child by ‘Hood Staff
Giving Secondhand Gifts this Holiday Season
When it comes to gift-giving, we often think everything needs to be new and shiny. While purchasing toys and clothes at garage sales is common, taking those items and wrapping them as gifts has a stigma. Despite an item being secondhand, it is often just as great as if brand new. There are great local shops, like Once Upon a Child, that sell gently used items – from kid’s clothes and activities to video games and DVDs to furniture and decor. And, with the variety of online sites, like eBay or Facebook Marketplace, you are never too far away from finding exactly what you want. If you are still on the fence about buying secondhand this holiday season, here are a few things to consider.
1. T hey won’t know if you don’t tell them. You don’t say, “I hope you enjoy this item I got you from Target” when you give a gift, so why would you need to let them know where it came from now? An even better discussion, though, could be that it doesn’t matter if it was new or not and helping normalize this idea for your child. 2. M issing a box? While you may score a great find with an item that is still new in the box or has tags on it, that may not always be the case. Think of it like “frustration-free packaging;” your gift is set up and ready to go. If your gently used gift didn’t come with a box, think about how you might
find a fun way to present it. Find a clear tub or container, print a name label, and gift it that way. For most kids, ripping the wrapping paper off is half the fun.
3. I t helps save money – and the environment. Perhaps the biggest argument that can be made for secondhand gifts is that they can help stretch that dollar. When the shopping list is long or money is tight, you have more buying power if you aren’t buying brand new. Even better is that it is one less toy that may have made its way to the landfill before its useful life was over. Are you ready to search for used gifts this holiday season? New items come in daily. Here are a few items that make great secondhand gifts: • • • • •
Games Books Dress-up costumes and accessories Sporting goods (bikes, equipment) Toys, dolls, and playsets l
