Thrift shopping is a great way to save money year-round. You can get children’s clothing cheaply, housewares, and even furniture. Just about anything you need for your home (besides food of course) can be bought at the thrift store. Did you ever consider doing your Christmas shopping there, though? For most people, giving used gifts is a social no-no; however, if you are crafty or just know where to look, you can get incredible thrift store gifts! Here is your guide to turning thrift store finds into Christmas Gifts
Thrift Store Christmas Gift Ideas
Mason Jars- There really are so many things you can do with these thrift shop staples. You can make cookie and brownie mix in jars and tie them with a pretty ribbon and label. You could make some homemade sugar scrubs and place them in the jars as well. Here are 15 Gift in Jar Ideas.
Old Sweaters- I have seen so many tutorials on how to use old sweaters and turn them into anything from mittens to hats. Many of these projects require very little sewing skill and they are so unique and fun! Teens might enjoy getting a new pair of boot liners like these from Scissortail Silk. Old sweaters can also be stuffed and sewn into pet beds for a great gift for our furry friends. Here are more ways to reuse old sweaters.
Clay pots- Many thrift stores have clay or plastic pots from other people’s gardening time. Clean these up, paint them and plant a houseplant in them for a truly wonderful and long living gift.
Tea cups and sugar bowls- One great use for old tea cups, especially the elegant vintage kind, is to make candles out of them. These make awesome gifts that are truly unique. Check out my tutorial on making Tea Cup Candles for inspiration. Here are directions for making Sugar Bowl Candle.
Old Vintage T-shirts- Make a quilt with them. One of my good friends has a quilt made from old T-shirts from her collage days and still loves it. You can also use them to make infinity scarves.
Old Jeans- High-waisted jeans are coming back into style and luckily the thrift store usually has plenty of them. You can create an awesome gift for a teen by covering the pockets with a fabric scrap with a cool design (think leopard print or something similar). Old jeans are also useful for making many other crafts such as purses, wallets and so on.
Framed prints- These are a thrift store lover’s favorite find. You never know what you will get when you hunt through the frames and paintings section. You can turn these into framed chalkboards, paint them white and decoupage family photos onto one.
Trays- Thrift stores are full of all kinds of trays and platters. These can be made into great things such as chalkboards, jewelry plates for rings and bangles and even bird feeders. Just about anyone on your list can be made something from a tray or platter.
What are some of your favorite ways to use thrift store finds and create new things with them? Have you ever given a re-purposed thrift store find as a gift? I would love to hear your creative ideas!
