Used items for presents!! Yes or No??

ska_lover

There is nothing wrong with giving something second hand, in decent condition for xmas. I have done it before, and I will do it again.
This year, my lad has asked for a ds3, and I have been looking around to see if i can find a decent 2nd hand one

ska_lover

Or try ebay, sometimes you can get some great deals on new stuff. I got a brand new sealed game my lad has been despearate for, in shops for £30, got for £8, last week

Furny

Yes!
Last year my son asked for the old Action Men (after playing with a really old one at his friends house) he DIDN'T want the new style HM Armed Forces ones out in the toy shops & it was the only thing he asked for for Xmas so I was determined to get them for him (especially after listening to the mums talking about the long expensive lists there kids at given them at school). I trailed round all the local charity shops over weeks getting different ones paying about £1 a figure & got a big buggy too, weapons, clothes, shoes etc & I washed everything & put them in a big presentation box & he was so chuffed:D he plays with them loads & when his friends come over too they do also as not many kids have seen them with them been a bit older toys.
For his Birthday I had got what he asked for new (lego etc) then in the charity shop saw a load of HALO figures that I knew he would love as he has asked about them before but I had always said I couldn't afford them, the lovely lady did me a deal for £6 for about 10 big figures (retail £10-15 each).
Again son was so chuffed & he takes one to school every morning & his friends always moan they are not allowed them because they are really expensive so he feels really lucky!.:D
Sometimes it is a way of treating your kids to things you could never afford & my son has never ever mentioned no packaging etc he has just been thrilled to recieve something he really wants or to have got something unexpected.
Even if he did know where they where from it wouldn't bother him as he was given £1 off his uncle the other day & the fist thing he said to me was "Can we go spend it in the charity shop mum?" which made his uncle laugh, I think he's going to be a thrifty one like me!:)

CallaLily

I don't have a problem with it myself, kids do not care if something is new as long as it is something they really want, or at least mine don't .
My ds who's 9 wants a Nintendo DS for Christmas and with 4 of them to buy for plus the rest of the extended family I can't afford it so I purchased a second hand one off E-bay.
It comes with the box and all accessories and cost me less than half of a new one, he's not going to care that it's not new.:xmassmile

Birdy12

I see no problem with giving previously used items as presents. DD received a Snow White house with all accessories for Christmas one year - bought from my friend's sister for £15.

As mentioned moons ago on here, I bought a Woolworths pink CD/radio player for DD off Ebay. Used it Christmas Day, it broke on Boxing Day. So, ahem , I took it back to Woolies, made out the packaging had been destroyed and received a replacement. Yes, I admit, I am partly to blame for Woolies going into administration...

persa

Depends what you mean by second hand, really. You can often buy other people's unwanted presents which are technically second hand, but still unopened in the original packaging.

If you're talking about used items with some scratches etc, they're obviously second hand and an 8 year old and 15 year old will know. The question is, would they care? Some people would always take one small brand new item over 20 used ones - I think your kids are old enough to have an opinion on that. If they're at all into following trends and are going through a brand snob phase, I think brand new or nothing will be the only way!

I'm not sure about the 8 year old, but I would be tempted to give the 15 year old cash for the January sales (hate vouchers, less flexibility, can lose their value) with a promise to traipse around the shops with her, holding her stuff whilst she goes to try things on etc. At 15, she's old enough to realise that you've had a bad year and will have less cash going about and she will like choosing her own things. Maybe a token cheapo present together with the cash in an envelope, just so she has something to 'open' on the day.

The 8 year old may well be the same - some kids his age are natural worriers, others don't really pick up on 'adult problems.' Hard to call without knowing him. If you think he'd rather have stuff than cash, spend some time on the Grabbits board between now and Christmas and I'm sure you'll be able to pick up a bargain or two for him.

PS Whatever you do, don't get into debt. You've had a bad year and it will only get worse if you overspend on presents. Get something within your budget and you're on track for a better 2012. If it's just you and your kids, you're going to be very dear to them and they'll want to see you go through happier times.

Lotus-eater

Often 2nd hand toys for our kids, but they are well used to it and often buy stuff themselves at bootsales.
Well DD does, DS is a little young to be buying stuff, but he points out what he wants and 20p or 50p a week, means they get too many toys tbh, but then we give them away to the charity shops, when they've had enough of them.

So ours are well used to 2nd hand stuff.

This birthday my DD wanted sylvainian family stuff, well it's really expensive, so we ended up buying it on ebay and one item was a bit broken, so I had to modify it a bit and you can see it. But she said she knew it was 2nd hand and wasn't bothered.
I did tell her, well it's up to you for the next presents, but you can have 3 or 4 times more 2nd hand, than new. She was happy for 2nd hand.

My DS got £5 from a relative for his birthday, I know he loved these little vehicles, but they are about £7 or £8 each, but I found 8 at a bootsale for 50p each. When I told the relative that they had bought all those for the £5, they were a bit surprised at the amount and not too happy that I had got 2nd hand I think. Hard cheese

Threebabes

Depends what it is, games/dvds etc would be fine. Electrical equipment or consoles again fine.

I wouldn't personally do it, but we are ok financially. My husband got broken 2nd hand toys for christmas and he still remembers it, so it would be a definite no-no for him for our kids.

pigpen

mine often get used/second hand/charity finds as presents.. they dont know and more importantly they wouldnt care if they did know.. This year they have a second hand Wii and laptop DD3 is having some of DD2s outgrown boots she never wore, DD5 got an ebay DSlite last year.. so long as they get enjoyment from it go for it!

I am now going to glue bits back on the second/third/tenth-hand dolls house my dad brought for the girls and it is going to be decluttered to my niece!

nzmegs

My daughter has asked for a Kindle for xmas this year. I have pointed out to her that I could buy 160 books from the charity shop (50p each) at the same price. She sees my point. I have always used charity shop finds for xmas. I buy wool and knit it up into gifts, books/toys for the kids. they know that they get twice as many gifts because i am careful about where i find the bargains.

this year I am planning on buying nice china cups and saucers which I will fill with sweets for teachers.

Older people in particular may like to receive things which remind them of their younger days and you can't find that at Argos or Boots.