Thrift Shopping My Way Through The Holiday Season

This holiday season, I had a very particular problem--how was I going to keep our beloved rescue Beagle, Bernie, from snatching ornaments from our Christmas tree?  All of November, I wracked my brain for ideas on how to Bernie-proof the tree. I needed something functional and sturdy, without being an eyesore. And while I was thrift shopping the weekend after Thanksgiving, I found just what I needed.

I didn't expect a secondhand solution to come my way. But fortunately for me, a trip to Good Stuff Thrift of Fairless Hills, PA yielded this beautiful vintage fire screen. It guards the tree, and in my opinion, may even add a little nostalgic flair to it. 

To think that I almost passed it by. But after stepping back to let a crowd of thrifters pass, I gave it a second look and sent a picture to my Dad to see if he thought it was too big for the job. He thought it was a perfect find...and a total bargain for $10. I gave it a thorough clean and polish. And now I consider it the crowning achievement of my holiday thrift haul. 

My entryway table, which is usually a catchall for mail, keys, cups of coffee and whatever else I have my hands filled with...is looking especially festive. And though it's not entirely secondhand, I do love the various shades of metal we have here. The worn looking galvanized metal star bucket, the mercury glass bottle, the golden bowl of fruit. 

When it comes to decorating, I love featuring a mix of colors and textures. 

Even our key bowl is spruced up with $1 golden grapes.

Maybe it was because I started early, or maybe it's because I went often. But between my crafty Christmas up-cycle featured in the last blog post, and the gorgeous fire screen...I feel that the Ghost of Christmas Past paid me a little visit...or at least the Ghost of donor's Christmas Past. 

Stay tuned for one more crafty Christmas post prior to the big day...featuring lovely pieces of ephemera and Grafix Shrink Film.  In the mean time, I'd like to know:

From decor to gift-giving, has thrift shopping helped you this holiday season?

How To Stuff Those Stockings With Secondhand Finds

Thrifting for gifts? It can be done!

It'a hard to believe that Christmas day is but a few short weeks away. The malls are packed. Big-box retailers are at maximum capacity. Even supermarket traffic is getting quite congested. And it's no surprise. Holiday shopping is big business. 

It was once believed that there were two types of Christmas shoppers:

1. The Early Shoppers: Those who buy way ahead of time, or slowly but surely build their gift pile until the big day.
2. The Frantic Last-Minute Shoppers: Those who take every last cent and every last ounce of energy to cramped malls in hopes of magically finding everything they need just before they need it.

But I'm willing to throw one more type of holiday shopper on the list.  And that type is the Thrift Gifter, a frugal and creative shopper who sees gift-giving potential in secondhand finds. 

It can certainly be a hot topic among the thrift shopping community, but I dare argue that Thrift-Gifting is not only acceptable, but is something to be encouraged.

And this unique secondhand opportunity is something to especially consider for those friends and family members who, like you, long for quality vintage wares,  are hip to being environmentally conscious, or are just appreciative of a gift made more special by being hand-picked in a stroke of secondhand luck instead of mass produced. 

Don't look a thrifted gift horse in the mouth.

To thrift-gift a secondhand find is to truly know someone---that person's taste in movies, music, personal style, home decor, interests and passions. It says, "Hey, I saw this... I immediately thought of  you." 

Naturally, before you get started you may have some hesitations, some questions. And that's okay. After all, you've been taught how---and what to buy---your whole life. But just consider the possibilities. And to get you started, I've developed a few how-to's for a beginning thrift-gifter. 

A Handy Guide To Finding The Perfect Thrift Gift 

• If you're hitting the thrift store solely because you cannot afford to give a brand new gift...you may run into some obstacles. Namely, desperation. Sometimes you find something truly special. Sometimes you don't. That's the nature of the thrift. If financial straits have you panicked prior to even going to Goodwill, you may want to postpone gift-exchanges until a time better suited to your needs. Have a post-Christmas gift exchange gathering. You'll have some piece of mind and your wallet will thank you.
• If you're thrifting for gift-giving inspiration and ideas, have fun. Look around, but don't be pressured into buying something just because it's there. 
• Don't forget that candies and homemade baked goods are a hit. If all else fails, grab a  lovely holiday tin and use that to gift your culinary creations. Or maybe a holiday mug filled with candy, wrapped in cellophane and ribbon. This might be the one instance where you'll want to think inside the box---as in, look how pretty this tin/bin/basket/box is...what can I fill it with?
• Go early and go often. You'll up your chances of finding that special something. 
• Be sure to check and re-check the quality of any item you may be considering, even more carefully than an item you would buy for yourself. Look for chips/cracks/imperfections in pottery and ceramics. Check all seams and zippers on garments. Give bags and purses the sniff check. (There's nothing worse that a lovely leather satchel...that reeks of decade's old cigarettes). 
• Trust your gut. If you see something and immediately think that so-and-so would loooooove it, put in your cart for thorough inspection. 
• And if you're as avid a thrift shopper as I am, you know my mantra. A gift card to my  favorite thrift store(s) is better than cash, because it's the gift that literally could be anything. It's like an invitation to a treasure hunt. And I'll be digging for that buried treasure. 

