Back in 2014, the topic of whether to Regift came into play. Regifting is taking something you have (possibly old and used) and passing it off as a new gift.
We dropped my daughter off at school, and my son saw one of my daughter’s university buddies playing Guitar Hero. Evidently, at University, the kids “rough it” by using old technology. My son was fascinated by the sight of this game. His hand-eye coordination was such that he couldn’t get the hang of the guitar. However, he remembered that we had a PS/2 in our basement. I set it up for him (well, it sounded like an order, I think he said please).
Setting up the game was easier than I remember. The TV we use for my son had a spare AVI port. You know that old Red, White and Yellow cable we used to use on tube TVs. For the rest of the day, my son was enjoying Simpson’s Road Rage (although he likes to play Air Guitar Hero (you walk around with the “guitar” acting like you are playing the game).
This episode got me thinking that with my son, and how he has had many regifted toys over his life (he has Teletubbies, Tickle Me Elmo, and a Tutter from his sisters and many other older toys) and seems no worse for wear for me not spending many dollars on toys. I remember the amount of pain my wife went through to get those toys new (the Tickle Me Elmo craze was a scary time), and I am happy that they can be enjoyed again.
You realize that Christmas is coming in a while. Are you going to buy your kids or grandkids a bunch of toys that may end up locked in a closet one day? What if you put some money in an RESP for them or in trust for when they get older? Does old money get locked in a closet?
We only have the one child so we try to regift those or donate them to friends. We get our daughter involved so that she understands its important to give things that have life in them to others who can use them.
As for christmas…. that word makes me shudder a little. But we try to find a few gifts that have reuse potential such as LEGO or books. But that doesn’t always work
I have a great deal of LEGO, Thomas the Tank Engine Wood Tracks, etc., etc., etc., my guess is we will donate this to someone in the future, I hate to throw out perfectly good toys.