I just got my dd's birthday gifts at a yard sale! I found a Strawberry Shortcake house and set of dolls for $5 and a like-new princess scooter for $5. I would never have paid full price for these, but for that price, I will! Sometimes, you can find such unique items at yard sales that you would never find at a store and it is fun to get them for someone who would really love them. I've found my kids are just as happy with my yard sale finds than if I had paid $25+ for an item. It is crazy to see how much little toys cost at the store and the time you kids play with them may just be a few months.

I've given children's books as presents I've bought from garage sales, and a consignment store. If they look brand new who cares? I've found unopened toys at Salvation Army and Stuff, ETC that I've used as presents.

You're not mean in my book. Last Christmas was DS first Christmas; he was 9 mo. I think I only bought him 2 gifts. (They did happen to be new, but on sale). And this yr DS will be about 20 mo at Christmas and I plan on again only having 2-3 things and they'll probably be garage sale items. DS has two sets of grandparents, three adoring aunties (w/ no kids of their own yet), and three sets of great grandparents. He'll be doing just fine at Christmas w/o getting a ton of gifts from us, too!!

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Blessed beyond measure

I don't see how that's mean at all... our baby will only be a few months old this Christmas, so we plan to just give one or two things this year, and then next, when he's just about a year, as well. It doesn't matter to me if the toys are used when they are that small, or if they don't get much, and I doubt they care or know the difference either. As you said, the grandparents will be spoiling, so why give the kid a sensory overload or start it off thinking they get loads and loads of stuff each Christmas? That's my reasoning, anyway. I can see doing the new toys in addition to other stuff once they get a little older, and don't outgrow the stuff as fast.

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"And the state of his bathroom -- I'm not one to gossip, but there are things crusted on his sink that have not simply developed intelligent life but have in all probability by now evolved their own political systems." Cain describes Abel in in SANDMAN #70

I have a great yard sale find waiting for ds's fall birthday. As long as it's new to him, it's fun. As for Christmas, we agreed to not only limit the dollar amount we spend for his gifts but also to limit the number of gifts, too. He gets something to wear, something to read, and something to play with.

We stopped exchagning Christmas gifts with our brothers and sisteres a few years ago. But this year, I found something at a yard sale that had my sister's name written on it. It called to me. I told her that I had gotten her something for Christmas. There was no need, but if she wanted to reciprocate, she shouldn't spend more than one dollar.

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~Jeweled