S/O: stuffed animals -- what do I do with them???

[Comtessa]

Okay, so the other thread on this forum about stuffed animals reminded me that I've been meaning to ask about a similar problem.  

So, stuffed animals are the bane of my existence!!!!  We have a number of friends who just have to get DD a stuffed animal for Every. Single. Holiday.  Easter.  Halloween.  Memorial Day.  You think I'm kidding.  Now they get one each for DD and DS.  It's really dreadful.  I get rid of bags and bags of the things, and they just keep on coming in.  

Even worse is that our church has a big stuffed-animal giveaway extravaganza for every holiday, too.  And DH insists that we Cannot say no to the church stuffed animals, since a whole lot of well-meaning volunteers go out and get the stupid animals for every holiday gathering, and they're so sweet about giving them to the kids and get so excited about it.  But whoever the volunteers are, they smoke at home, so all the stuffed animals smell like smoke.  I don't even feel good giving them away, but they're always brand-new and I feel guilty throwing them in the trash.  

For Christmas, they gave out stuffed animals and DD (of course) chose a gigantic stuffed frog that's bigger than her and REEKS of smoke.  I stuffed it out on the enclosed porch when we got home just to let it air out, but I'm stymied about what to do with it now. 

Any creative suggestions????  

[beanma]

One comes in, one goes out. Tell the kids they can choose to keep the new one and get rid of an old one they don't play with any more or  they can donate the new one. I have a hard time with stuffies, too, because so many donation places around here don't take them any more. I think I may freecycle some. My kids have picked out some to donate, but I have to find some place to donate them to! My girls really do like them a lot, especially my younger one, and they do play lots of imaginative games with them, so they're not just dust collectors, but we're completely overrun and they breed in the dark corners and make more! I've known parents (like my DH) that just want to ban them all, but I just need to pare down the number. 

[tri31]

Well I have the same issue, my ds and I just went through the bin of stuffed animals a month ago. It is full again. So I have been engineering an alternative. I have hung a canvas strap from the curtain post (the part that is secured to the wall) and I used diaper pins to pin the big oversized ones up. They can't reach them. I would rather just get rid of them all, but they don't belong to me. They look cute and they are out of the way.  Anyway, if anyone has any more ideas I still have a large population I would love to find better accomodations for. Especially the little TY's.

[Ellien C]

you might try your local fire department or police dept as a place to donate. I think sometimes they bring along a stuffed animal for when there is an emergency involving children. 

[Comtessa]

I don't know if I'd want to give a smoky-smelling stuffed animal to ANY child, especially one who's experiencing an emergency.  Any ideas for ways to get the smell out of the toys?

[lookatreestar]

i wash all stuffed animals in the washer annually. i only kept the animals i really loved from when i was a kid and i don't get them as gifts for my kiddos. no one else does either so i can't help ya there!