And if you're looking for specific ideas on things you may find at the thrift store...how about ugly Christmas sweaters, so-bad-it's-good framed artwork, a vase (that you can fill with fresh flowers), unique costume jewelry, a casserole dish/platter to bring a home-cooked addition to the holiday feast, and vintage-vintage-vintage. High quality vintage anything....it's nostalgic! (Well, maybe not anything...but you get where I'm going with this). 

So... have I convinced you? Are you sold on the idea of Thrift-Gifting? I'd love to know. 

Would you gift an item that you purchased at the thrift store?

Yes, absolutely.

Yes, but only if the item passed as brand new and they never knew it was bought secondhand.

Maybe. It depends on the person.

Only if it was a rare, unique item not likely to be found elsewhere.

No. Nope. Never.

Other

Please Specify:

Poll Maker

Holiday Thrifting: It's A Secondhand Winter Wonderland

"Now bring us some figgy pudding."

There are seven days left until Christmas. And like many frantic holiday shoppers, I've hit malls, outlets, supermarkets and yes, wine and spirits shops. And I've hit them hard. There was just one place I hadn't been able to hit in anticipation of the big ho-ho-holiday bonanza. 

That's right. I'm hanging my head in shame that, I, the sole force behind Let's Go Thrifting, had yet to visit the thrift store for some holiday inspiration. And so, with a week to spare, I reached out to the kind folks of Impact Thrift, to ask if I could take a few holiday themed photos for this very blog post. And of course, they welcomed me back to take a gander at what festive wares they had in store. 

I was not disappointed. And this got me thinking. Could a well-stocked thrift store be a one-stop holiday shop for gift-givers, party goers, social hosts, and Christmas revelers alike? Well, let's see...

There are lovely dinner platters to bring that you wouldn't mind leaving for your host to keep. Of course, you might want to keep them too...especially that one on the left. But, hey! This is the season of giving! 

There is a bounty of holiday tins. And they'll make a perfect presentation for all of the candy and baked goods you'll be giving to friends and family, or as storage for delicate tree ornaments. 

Talk about some elegant serving options. If you'd like to host a holiday dinner party, why not keep it classy? You can bring your guests some figgy pudding---whatever that is---and  do so with a lovely silver serving bowl. 

And don't forget the decorative touches...

Oh. My. God. How cute are these ornate candle holder gift boxes? 

And carolers-- you can never have enough carolers, even if they demand figgy pudding. 

So, if you're looking for holiday decor, elegant dining inspiration, last minute gifts, or something festively appropriate to wear, thrift shopping can help you be merry, bright, and on budget. 

What holiday goods have you purchased secondhand? 

Season's Greetings and many thanks to the folks at the Feasterville Impact Thrift Store! 

Thank You, Thrift Shoppers. Thank You.

Happy Thanksgiving, thrift shoppers!

As the official start of the holiday season screams, "eat more, buy more, spend more," it's all too easy to consume and be consumed by what we falsely believe to be important. 

Aside from the doorbuster deals and the family dining, this is a season to be decent human beings. And to me, thrifters, by their very nature are truly decent people.

We distribute our dollars through the community via charitable shopping. We keep usable items from landfills. We're financially responsible. We're creative and resourceful. 

So if you find yourself overwhelmed by all the holiday bells and whistles, just listen to your own heart and believe that YOU are an important part of something bigger. Thrift store owners, volunteers, and staff appreciate you choosing secondhand shopping over the standard retail experience. And this is especially true during the holiday season, when their charitable causes are likely in the most need.  

Your spending power makes thrift stores thrive. So thank you for shopping secondhand. 

And thank you for being part of the Let's Go Thrifting community!