5 Secondhand Gifts That Will Slay this Season
Gift giving is my love language. So, as much as I want to rail against the consumer construct of the holiday season, it is also the dedicated time of year I am reminded to gift. It’s the ultimate brain teaser for me, resulting in the satisfaction of showing someone I love them, through a gift that exposes their own personal unique qualities.
But, especially as Black Friday rolls around…the impulse to make my money go further and gift more increases. I begin populating hundreds of tabs with items that seem like a good deal, but honestly aren’t really the right pick for my loved ones.
One way I like to access the most thoughtful gifts, at the best prices, with a softer impact on our planet — is to create unique combinations of gifts with secondhand items.
Check out my tips for secondhand gifting and my top recommended gifts in this guide.
but first…won’t it be weird to gift a used item?
That’s entirely up to you to decide, but honestly I think we should all turn the tides on this line of thinking. I’m creating this guide to show you that these gifts can present no differently than “new” gifts and have the opportunity to be more unique than something you’ll ever find on Amazon.
It’s easy to see that many in fashion items currently from clothing to home and even Christmas decor are just cheaper reproductions of vintage items.
More and more people are finding joy in the thrill of the hunt at thrift stores and with the rise of online platforms for secondhand buying like Depop, Etsy and of course the OG, Ebay.
I try to follow a few guidelines when I’m secondhand shopping for gifts:
The item is in non-damaged, working condition without too many flaws outside standard vintage wear when appropriate
The receiver of the gift will find it useful, and it makes sense for their style and interests
If it requires any DIY upcycling or modifications, I have a plan and capacity to actually do that before gifting
I also like to keep in mind, as you’ll see in many of these ideas that I can plus up a gift with something newly purchased if necessary.
Favorite Sources for Secondhand Gifts
Local thrift stores, vintage shops & antique malls
Local & online vintage resellers
Half Price Books: books, vinyl, games, posters, special editions
Ebay
Etsy
Depop
ThriftBooks.com
Top 5 Unique Thrifted Gifts
Coffee Table Styling combo
Recipe: book + tray/coffee table styling item
One of my top go-to gifts as an interior design lover is a unique, curated coffee table book and tray or styling object for a coffee table paired together.
The main reason I love this combo is that is easy to source - thrift stores are always stacked with books, Half Price Books has an especially healthy art and coffee table book section and if you want to get something really specific - like your loved one’s favorite book in a cool vintage edition, the internet is your best friend.
Be on the lookout for:
Art/coffee table books that align to personal interests, unique vintage books, unique editions of favorites/classics
Mirrored trays, bamboo trays, wood trays, glass or ceramic dishes as a styled "catch-all", vintage ashtrays, low/wide baskets
I love to pair this gift with a candle, which I usually buy new + vintage matchbooks I buy on Etsy
2. Drink of Choice in style
Recipe: beverageware + drink
I am constantly finding funky cool glassware and unique mugs that would be perfect for my friends and family. Depending on the nature of the gift, for a couple I like to include 2, either of the same or a curated mix & match and for folks who love to entertain, I love to thrift larger collections of curated glassware that fits their design style.
Be on the lookout for:
Cocktail glassware for pairing with a favorite recipe/spirit: high-ball, low-ball, coupe, wine, flute
Curated mix & match colorful vintage glassware
Unique theme/designs that fit your recipient’s vibe
I usually pair this gift with a favorite cocktail recipe & spirit, tea or coffee or canned cocktail
Plus it up with serving details like stir sticks or vintage spoons
3. Unconventional Potted Plant
Recipe: unique plant vessel + faux/real plant, holiday bottle brush tree, floral arrangement
Not only can you find great conventional planters at thrift stores, they are loaded with totally unique options for plants. This is a go-to gift for folks who you may know less intimately; coworkers, neighbors, teachers and other folks you want to acknowledge during the holiday season.
Be on the lookout for:
Unique coffee mugs, or mugs with specific themes for small plants + bottle brush trees
Vintage press coffee pots (pictured above) that can be deconstructed for fun retro-style planters - these may sound like a rare find, but you’d be surprised how often I come across these
Vintage bundt pans make great for succulent gardens
I typically opt for cool faux plants and florals for lower maintenance gifts, but keep in mind you may need to drill a drainage hole for real plants.
4. Curated Framed Art
Recipe: quality thrifted frame + art print/custom art
I buy almost all of my art and frames secondhand, however gifting art can be trickier especially when you’re searching thrift stores and antique malls.
A great gift for someone you know a bit more personally, is a curated piece of art.
Frames are much easier to source thrifting and the art piece can be found with a more specific idea in mind for your gift.
Be on the lookout for:
Quality wood frames with glass, easy to replace/remove art
Frames that are conventional art print sizes: 8x10, 11x14, 11x16, 16x20, 18x24, 24x36
For prints, a few of my favorite sources are:
Society6
Etsy/Ebay
Vintage magazine covers: Time, Playboy
Art books
Vintage textiles
Local artists
Personal favorites for vintage kitsch lovers: Brent Silveria’s Kitschy Characters (Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie and more), Vintage Ken and Barbie
My favorite source for colorful and custom size mats can be found on Etsy
5. Cool Granny Candy Dish
Recipe: ceramic or glass candy dish + favorite sweet treat
Okay, this gift is less universal but honestly, if you have a kaftan-loving old soul in your life who is either already deep in their candy dish collection or needs a little motivation to start, this is the perfect gift.
Be on the look out for:
Glass or ceramic candy dish: depression glass, fun colors and shapes, unique style
Pair with a favorite classic candy:
For the old soul regardless of age: Werther's originals
Retro holiday: Butter/dinner mints
Young at heart: Dum-Dums
Homemade: Betty Crocker OG spritz cookies
The opportunities are endless
Even though those are my favorite unique gifts to thrift, there’s so many great options when you expand your search to secondhand.
In case you need even more ideas, here’s a few more classics:
Vinyl
Games & puzzles
Cookbooks & kitchenware
Jars & tins for homemade treats
Unique wrapping supplies: cigar boxes, vintage tins, fabric, faux florals, gift toppers
Still not ready yet for the thrifted gift-assiance? Don’t despair, sometimes you need a unique gift and don’t have time to hunt for it. I have more gift guides coming for those times with more conventional sources.