you can get it cheaper? I'm always going to kids second hand shops you find great stuff in excellent condition that is so cheap! I dont do it all the time just when i find something really worth it!

[2s'nuff]

I'm always on the hunt for second hand clothes, toys etc. Why pay full price for something if you can get it for half the price or less.

For DD's second Christmas she got a second hand rocking horse (revamped by DH) and a second hand kitchen set for her cubby. I paid $35 for it, where it would have been over $200 new. This year she's getting a second hand (from friends so it's not costing anyting) swing and slide set.

I'm a huge recycling fanatic, and buying second hand things is an extension of that. An with the extra money I save, it means we have more money to spend on other things for her/us.

[~mia&ryan~]

I personally dont buy anything second hand like clothes toys etc. But thats just me! I never had new things growing up so now that I can afford to buy new things I will:yes: I have a second hand cot and change table but they were my sis's I will only use something second hand if it came from family, cos I know what they have done with it :thumbsup:

[Issey]

It is really interesting what everyone had to say.

Thank goodness for those that do buy new as then they get sold or passed onto people like me :laughing:

I usually wouldn't give secondhand as a gift though, it is just this one item which I think will be fun on Christmas day and hasn't really been used since the boy was scared stiff of it :laughing: I buy other second hand things all the time, always disinfect them and wash. I don't see the problem as at daycare all the toys are shared so the fact that other kids have used them doesn't bother me. I only buy stuff in very good condition though.

To the people that buy new only what do you do with all your stuff that the kids have either grown out of or don't play with it anymore? :rolleyes:

[indigoin0z]

absolutely! recycling is the way to go..:yes:

not if its yuk obviously,
but it teaches them that things dont have to be new to be worthwhile/useful..

my kids get alot of secondhand books... i like to collect the real old/original storybooks sometimes...
also second hand board games, if they are tidy etc..

[annic]

I'm a die hard op shopper so for me second hand is fine as long as it is not dirty etc. Hand me downs are great too. Almost all of my nursery items were passed down and it left us more money for other things we wanted to buy our little boy.

It is a fabulous lesson to teach your children and it helps them to understand the value of different things. Particularly when you see an item costing far less than the original price because it is last year's model.

[our little treasures]

To the people that buy new only what do you do with all your stuff that the kids have either grown out of or don't play with it anymore? :rolleyes:

I actually haven't got anything that isn't needed I plan on having 4-6 children and as I am only up to #2 I have a lot more use out of all the toys etc!!

When I do finish having children i will either give it to family if they want it (this way I can see the child enjoying the toy) or I will give it to a playgroup as I am president at a playgroup that only charges .50c each session and need donations to keep fees low.

[nelly75]

I gave DS 1 a Little Tikes car for his 2nd birthday which was 2nd hand and the boys got a 2nd hand cubby last christmas - I just wash it and it's fine - good luck to those who can afford not to buy 2nd hand stuff but if it's a financial struggle then I don't see the problem with it at all.

[mum2bubba]

I don't see anything wrong with esp if the present/s in question were in good condition and it was something the child had wanted for ages, we gave Hayley a doll for her birthday (it was bought brand new off ebay for cheaper) it didn't come with anything (only a bottle and dummy) and I wanted Hayley to have a dolls pram too so I got her a dolls pram from $2 Shop, a high chair and a doll potty from an op-shop and she loves it, I also got her some other things for her doll from op-shops but she is getting those for Xmas. I know things might change when shes older (hopefully not) but until then we are saving heaps of money.

Also if I got a present that was second hand it wouldn't worry me esp if its something that I really wanted.

Not everything we buy is second hand, but alot of things are and what we save money on some things we can spend more on others.

Also bought a second hand rocking horse for Hayley off ebay for $10, if I had of bought it from the shops it would have been alot more, theres nothing wrong with it.

Another thing: I bought a toy piano at the start if the year from an opshop it has a few scratches but still works, it was one like I had when I was younger. I have bought heaps of clothes and toys second hand, it has saved us heaps of money.