Listen. Sometimes, Santa needs to know how to stretch that budget. Luckily, there's nothing a Just Between Friends (JBF) sale does better than budget stretching! Just in time for December, JBF Oaks is having a pop up winter sale November 6th-9thwith a focus on T-O-Y-S! Coming this November you'll get a chance to stock up and save big before the Christmas rush at the end of the year. Some people may scoff at the idea of buying gifts at a consignment sale, but here are four reasons I say go for it.
- Young kids do not know toys are supposed to come in packaging. Also, they don't care. The would have ripped through the plastic in 30 seconds and then jumped up & down impatiently waiting for you to unlock the labyrinth of twist ties, plastic locks, zip cords and tape holding the thing together anyway. Score one for the landfills & skip the packaging.
- Some items look better displayed under the tree anyway. A doll house in a box Christmas morning just does not have the same dramatic effect as a doll house set up ready for playtime- trust me on this one; I have the receipts.
- There are plenty of brand new in the box items/tags on items for sale at the JBF sale. Why pay retail when you can get something brand new cheaper?
- The earth will thank you! Reduce. Reuse, Recycle 🌎
So, if you're open to the idea, let's review 10 great "used" gifts for your kids this season.
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1). Bike or Scooter.
Buy some "bling" like a bell, basket, or spoke charms, put a bow on it and park that baby under the tree!
2). Books.
The great thing about a used book is that it's still just as wonderful as it was the 1st time it was read. If you're getting a series or a bunch of books arrange them in a basket along with some hot cocoa bombs & cozy socks. Individual books can be wrapped. A few years ago we started a tradition of giving books to the kids on Christmas Eve- it's quickly become a household favorite!
3). Large Display Items. Doll houses, Hot Wheels Track, Toy Kitchens, Train Set, Trampoline
The look of joy on a kid's face seeing one of these all set up and ready for them is holiday magic in & of itself. Plus, if you buy it at JBF, you get the added bonus of not having to hid the enormous box as evidence it wasn't made at the North Pole.
4). Barbies & Dolls.
Barbies and the accessories are not cheap. JBF Oaks always has a large selection along with barbie houses (see #3) & doll accessories. Get a crib or stroller for a new baby doll and have it sleeping under the tree! Pick up a Barbie & car or even a barbie house and it can be well stocked with the Barbie gang and wardrobe for significantly less than retail.
5). LEGOS.
LEGOS are expensive! My daughter is currently LEGO obsessed, so this is high on my JBF checklist for winter. LEGO sets are often bagged with instructions at the sale. There's also no shortage of giant bags of miscellaneous pieces. get a cute storage bin or LEGO organizer and fill it to the brim with pieces for a fraction of the price.
6). Board Games & Puzzles.
These already come boxed and ready to wrap; & like books, are good to use over and over. Pro tip: check all of the pieces are accounted for. There are staff at the sale who can assist with this before you purchase!
7). Baby/Toddler Toys.
We all love babies, but let's be honest; they do not care what's going on Christmas morning. Save yourself some money and get all the things they'll use: toys, books, clothes, shoes and wrap them in bags with tissue paper or boxes. For them it's all about the opening of the gift and ripping of the paper anyway! Coop Cars, Learning Chairs, Ride On Scooters are also all great gifts to get toddlers at JBF too; they're too big to wrap and the kids will use them immediately.
8). Video Games & DVDs.
Most kids will not miss the cellophane wrapper- this is an easy win.
9). Musical Instruments.
Along with large toys, these are easy to set up as a display. Toy guitars, keyboards and (if you're a nicer parent than I) drum sets are all great options.
10). Cars & Trucks.
Set them up for racing or fill a dump truck with small goodies like bubbles and chalk!
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