5 Things to Thrift this Christmas

If you've been following my journey for some time now, you'll already know my feelings about thrifting year-round - but when it comes to Christmas, I'm super-passionate about creating some Hallmark-esque magic on a budget.

Here are the five items I look out for year-round, ready to bring some festive cheer to my home (and to my loved ones!) at a fraction of the price.

Why should I thrift this Christmas?

With the cost of living hitting the UK hard, everyone is trying to save money where they can, and with Christmas being a particularly expensive time for us all, rest assured that there is absolutely no shame in having a second hand Christmas!

By looking out for hidden gems in charity shops, car boot sales, and online marketplaces around the year, you can save some serious money by thrifting this Christmas.

Here are my top picks:

Thrift those casserole dishes and tableware

I am having a Christmas with 20 this year! Yep... 20 people!

Luckily, I am not actually the one hosting, but I have been helping my mum get organised in preparation for our big family Christmas. One thing you might need more of (like us!) is casserole dishes, serving platters, and crockery, which you can pick up for a fraction of the price in your local charity shops.

Secondhand casserole dishes also double up as a great alternative for disposable Tupperware. You can send your guests away with their leftovers in a vintage casserole dish, and they can then return the favour to a friend next time they have a dinner party.

Not only is it much better for the environment, but it is a lovely personal touch too!

Brand new gift sets for a fraction of the price

Charity shops are absolutely brimming with unopened gift sets!

Think of how many you have received for Christmas that you never actually use... maybe your great aunt got you a moisturising set which you know won't react well with your skin.

Well, charity shops are full of a huge range of gift sets! If you have someone particularly difficult to buy for then a gift set is the perfect present - plus, they are completely unopened so no one ever needs to know where you bought it!

Ps. How beautiful is this dresser/chest of drawers?? I have no idea where or how I can find one... but I NEED it in my life!

Thrift those secondhand Christmas decorations

I remember our first Christmas in our first home together. I was so excited to decorate the entire house and turn it into Santa's grotto!

That's until our first trip to The Range and the harsh reality hit when I realised I may have to suffice with a bit of tinsel on the bannister!

But then I discovered that you can pick up some pretty cool and unique decorations in the charity shops. I've stumbled across lots of different deals, such as 10 baubles for £1 - meaning you can decorate your entire tree at a fraction of the cost of buying new!

I also love how you can find some unique and one-of-a-kind decorations that have probably celebrated dozens of Xmases already - making decorations a definite must-thrift this Christmas.

Give board games a new lease of life

In my family, we allow ourselves a yearly game of Monopoly...  My brother and I get too competitive to play more than once a year!

Charity shops are full of board games and puzzles looking to be played again, and they'll usually check all the pieces are there, but it won't hurt to check before you buy. You can then donate the games or save them for next year!

Christmas jumpers for everyone

In November, charity shops will bring out all their Christmas bits - including jumpers. They usually have huge ranges of funny, fashionable, or ugly Christmas jumpers - and if you are lucky, you might even find some matching family ones, saving you a fortune!

I promise you I am no Grinch... but I am always apprehensive when buying my son Christmas clothes as he only wears them for a few months, and then they won't fit the following year, so I buy most of his festive wardrobe from charity shops.  Then I can resell or donate for someone else to enjoy next year!

I sold all his Xmas bits from last year on Vinted, which helped me fund this year's Christmas.  (Read more about making money on Vinted here!)

Thrifting at Christmas is a big YES from me!

I pride myself on being particularly savvy when it comes to cutting costs on Christmas - from crockery and casserole dishes, to secondhand gifts and Christmas jumpers - and while it doesn't have to be all-or-nothing (I still love buying brand new, too!), it sure can give you some breathing space in your budget.

Keep your eyes peeled year-round to pick up some bargains, and bring a touch of festive cheer to your home and the homes of your loved ones, without putting yourself into financial trouble.

I want to make it really clear that we cannot save ourselves from the current cost of living situation. The crisis is horrendous for everyone and no amount of scrimping and saving is going to change the huge hike in our bills. But, there are things we can do to save where we can to help stop ourselves from getting into debt. Remember, no amount of Xmas magic is worth getting into debt for and your family won't want you getting into financial stress and not being able to afford food just so you can get the presents.

Will you thrift this Christmas?

So what do you think - will you be opting to thrift this Christmas? If so, let me know over on Instagram - I'd love to see what you're able to pick up secondhand!