It’s approaching that time of year when we all bring our Christmas trees down from the attic and decorate our homes with tinsel, cards and baubles.
There are many reasons to start making thrifty Christmases an annual tradition. It’s more eco-friendly as it saves items that are in great condition from going to landfill. It can save a lot of money and you are donating to a good cause by buying from charity shops.
However, there’s a stigma around buying gifts secondhand. Some people think giving someone a secondhand gift is cheap and insincere. But I disagree. I don’t think there’s any shame in thrifting for gifts.
Christmas can be a difficult time for those with severe budgets so shopping secondhand is a great way to find amazing gifts for a lot less money. Some parents scrape by for months before Christmas so their children can receive presents from Santa. Gifts should always be appreciated- brand new or not.
So, whether you’re looking for eco-friendly gifts or you’re on a budget, here’s my guide to a thrifty Christmas.
Christmas cards
A lot of charity shops sell sets of new Christmas cards, these technically aren’t thrifted but the profits of these go to helping those in need.
You can find brand new, unused cards on sites like Shpock and Gumtree from people who had leftover stock at stores they work at or bought too many cards.
These are usually cheaper than buying them new and nobody would know they’re secondhand. Why don’t you cut out the design on the cards you receive to use as gift tags for next Christmas?
Decorations
Many people don’t realise that fake Christmas trees are usually unethically made in China. This is unfortunate since they could be considered eco-friendly.
They are reusable and save hundreds of trees from being cut down every year. If you’re looking for more eco-friendly and cheap options, try looking secondhand for a Christmas tree.
These can be found easily on sites like Facebook Marketplace or eBay but I’ve found a good few trees in charity shops as well.
Now is the time that charity shops are bringing out their Christmas stock so it’s easy to find boxes of secondhand decorations for a good price. Baubles, tinsil and other christmas trinkets can be found on secondhand selling apps and websites as well. Some of these have been barely used and are in perfect condition.
Pre-loved Christmas clothing
There are Christmas jumpers in almost every charity shop in the world. They are only worn once or twice a year and then thrown in a cupboard until the next year. And when you think about it, a lot can happen in a year. You could lose or gain weight, or your style might’ve changed by the time next December comes around. This means you can pick up a secondhand jumper to wear on Christmas day easy-peasy. If you’re looking for something more specific or you have trouble finding your size, looking online is the way to go. I’d recommend Depop and Vinted for buying fashion secondhand as there are no bidding wars like on eBay and it is incredibly easy to contact sellers. Buying secondhand not only saves money but also saves perfectly good jumpers from going to landfill.
Secondhand Christmas gifts
As I said before, there’s a HUGE stigma against buying someone a secondhand gift. I think this stigma should be fought.
It should depend on the condition of the item. If it’s noticeably damaged then maybe keep that thrifty find for yourself but pre-loved items in excellent condition make fantastic gifts.
Charity shops often receive donations of brand new gift boxes, these make perfect secret Santa presents for acquaintances like coworkers and neighbours.
Unopened boxes of toys and teddies with tags still on often have a spot of their own in charity shops at this time of year and are worth a nosey if you have kids to buy presents for.
Bookworms always appreciate more books- and there are thousands in secondhand shops. Buying thrifted books saves a lot of paper and costs a lot less. A lot of them are in great condition too- probably only read once.
However, you might want to give the pages a once over before gifting; the previous owner might’ve written notes or damaged some of the pages.
Used Kindles are fairly cheap online as well, these are usually in good condition and perfect for people who read on the go or have a small living space.
Secondhand technology is a lot cheaper and better for the environment. Any gamer knows just how expensive video game consoles are (especially to buy new).
Ryan and I tend to buy pre-owned gaming consoles and games. We recently got a secondhand Nintendo Switch (and the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game) for £200 from eBay, dodging the £300 price tag attached to a brand new one.
If you have a younger person or gamer to get a gift for, a pre-owned video game or console may be something to consider.
Laptops and tablets are easy to find on sites like Gumtree, Shpock and eBay and in stores like CEX. Secondhand stores are more reliable for technology as they have good return policies and they usually test the tech before it goes on the shelves.
Jigsaws, puzzles and board games are common donations in charity shops pretty often. If you have a friend who likes hosting games nights, a secondhand board or card game is worth looking into.
Last year, I got my hands on Cards Against Humanity for £2 from Forces Support Aberdeen (it usually costs £20-£25 to purchase new). This game is a hoot to play with friends as it is so offensive and ridiculous.
Board games like Monopoly, Scene It and Trivial Pursuit are easy thrift store finds and could make great presents. Just remember to make sure all the game pieces and rule books are included.
DIY and Upcycling
Upcycled and handmade presents are a good shout for the crafters and creative minds out there. Some gifts can be made more personal with a splash of paint or with a needle and thread.
Consider thrifting a denim jacket and embroidering a cute design on the back of it or the sleeves. If you’re no good at embroidery, you can sew or iron on patches.
You can make your gift reflect the person’s style and what they love. If they like photography- you can embroider a camera on the back. If they are a big fan of comics, you can scatter DC and Marvel patches all over it or use fabric with comic strips printed on it to sew in as a lining.
In the knick-knack section of charity shops, there’s usually lots of glasses, mugs, teapots and ornaments. These could make great small gifts to go along with other presents.
You can personalise glasses and mugs by painting something on them, making the gift more meaningful.
For Christmas, I painted a second-hand globe for Ryan (a massive Star Wars fan) to look like the Death Star. This took me a few nights while Ryan was at work.
Gifts like this are more special and personal than buying an expensive present. They are just as appreciated since you put a lot of time, effort and thought into making something unique they’d love.
Christmas is a difficult time for many people. My thoughts go out to parents who are doing their best with what they have to make this Christmas as special as they can for their children.
Christmas is the most charitable time of the year so buying your gifts from charity shops donates to a good cause and helps those in need. So, together, let’s normalise giving pre-loved gifts this Christmas.
Thanks for reading x
Photography: Fiona Mc
Thrifty Mango 