Well, about the Thomas set....try to look at it from the point of view that it will be loved by another child, and that you are blessing someone else with it.
I help with the Parish white elephant table, and last year the older ladies that I work with made me buy (for $1.50) a very "loved" (read, dirty) American girl doll. My daughter already had one that she never played with....but they insisted that I needed to buy her. Well, I brought her home, cleaned her face with a cotton swab and alcohol. My daughter named her "Mallon" and it is her favorite doll. (What do I do with the one I paid $80 for????)
you are right, if i don'tthink about how i wanted those trains for xsboy's KIDS, i am fine with it.