It was customary during our time to carefully preserve clothes used by the first new born child for the next one. It was kind of a privilege for the next child to use clothes worn by their elder sibling. This also included the dress worn for the Christening ceremony. What are your views on this? Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kunmeesu.JPG
I don't remember reusing baby clothes in our family at least in my generation and especially the parents now. Although I know that my parents with their 6 children were obviously trying to lessen the expenses in reusing baby clothes, they did not teach us to do the same. The new generation of parents are willing to spend for their baby.
One of my nieces who had her first child used her cousin's (in laws) child's clothes and when asked she said that she wanted to bond with the husband's family She was well to do financially. This thought appealed to me. I wonder therefore whether lack of money is the only reason to do that.
When I was young, I had always been wearing the clothes from my elder brother, and some passed down by my elder cousins too. My mom told me it's good to wear the old clothes, especially for babies. Not only to save money, but some people believe it's a blessing to wear hand-me-downs and hence the baby will grow up healthily. One of my cousin truly believed in this, so though she can afford to buy expensive clothes for her babies, she kept asking for hand-me-downs when her babies were born. For myself, my younger children are wearing the eldest brother's clothes, and I keep getting many hand-me-downs from my neighbors, hence I usually only buy two sets of clothes for my children during Chinese New Year. It's not only a blessing to wear hand-me-downs, but also it's helping to save the money, the resources and the earth.
At the end of the day it serves two purposes 1. It saves money and 2. it brings the family together. There is more to just wearing those hand me downs. The process of saving those clothes and keeping them stored somewhere hoping for the next one to arrive (lol)
Even now, we use mostly hand-me-downs for newborn babies. Ladies in our community still keep all the tiny nappies and baby clothes and pass them on to others in the close family, relatives and friends. The reason is probably because the clothes become very soft and comfortable from constant use and wash. I too am saving a big bunch of my son's clothes to be passed on to others who may require them in future.
I've had a lot of hand-me-downs from my big brother and it was the same way with most of my friends from my childhood. if you’re considering having more kids, you’ll probably want to hang on to the majority of your clothes. They might be useful again a couple years from now.
It is an emotional activity in that memories come flooding back while those clothes are being re-used. The child who used them earlier will be discussed and there will be discussions galore on As I have already commented elsewhere there is more to this activity than just passing on clothes. This entire activity involves emotions, memories, a thought for others and last but not the least bonding with the giver and receiver.
As I have already commented elsewhere there is more to this activity than just passing on clothes. This entire activity involves emotions, memories, a thought for others and last but not the least bonding with the giver and receiver. Yes, emotions and memories too are associated with those clothes. How I fondly remember a tiny little baby dress my mother had made for my sister's daughter, the very first dress she wore after she was born. It is bright red in colour with matching satin ribbon and my sister saved it all these years and passed it to me when I delivered my baby, he was dressed in the same one. Now I am saving it for my brother!
This is also a tradition in our family. Apart from practical reasons, handing over baby clothes to the next generation babies shows how tight the family bond is. For my kids, I just bought a few pairs of baby clothes and the rest came from my husband's sister. Even my children's baby clothes are handed over to my brother's baby.