Christmas presents from charity shops! 24 September 2015 at 4:37PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Special Occasions & Other Celebrations 34 replies 15K views

Kitty777

One of the things that I love to do for Christmas (and birthday's) is to buy gifts from charity shops...I have found you can get some wonderful new/decent second hand things!!

This year, I have decided to do it more and more...sometimes you may have to compromise e.g there may be a gift set with a damaged box, so I take the items out and make my own bundle or if there is a vase/ornament you may need to give it a good clean but I think its lovely idea!

I have also found that doing it throughout the year is a good idea, so that you can make the most of the bargins.

What do others think? Does anyone else do it?

Today I saw some books for my nephews 40p each, some confetti (to go in gift bags etc) for 10p and some body shop strawberry shower gel/body cream (in their own perfect gift bag and tissue paper) for 50p!

Nargleblast

Why not? You are recycling stuff and contributing to good causes.

Kitty777

Nargleblast wrote: »

Why not? You are recycling stuff and contributing to good causes.

That is why I think it is wonderful!

Gettingtherequickly

Did you see Antiques Roadshow at the weekend. There was an Australian lady who had picked up a pair of earrings for about £5 for a fancy dress, stipulation being everything visible had to be bought at a charity shop. She thought they were really nice & took them along to see if they actually had any value - can't remember if it was £10,000 or £20,000!

Kitty777

Gettingtherequickly wrote: »

Did you see Antiques Roadshow at the weekend. There was an Australian lady who had picked up a pair of earrings for about £5 for a fancy dress, stipulation being everything visible had to be bought at a charity shop. She thought they were really nice & took them along to see if they actually had any value - can't remember if it was £10,000 or £20,000!

Wow what a lucky lady!! I would feel a bit gutted if I gave them away as a gift though. :rotfl:

queenlizard45uk

Yes, totally good idea and this is what I have done in the past.
When my niece was born I bought her an elephant toy from a charity shop - it cost £1.
Her parents would go mad if they new it was second hand, but she loves it!! Shes 4 now, still sleeps with it and takes it everywhere
Kids especially do not care where an item was from, nor how much it costs xx

themull1

I definitely do it, i've bought books, tealight holders, candlesticks, games from the charity shop for presents, some are practically new.

Rummer

I would cheerfully buy gifts from a CS however the ones around here are very expensive so I rarely find anything.

Great idea though if you have affordable CS nearby.

scon1234

I love it!

I'll never understand why so many people frown upon it. I mean why does Christmas have to be a big contest on who can max out their credit cards the fastest?

I'd be over the moon if I was given a charity shop gift, because A) being given a gift regardless of its value is a lovely gesture and the money you spend on the gift has gone to help those less fortunate. It's a win win in my humble opinion

PasturesNew

If a suitable item were available, it'd be an option. However, charity shops are hit and miss if they're any good and if the goods in them are affordable.

For the majority you'd have to spend a lot of time in charity shops to be able to spot these perfect bargains.... a LOT of time. OK if you're killing time every lunchtime on a street that has 4-6 shops, not so great if you have to actively make the journeys to trawl through overpriced tat.

So, OK in principle, doesn't work every time for all people.

TBagpuss

I wouldn;t have any issue with giving, or being given, a gift from a charity shop, or one which was second hand more generally, provided that it is a suitable gift.

I think particularly for younger children, where things are often grown out of quite quickly it can be a particularly good option, as you may be able to find things which are still in very good condition.

It does depend a bit on the recipient, though. I can think of one or two people I know who would be mortally offended and in those cases, if they were people I was giving gifts to, I would be very careful to avoid anything which could be identified as being second hand, or might even chose to give just a card rather than a gift.