The holidays are a time of consumption, but there are certainly ways to participate without going into debt or expanding your carbon footprint. That’s why if you aren’t already thrifting your gifts, you should be.
To help inspire your next hunt, we turned to three professionals who are in the business of selling vintage gifts themselves. Here’s what gifts their trained eyes always spot at thrift stores.
Vintage Bakeware
Kelly Stephenson, vice president of brand at OfferUp, has one go-to gift pairing that she defaults to for the bakers in her life.
Any time she sees vintage bakeware that catches her eye, she buys it. Then, she simply takes a mason jar, fills it with the dry ingredients for one of her favorite baked good recipes, and writes out the instructions on a notecard.
“Keep an open mind when you shop for home goods on a local marketplace app or in a thrift store,” she shares. “The joy is in the treasure hunt. Your giftee will love knowing you found a one-of-a-kind baking dish, and the person
Old Trays
Trays are a dime a dozen at thrift stores, especially silver-plated ones that are classic and timeless.
Sara McDaniel, owner of Purvéy, has a genius idea for making use of these. She loads them with goodies (think tea, snacks, and facemasks). It’s like a gift basket or stocking, only much more unique and memorable.
Vintage Books
Willow Wright, owner of Urban Redeux, celebrates the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod with her family, aka a book exchange on Christmas Eve. She loves hunting among used books for topics that fit each of their interests and personalities.
“Our version is slightly different, as the host, I gift everyone their book at the dinner table,” she says. “I buy all of the books at the thrift stores. It makes it fun because you really have to be intentional about the books you choose, as the ‘newest bestsellers’ aren’t there.”
Stephenson also likes buying vintage books for gifts, and she adds that thrift stores are the perfect place to source them for the “blind date with a book” trend.
Wine and Cocktail Glasses
Nearly every thrift store has a well-stocked section of glasses, and if you search thoroughly enough, you might even find some crystal pieces hiding in there.
Stephenson likes gifting old cocktail or wine glasses to her relatives who have recently turned 21 to help them celebrate the first Christmas they can legally drink.
She will pair it with a bottle of wine or spirits to complete the gift.
Crystal Candy Dishes
Throughout the year, you can find Wright stocking up on beautiful crystal candy dishes at thrift stores, because she has a great hack for turning them into the perfect gift for anyone on her list.
“I’ve purchased these for teachers’ gifts and friends alike,” she says. “I fill the bowl with anything from a gift card or two to bundles of fun vintage matchbooks. I bag the whole thing in cellophane and tie it with a little ribbon.”
Unopened Puzzles and Games
Next time you’re at the thrift store, don’t skip the toy section. According to Wright, you can often find puzzles and games that have never been opened before. She likes gifting these to both kids and adults alike.