When my neighbor, Amanda, invited me to her girls’ birthday
party, she said not to bring a gift.
Our family works to fight excess so I understood Amanda not
wanting more junk-o-la cluttering her house. Still, I struggle with the idea of
showing up to a kid’s birthday party empty handed.
If you invite a Sullivan kid to your birthday party in the
summer, count on receiving the following: bubbles, sidewalk chalk, water toys.
If you invite a Sullivan kid to your birthday party in the
winter, count on receiving the following: beaded necklace, warm gloves, art
supplies.
Then, expect this cycle of events:
My kid gives your kid a gift worth about $8.00. Your kid
plays with our not-so-fabulous gift a couple of times. Your kid forgets about
our gift, or it breaks. You toss our gift.
I love birthdays. I adore celebrations. I hate feeling as if
we always give crappy presents.
“Just give my girls a toy your kids have outgrown,” Amanda
suggests.
Believe me, I embrace regifting, but only regifting new items. Can
I regift used? Is that allowed? Won’t I come off as tacky and cheap?
So, at Amanda’s urging, I gave her girls recycled toys: an
Angelina Ballerina DVD, a Hello Kitty oversized/never used coloring book, and a
kite. Retail value? Who knows, but it was more than $8.00.
And you know what? Recycling toys as birthday gifts proved fun. So, I decided to do it again and again and now, I'm on my third party with recycled gifts.
The kids receiving the gifts love regifting because they end up with better quality gifts. They don't even notice the package is missing.
My kids like regifting because they get to share something
they have outgrown. They're learning to see the value in passing on items they enjoyed to
someone who will also enjoy them.
My husband celebrates regifting because money isn’t flying
out of our wallets and into the registers of _____________ (insert the name of one of any number of box stores).
I adore regifting because I no longer wince at birthday
invitations.
Tell me you like this idea. Tell me I am cheap and tacky. Tell me how you deal with the endless birthday parties and your battle against excess.: :
Image credit.
Follow @AmyLSullivan1
21 comments:
You may be onto something there! I cringe when I see those invitations roll in. I love the idea that our kids don't think they have to go out and spend our money!
Casey,
A good point...sure, there are special people we spend more on, but money is a big factor. I don't want my kids thinking the more money we spend the better the gift, and who has the money to spend anyway?
love this idea! and after all, you're still taking the time to put together things you think the friend will enjoy. . . which is the best part of gift-giving, anyway. if anything, it's actually MORE intentional. so there. don't you feel better now? :-)
steph
Steph,
Agreed! I think this way of giving is more intentional. Instead of running in and grabbing the first gift I see, my kids put thought into choosing a present.
i love this very very much. and as we like to hang on to some of our favorite things, it would even be an exercise in sacrifice at times....
Love this idea!
super idea! love it :)
I think this is a fabulous idea! We give used gifts to our son for his birthday and Christmas. I've never thought about taking that approach with other kids.
MB
newlifesteward.com
love this!
This is such a great idea!! We have done something similar to this at times, but not on a regular basis. It's such a wonderful gift giving strategy to follow! Thanks for linking it to the "Pay It Forward" link up!
I always give a favorite childrens book at birthdays and baby showers. (usually 5 dollars.)
If I am hosting the baby shower, I have everyone write a note to the baby in the book.
Hi Amy.
I like your idea. It sounds great. It saves parents' money. But, over here no one has ever done that, as yet. I might be labelled cheap and tacky, and the worst of all...others might not invite my kids to their parties!! Should I take the risks?
Amy... I LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea!
My gifts often require an "explanation"
Example: "I know this might be weird to give you something I bought at Goodwill...but...it reminded me of you and it's awesome" :)
Thankfully, I have friends who appreciate things like that!
But why do I somehow feel it's okay if I at least paid money for it at a thrift store? And then for some strange reason hesitate when it comes to our kiddos' own stuff?
Some of the best gifts we've EVER received have been recycled items!
I think this is what I may try next time...give the recycled item (hurray for passing along stuff to someone who will use it) and then stick $5 or some fun gum in the card (our kiddos would LOVE that option).
This idea is fabulous! I re-gift all the time, but for no particular occasion- just like to show up at some sweet kids' house with a few "new to them toys." REALLY like the idea of just passing on b-day gifts. What can a woman buy for 8 bucks any way? You always have great ideas, Amy!
Found you linked up at Pay It Forward.
I have actually tried this before, and my husband, who worries more about what other people think than I do, made me go buy a new gift when he learned about it. Like Sophyta, I know most people who invite us to parties would not appreciate the gesture and would think negatively about it. Shows how materialistic the world is, I suppose.
We do give away toys to others, like Alicia, to clear stuff out of our house, but only regift new items, so far.
I've gone through the same struggle - not wanting to appear cheap but desiring not to add to excess.
What I've started to do is give "experience" gifts. For example, for friends of my daughter and sons, I designed gift cards letting them know we wanted to take them to the YMCA for a swim and out for a treat afterward. My daughter's friend already "cashed in" her g.c. with us and it was such a blessing to spend time with her and my daughter.
With this approach I found it's helpful to discuss your idea(s) with the parent first, especially if the children are still young, to run the details by them. So far, I've found the parents to be thrilled with this idea and thankful they're not going to acquire more fodder for the trash pile or yard sale.
Genius! I am adopting this philosophy & hope to put it into practice immediately.
Totally do this, and honestly, I'm beyond caring what others think about it. I have a closet-full of new items my kids never touched. Why not regift them to someone who will appreciate them? Although, when it comes to sewing a gift for someone...then I get a little nervous about giving it. :)
I love this! My husband and I have discussed putting on birthday invites for our kids something like, "We welcome secondhand toys from your own kids or the Goodwill." There is also the fear of not being accepted, though!!! :)
I adore this idea! Way to goooooo. :)
I recycle or re-gift toys for my own kids. I'm wondering about how to word this idea of re-gifting or bringing used toys, on a birthday invitation. I'd love to hear your ideas. Thanks.
Post a Comment
Talk to me, friends.