Little Ones: Secondhand, Vintage & Regifting for Kids

We may be in the middle of a green revolution—and the economy certainly has people "reusing" in droves by way of the vintage and thrift stores—but the concept of regifting or secondhand gifting still tends to elicit feelings of uncertainty and sheepishness.

Is it okay to regift something you received at a baby shower? Will your friend blacklist you for arriving at her kid's birthday party with a stack of book classics from the indie used bookstore in your neighborhood? And, are the clothing hand-me-downs from your child only suitable to pass along casually (i.e., not as gifts at a baby shower)?

The answer unfortunately isn't straightforward; instead, appropriateness appears to be a multivariate equation dependent on a host of factors, such as:

Level of friendship.
What is your level of friendship with the recipient? Would you feel comfortable telling your friend and sharing a laugh over the fact that the item is a regift? Do they get and/or share your eco-mindedness or bargain hunting nature?

Age of the child.
Particularly for first time parents, new condition gifts seem most appropriate, whether regifted or purchased straight out. For subsequent kids, parents tend to be more relaxed and no doubt are open to the idea of saving money. They likely would be thrilled if you found a high-end trike at a yard sale at a fraction of the retail price.

Condition of the item.
If you are going to buy a used gift, inspect carefully. I wouldn't recommend buying used stuffed animals (many charities won’t even take stuffed animals with tags on them). Check consignment clothing for spills and tears or permanent identification labels on the interior. Check books for dog-ears, sticky spots, and weathered bindings. For plastic toys, check for scratches or other damage and be sure to clean meticulously for crumbs or other grime. And be careful with wooden toys—older items probably aren’t designed with non-toxic paint, which isn’t good if you are gifting to a child in the "mouthing" stage.

Coolness factor of the item.
Are you regifting new because you already have the item and don’t need a second? Are you gifting secondhand because you found an awesome vintage baby item or first edition children’s book on consignment? In essence, think about whether the item is cool enough that you’d like to receive it yourself.

Different strokes.
I think it’s perfectly fine to regift if you receive something that is not your style but you know someone who would absolutely love it.

Are your circles separate?
Regarding regifting, if the recipient and the person who gave you the item run in the same circles (i.e., would both be at the shower), avoid regifting.

Other recommendations:

Make it pretty.
If you are gifting used, make it pretty via packaging and/or add a new, inexpensive element to it. For example, if you are giving a stack of used girl clothing, top the gift with a funky new pair of girl's tights or barrettes. If you give a collection of used books, put them in a cute book bin or kids backpack. If you get a used trike at a yard sale, buy a cool new bell or safety gear (e.g., helmet, knee and elbow pads) to go with it. For more innovative, recycled gifting tips, check out the book Simply Green Giving by Danny Seo .

You can always find a bargain.
As much as I love boutique shopping, it is absurdly easy to find quality kids stuff on a budget. In addition to countless used items, parents often are selling new with tags items on Craig's List or Ebay or even at yard sales. Prowl your local kids consignment stores; stylish, pretty ones often have great finds because the shop owners are very selective in what they take to maintain standard. And for brand new bargains, places like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, or SmartBargains.com have devoted children's sections. And, if you're willing to dig a little deeper, keep your eye on online children’s boutiques, large and small, like UncommonGoods.

Whether new or vintage, always sign up for the newsletters of your favorite shops; several times throughout the year, retailers will try to move inventory in a hurry and offer great deals on kids stuff, sometimes even with free shipping!

Story and image Copyright 2008, Shoestring LLC and Christine Koh / MinimalistMama.com.