Charity shop Christmas

mamajustify

I recently went in all our local charity shops, 7 in all, and got very lucky.I usually find one or two things but on this particular day I managed to find 21 items of clothing and 10 books, most of which look brand new.I spent about £18.
My daughter is about to turn 4 and unfortunately is clothes mad so i've put everything away for xmas. Alas my other child is a 10 year old boy who would be destraught at the sight of even a sock on xmas morning, so I didn't get him anything.
I hate the greed that surrounds xmas.Buying things for people that they don't want and will never use. When my mother asks what I want I always say household products like cleaning things, toilet rolls, shampoo etc. they would be more use than anything but she always says no because it's not very christmassy, so I always end up getting things i'll hardly ever use.
Personally I think Christmas is for kids and if I had the guts I'd not buy anything for any adults, but when they buy for your kids you feel obliged to get them something.

elona

How about making home made fudge, peppermint creams, jam etc. when you feel you should give something.

I have elderly relatives and make up a gift hamper for Christmas - a cardboard box covered with pretty paper and filled with home made jam, a few tins to keep in the cupboard for emergencies, a book that they would like etc. etc.

I have seen some great books in charity shops in immaculate condition.

growingafamily

went to a charity shop when we were out yesterday and items which were definately well used used were £2.99 and £4.25 ???? is anyone else finding that some charity shops are getting as dear (if not dearer for some things) than the normal shops ??
still get a fab bargain at some though !!

earthmother

I find the 'big' shops (Oxfam, Heart Foundation etc) are overpriced - in fact I don't even bother with them now.

But the smaller ones around here are are very good (Age Concern, Cancer Research, Children's Society and a local hospice) - had some great clothes and toys for the kids, and some presents for others, in the past.


We're not buying for the adults this year - making up hampers with home baking, HM crackers and snowglobes (going to have a production line going in the kitchen for a while, lol).

victory

mamajustify- my brother rang up one day and said that he was having some financial problems and he felt that seen as xmas was really about the kids could we not make sure any relative under 16 got a present but the others just recieved good wishes and a card?
I agreed whole-heartedly and he was hugely relieved (very concerned about the reaction) and ever since then we have done that, it really has relieved a large part of the stress and worry about what to buy an age range of 7 through to 81!
Now there are 10 kids under the age of 16 in my family and one has just past the 16 point so this year will just get a card.
It works for us, the kids still have their xmas and the adults have some financial peace!

ailuro2

Get the adults to agree to a Secret Santa list, that way you buy one adult something decent, say ten or twenty pounds worth, instead of getting a pile of tins of chocolates, biscuits,cheap soap etc. every year.
Still giving a present, but more MSE minded.

Chocmonster7

I usually spend less than £8 per person on Christmas presents, gives your imagination time to run riot (Ebay has been a boon!) and most of the time each person still ends up with a big box full of stuff to unwrap!

tiff

Chocmonster7 wrote:

I usually spend less than £8 per person on Christmas presents, gives your imagination time to run riot (Ebay has been a boon!) and most of the time each person still ends up with a big box full of stuff to unwrap!

I've followed some of your other posts re Christmas Chocmonster, what kind of things did you get on Ebay?

Chocmonster7

I try to get things that reflect what the people are interested in, it helps that all of my family & friends love antique type stuff so I'm always searching the collectibles sections. My Dad loves fountain pens, last year I got my Mum a vintage powder compact and I'm currently looking for some cuff links for a friend. I've already bought my brother a brand new official Ford GT40 t-shirt for £6 and I've just got a brand new Avon ring & necklace for my niece for less than £3 total. Hope that gives you a few ideas.

Oh and my friends/family do the same for me which is why I got a refurbished 1930's telephone off one a couple of years back!

culpepper

Every year I go round the charity shops looking for clothes for my 2 teens.
I always find stuff they love.
Yesterday I found a versace blouse for DD for a whole £1.
Ive got 2 nice little plant pots for Sister and BIL. Ive been growing on 2 Aloe Vera plants which were off shoots of one I have in the kitchen,to go in them.
This charity shop thing is a way of life for us . We have always done it.
My mum used to scour jumble sales for our pressies when we were little. We always had a nice pile of books in our present pile on xmas morning.
Xmas is so much more exiting when you can give pressies that took some effort to find or make .

elona

On Friday i got a really nice black, sequinned evening bag from Florence and Fred in my small local charity shop for a pound! :j

Just seen similar ones in Tesco for £10!

I also get books which I read myself and then list on Amazon - sometimes also find books that my daughters pounce on with delight.

I have learned never to say where I got stuff! lol (at least not to the recipient).;)