Second hand xmas - the trend we should all do

So if you have followed me on my other platforms, you'll of probably seen my second hand Christmas hauls! It has even been picked up my the UK press! It got me wondering why buying second hand is so controversial? For my family, there are so many more positives to buying second hand.

A Second hand Xmas is nothing to be ashamed of!

One comment that really stood out to me was, "I'm all for buying second hand but for xmas kids should get something new". It played on my mind for a while, why must children get something new? Do children actually care? Albeit, I imagine it gets harder as they get older, my toddler has no concept of the difference between a brand new toy or a second hand toy. He is much more interested in what the toy is itself! In my opinion there is no shame in saving some money! Plus, I have actually been able to buy my son more presents this year than I would have been able to if I had bought brand new.

Children grow so fast!

Children are known to change their interests pretty fast! I went slightly overboard for my sons first Christmas and a few months later he had totally outgrown the toys I had got him! This isn't a post about needing to cut down on the amount you buy, I love gifting and go way over board each year because I want to. But if (like me) you like to go overboard, then buying second hand is much kinder to your bank balance!

I picked up this Peppa Pig airplane for £3 at a Bootfair. It actually retails at £27.99! So I saved a total of £24.99 and my son is non the wiser! The money I saved can be put towards more presents or just saved for the future.

A second hand Xmas isn't all or nothing

Believe it or not, not everything I buy is second hand. For example, I want to buy Albie a scooter for Christmas. I had a look across selling pages but I have not been able to find one in a good condition. So instead I am going to buy one brand new (but on black friday!). Remember that not everything needs to be brand new and not everything needs to be second hand. You can have a great mixture of both!

Buying second hand teaches your children to value the gift itself

My great-grandmother used to gift us a box of random things every Christmas. She was the OG charity shop queen and would send these tightly wrapped parcels every year. We LOVED opening them to see what goodies she had picked up, it is one of my favourite memories of my childhood Christmases. It just goes to show that you don't have to spend a fortune for a child to love a gift! I still miss receiving those gifts every year!

You find some real treasures!

I found these beautiful wooden flash cards in a charity shop for 50p! The flashcards themselves are beautiful and the back have various designs, which are actually pieces of a puzzle! As soon as I saw them I knew they were coming home with us! As an ex primary school teacher, I love these kinds of toys but I never knew such beautiful cards existed! I certainly would't of found them down the aisle of Tesco or Smyths. With more research, I found they were actually sold out on anthropology! So I have no idea how much they initially sold for... but I am guessing much more than 50p!

I also found this beautiful fabric doctors set for £3 in a local charity shop. After an accident, my son had frequent hospital visits so is very familiar with them... so I thought this was the perfect gift for imaginative play!

It's better for the planet

With 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean, you don't have to be a climate activist to know that is a lot of plastic! Admittedly, when I started buying second hand, I hadn't really considered the impact it would have on the planet. But it is reassuring to know that buying second hand this Xmas will have a positive effect on our planet.

Where can I find second hand gifts?

I pick them up throughout the year in various places!

• Car boot sales
• Charity shops
• Vinted (also great for selling toys - see more about selling here)
• Facebook market place
• Olio App (free things!)

See what I have got him so far:

I also film 'What I got' videos every year for Albie's birthdays and christmases! These are on youtube here. They are great if you have little ones and need some inspiration too! I will be filming one this year of my huge second hand xmas haul too!