Second-hand presents .. is that OK?

Lucie_2

Isn't it funny how attitudes are different in the same family? My Mum would be perfectly happy with a second hand/charity shop gift (especially if it was something she had asked for/specifically wanted) but my sister would freak out!
I too regularly "recycle" unwanted gifts, although my MIL is very considerate & buys most of my xmas presents from M&S, so I can take them back & exchange for something I actually want

Aril

I do a mixture of 2nd hand and new and don't let on which is which!! I do however choose my 2nd hand gifts very carefully and ensure that they're in mint condition [esp books] In my book it's a savvy use of my limited finances and fits in with my personal ethos of recycling whereever possible
Aril

black-saturn

I've only ever bought secondhand if I cant find the thing I am looking for new or cant afford it new. I would only give these presents to my children though with a combination of new ones to go with it. All the rest of my family would get something new.

alice's_mum

Hiya, have done this loads of times usually on presents for the MIL (not becuase she's the MIL) but because she's difficult to buy for and sometimes I just see somthing in the charity shop and its perfect for her, But as said it has to be in A1 condition.

In my opinion though buying from charity shops in no different to going to an Antique fair and buying something old (that's probably 3rd or 4th hand) which is something we've done in the past when more solvent than now. I think as long as the present is picked for the person then it doesn't matter where it comes from. it's the thought that counts surely.

My DD's favourite present is a Barbie wardrobe full of clothes which came from the local charity shop. The only way you can tell is the clothes are all really 80's!!! but hey she's 3 and knows no different

RACHIE77

I love getting second hand presents for the family, the kids got so much more this xmas and birthdays with stuff I picked up from charity shops and car boot sales....!! My lil girl got a massive dolls house that I bought for £6... the ones in the shops were nearly £60! I managed to buy her loads of bits for only a fraction of the price as we didnt have much money....

Saying that however I wouldnt buy second hand for everyone, one of my friends is perfectly fine with it and I have got some lovely clothes for her kids from a charity shop for 25p an item (Next, GAP, Osh Kosh etc) and she is chuffed, I guess you kind of know who would be a snob about something like that and who wouldnt -- but more and more people are coming to terms with the second hand gifts with ebay selling!

Little kids dont know the difference and u get so much more for the money too!

dippy-dora_2

For Christmas everyone gets a selection of second hand, new and home made and no one minds.
But for birthdays I always buy new and maybe with something hand made in.

I love recycling and 2nd hand myself, but even I like to receive something new once in a while and I think thats where birthdays come in.

bridiej

I wouldnt mind getting s/hand presents, and we usually buy each other things from ebay which are s/hand anyway... you can get something more unusual that way.

I think it's sad that people are snobby towards receiving something s/hand - after all it's the thought that counts not the money that's been spent... in fact I think if I'd encountered that kind of reaction they'd be off my present list altogether!

Contains_Mild_Peril

alice's_mum wrote:

My DD's favourite present is a Barbie wardrobe full of clothes which came from the local charity shop. The only way you can tell is the clothes are all really 80's!!! but hey she's 3 and knows no different

There are plenty of adult collectors too who would be quite delighted to receive such a gift!
HappySad, it's hard for me to say whether buying secondhand gifts for your friends and family is advisable, since I don't know them. In my immediate family, secondhand gifts are very acceptable. I once bought my sister an out-of-print book she'd been looking for for ages. It wasn't in pristine condition and was missing its dust jacket, but it was the only copy I could find and I knew it was what she really wanted, and she squealed with delight when she opened it.
I'd certainly feel guilty if I were to buy secondhand simply in order to spend less money on presents, but I don't. My family and I would rather receive something really nice rom a charity shop than something a bit rubbishy that was bought because the buyer couldn't afford anything better brand new and didn't want to buy secondhand.
My late MIL would never give or expect to receive secondhand gifts for Christmas or birthdays, but she loved shopping in charity shops and would often buy clothes and toys for her grandchildren (including my son) because they were bargains and she knew they would be appreciated.
I sometimes buy brand new stuff from charity shops, e.g. unused gifts people have donated, which I can then buy for a fraction of their original price and give to relatives or friends as presents. If I buy secondhand birthday or Xmas gifts I make sure they're in pristine condition unless they're really old and/or rare. My brother collects old dictionaries, and he's much more interested in the content than the condition.
I often include new and s/h items in the same parcel, and it's not always obvious which are which!

Linda32

I wouldn't mind receiving second hand gifts, this christmas I got some books which were second hand.

As far as giving, depends on the person and the reason, for example Other Halfs parents wouldn't mind if it was a present from holiday, but not birthdays or xmas. Mind you if it was in very good condition, who would know

1sttimer_2

Like some of the posters on here when my children were small they got 2nd hand/home made toys most of the time and they didn't notice. I got my elder child a Fisher Price garage playset for Xmas which I thought was in vg condition. My eagle eyed child noticed a small tear/mark on the 'brickwork' and told her grandma that she got it given because the other child didn't look after it and she would!

Her bestest ever pressie that she would never part with was a h/m sweet shop that her grandad made out of an old drawer on it's side! She won't part with the dolls cradle that he made, nor her desk (which was mine originally and then passed to a friend for her son and then back to me for my daughter!)

Now that they are older they ask for new but I think that's because they want electrical items and I'm not sure about 2nd hand on those things.

I wouldn't mind getting 2nd hand if it was picked out specially for me, and was in good condition.

Other than that I received a 'gift' of a safe birth of a child in Africa for mothers day. Excellent present!