A Darwin mum who thrifted her three kids’ Christmas presents and documented it on TikTok said she didn’t expect the outpouring of abuse from strangers on the internet. 

Sarah Falls said after watching her kids’ momentary satisfaction from presents she bought in 2023, decided in 2024 she would do it differently and thrift them instead.

Her kids, aged 4, 2 and 8 months had just as much joy unwrapping thrifted toys, and didn’t know any different. 

‘I didn’t need to enter any huge chain and I managed to thrift everything for my kids with a budget of $150 between all three of them,’ she said.

‘I also wanted to challenge the norm and show families that they don’t need to go into debt and still find great gifts for their kids, at the same time lowering the amount of toys in landfill.’

After cleaning the toys and then wrapping them, Sarah said Christmas Day was a special day knowing she had given a new life to perfectly good toys from a thrift store.

‘I honestly did not expect the swift and fierce feedback from people on the Internet, who accused me of being a bad mum for thrifting my kids presents,’ she said.

Sarah Falls thrifted her kids Christmas presents.

‘Other accused me of spending money on lip fillers instead of presents for my kids and some even called me selfish for apparently ruining Christmas for my kids.’

But for every negative comment, there were also plenty of mums who applauded the move and also do it themselves next year.

‘Loved watching this series! Has definitely inspired me to go down this route next year as I’ll have 2 kids and at their ages they rotate through interest / toys. So sustainable to get from marketplace and thrifting!’ one comment said.

‘Thank you for this! Struggling to make ends meet and this makes me feel okay to thrift Christmas this year,’ another said. 

‘I think it’s an awesome idea to thrift especially when they’re young. kids grow so fast and grow out of things very quickly,’ a third mum said.

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