The Best Christmas Presents to Buy Preloved for Children

Christmas can get expensive very quickly when you have children, and I think there can be a lot of pressure to have a huge pile of presents under the tree. With three children, I've definitely learnt over the years that more presents doesn't necessarily mean a better Christmas.

We buy quite a lot of our children's Christmas presents preloved, and my children have always known that. We've never hidden the fact that something is second hand because, to us, it is completely normal. There are already so many brilliant toys, games, books and clothes in the world that I don't see the point in automatically buying everything brand new.

For us, it's about spending our money on the things that actually bring the children joy rather than things that are exciting for five minutes and then forgotten about.

What Christmas Presents Do I Buy Second Hand?

There are certain presents that I almost always think are worth looking for preloved before buying new. Games for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation are a really good example. Once the game is in the console, the children really don't care whether somebody else has played it before them, and you can often find the game they want for much less.

LEGO is another great one. There is so much LEGO already out there and, as long as the set is complete or you know exactly what you're buying, it can make a brilliant second hand Christmas present. The children are interested in building it and playing with it, not whether the box has just come off a shop shelf.

We also buy preloved bikes, board games and books. Books are a particularly big part of Christmas in our house and we normally give each of the children a bundle. Buying some of them second hand means I can find far more interesting books for the same budget, and a story certainly isn't any less enjoyable because somebody has read it before.

Clothing is another one I am obviously a big fan of buying preloved! Something like a snugglesuit, a jumper from a brand they love, a character top or another piece you've specifically chosen for that child can make a lovely present. Good quality children's clothing doesn't need to be brand new to feel special.

Our Children Know Their Presents Are Preloved

I think adults sometimes worry that children will somehow see a second hand present as being worth less. That hasn't been our experience at all.

Our children have always known that we shop preloved. We talk openly about the amount of stuff that already exists in the world and why buying another new version isn't always necessary. I don't want that to become a big serious lecture every time they ask for something, but I do want them to understand that we have choices about where our money goes.

We talk about spending money on things that really give us joy rather than something we want for five minutes because we've seen it advertised or somebody else has it. As they've got older, they've understood that more and more.

It's harder when they're really young, of course, but from around five I've found that they begin to understand the idea much better. Preloved isn't something unusual in our house, so there isn't the idea that a second hand present is somehow a lesser present.

Something They Need, Want, Read and Wear

We try to use the idea of giving them something they need, something they want, something they read and something to wear at Christmas.

We don't stick rigidly to four presents. Some years we might buy a few things within one of those categories, and it really depends on what we've found and what the children have asked for. I use it more as a guide to stop myself buying things just because I feel like there should be more presents.

Something to read is normally a bundle of books. Something to wear might be a snugglesuit or a few lovely preloved pieces of clothing. They'll usually have a few requests for things they really want and then we choose from those based on what we think they'll genuinely enjoy and use.

I find having those categories in my head makes Christmas shopping much easier because I'm not wandering around looking for more things simply to make the pile bigger.

Buying Better Quality Preloved

One of the things I particularly like about buying second hand presents is that the same budget can often get you something much better.

This is something I've found with children's clothing for years. I'd often rather buy a really lovely quality Boden, Frugi, JoJo Maman Bébé or Next item preloved than spend the same amount on something lower quality simply because it's brand new.

The same thinking can apply to Christmas presents. Your budget might stretch to a better bike, more books, a bigger LEGO set or several games if you're prepared to look second hand first.

Obviously, I still care about condition. Preloved doesn't mean giving somebody something worn out. I want a Christmas present to feel like a present, so I look carefully at condition and make sure it's something I'd be happy to receive myself.

Keep a List of What You've Already Bought

One of the simplest things I've found for avoiding overbuying at Christmas is keeping a list in the Notes app on my phone. I write down what I've already bought for each child and what I'm still looking for.

Even better, make it a shared note with your partner so you can both see what has already been bought. It's surprisingly easy for two people to keep picking things up without realising how much you've accumulated between you.

It's also really useful if you buy preloved because you might start finding Christmas presents months beforehand. If I see something I know one of the children will love at a great price, I'm happy to buy it and put it away. Keeping the list means I don't forget about it and then accidentally buy far more than I intended.

Sometimes the Best Present Isn't a Thing

We've also started giving more experiences as the children have got older, and grandparents and other family members will sometimes do the same.

That could be a trip to the theatre, a day at a farm park or just doing something special together. This year my daughter wants a shopping trip with her Grandma so she can take some of her pocket money and spend the day shopping together. I think that's lovely because the actual present is really the time they get together.

Experiences can be harder for very young children to understand because there isn't necessarily a big present to unwrap on Christmas morning, but from around five we've found that ours start to appreciate them much more.

I'd rather put some of our Christmas budget towards something we'll genuinely remember than keep buying things just so there are more presents under the tree.

Do Christmas Presents Need to Be Brand New?

For our family, absolutely not.

A second hand Switch game still plays the same game. Preloved LEGO can still be built hundreds of different ways. A second hand bike can still become a favourite bike, and a preloved book still contains exactly the same story.

The same applies to children's clothing. A beautiful jumper or outfit doesn't suddenly stop being lovely because another child wore it first. In fact, some of my favourite finds for my own children have been things I would probably never have justified buying at their original price.

Final Thoughts

I'm not trying to create a Christmas where my children don't get presents or feel like they're missing out. I love seeing them excited on Christmas morning and choosing things I know they're going to enjoy.

I just don't think everything underneath the tree needs to have come brand new from a shop.

Buying Christmas presents preloved means we can often get more for our money, find better quality things and make use of some of the millions of perfectly good items that already exist. It also leaves more of our budget for experiences and days together, which are often the things the children remember anyway.

My children know their preloved presents are second hand and it has never made them less exciting. To them, it's just normal. And hopefully, as they grow up, they'll continue to see the value in what something can give them rather than whether they were the first person to own it.