Gifting season is upon us. Liz Morgan with Goodwill is here to show us some great hostess or small special gifts you can find at the thrift. Not only will you stretch your budget, you are doing good for the environment by keeping items out of landfills.
1. Do I Need To Bring A Hostess Gift? The short answer – no, you’re by no means obligated to bring one. But if you’re attending a dinner party, cocktails or holiday game night at someone’s home – bringing a hostess gift is a lovely show of appreciation for your host. If you’re invited to several shindigs this season, consider hunting for some goodies at the thrift so you can spread holiday hostess cheer without putting a huge dent in your wallet.
2. Find Inspiration At The Thrift. Sometimes you find an item that sparks an idea. One tip we like to share is go in with an open mind, and just see what speaks to you. Like this Movie Night porcelain bucket, the minute I saw this, I thought you could fill it with movie candy, microwave popcorn and a gift card movie tickets – all in, you’re under $25.
3. Find Ways to Stretch Your Budget. I found this box of four holiday mugs, brand new on the Goodwill shelves. The box was a bit beat up, so I took out
the mugs – Put one of each design so you have two mugs and fill with hot cocoa mix or a hot chocolate bomb, coffee to elevate your thoughtful present.
4. Find Holiday Collectibles At The Thrift. One of the most rewarding things about thrifting is when you stumble open a rare, collectible item that has never been used. I found this Lenox Plate, Santa’s Cookies in the box – and it was on top of the racks – don’t forget to scan the top of clothing racks. By itself this would be a sweet gift, but you could serve it up with homemade cookies for a neighborhood event or cookie swap party. And the best part? It was $4.99. I looked it up online, and it is going for $37 at PoshMark.
5. Find Festive Touches At The Thrift. Even if you don’t find hostess gifts at the thrift, you can almost always find gift receptacles and packaging. Like these brand new holiday stockings that can be used to hold a bottle of wine for your hosts, cookie tins, and more.
6. Find Big Gift Scores At The Thrift. While many of the items found at thrifts are gently used, secondhand – you can often find brand new, never opened items. Like these adorable ornament-shaped glasses. I found two sets, unopened for less than $5 each. Gift them alone or pair them with a bottle of spirits. Super cute, things they may not buy for themselves
7. Find Yourself Feeling Great about Shopping Goodwill. Every item you buy at Goodwill saves millions of pounds from landfills, and gives back by providing job training for your neighbors.