Our (creative) way to handle duplicate gifts.

My 2 kids have 3 sets of grandparents, 2 uncles (both named Mark as luck would have it), 2 cousins, a variety of adopted aunts and uncles, many friends and 2 adoring parents...

This adds up to a lot of gifts come birthdays and holidays. Inevitably we end up with duplicates or things that come very close. Rather than taking them back to the store we've started what has come to be one of my favorite traditions.

Whenever the kids get a gift that is a duplicate, close to something they have, or not up their ally at all. We set it aside. In December my office holds their annual Toys for Tots collection and all the duplicate toys are donated from the kids. We've been doing this so long, my kids don't even realize that gifts can be returned to the store.