Stretch your holiday spend with secondhand gifts
Skip bottom-of-the-barrel Black Friday sales and get meaningful value with vintage this holiday season
Let’s not skirt around it: finances are on many people’s minds across North America this holiday season.
The economy, while strong on paper — in September 2024, inflation rates in Canada and the U.S. were at 1.6 per cent and 2.4 per cent, respectively, down from record highs in June 2022 of 8.1 per cent and 9.1 per cent, respectively — isn’t feeling so strong to consumers, who aren’t seeing price relief downstream.
Prices on most goods have increased, and no one seems to be getting paid more to match.
It feels a little heavy heading into Holiday Season 2024.
But holidays are also extra special during times of hardship. They’re more meaningful, more about the things that really matter. They’re a time to connect, to be together, to appreciate what we do have, and to do it all with a little more sparkle. The holidays are a punctuation mark on a year, and the ritual matters to many of us.
As usual (and for better or worse), our seemingly shrinking wallets aren’t going to stop most Canadians and Americans from going all out on our holiday shopping this year.
The Retail Council of Canada estimates Canadians will spend eight per cent more in 2024 than 2023 — CA$972 on average, says its Holiday Shopping Survey 2024, which polled 2,500 shoppers across the country.
And in the United States, shoppers are expected to hit record holiday spending levels, at US$902 per person — a three per cent increase over last year, says the National Retail Federation’s 2024 October Holiday Consumer Survey, which polled over 8,000 U.S. adults.
Shoppers in both countries cited value for money as one of their top concerns for holiday shopping this year.
So amid all of this gift-planning and Black Friday–sale hopping, let’s take a step back and think about what value means in a slightly different context: shopping vintage, antiques and secondhand.
Secondhand is value
Shopping for value doesn’t necessarily mean sifting the bargain bins for new stuff, or browsing Black Friday door crashers on Amazon. More shoppers are seeing the value in secondhand gifting.
OfferUp, a buy-sell platform in the U.S., surveyed 1,500 adults in its 2023 Recommerce Report: Holiday Special and found 75 per cent of them are open to gifting secondhand. Eighty-two per cent are open to receiving secondhand gifts — an 11 per cent increase over the year before.
The study also found that 67 per cent of shoppers say the old stigmas around giving secondhand gifts have lessened — and that aligns with the 76 per cent of respondents who say the hesitation around shopping secondhand in general, even outside of the holidays, has decreased. (For more on what has led to this stigma over the years, turn to p. 23).
Respondents were mixed on why they feel more inclined to shop secondhand: 52 per cent of them said secondhand offers more affordable items over buying new; 49 per cent said secondhand offers increased availability and variety, and 48 per cent said positive experiences shared by family and friends have helped to shift their perspective.
Gifting on a budget
When we think about value, the first thing that comes to mind is price. What’s the best “deal”?
Perceived value is paramount — but something doesn’t have more value just because it’s new. When there is life left in a secondhand item, or when its collectibility is high, its value actually goes up.
And you’re still often scoring a “deal” buying that item secondhand compared to new.
Price will be a top priority for many shoppers this season. The Retail Council of Canada’s survey says 90 per cent of shoppers polled will be watching their budget, with 71 per cent planning to shift their shopping habits by prioritizing sales, planning to shop early, monitoring their budgets and buying only when they find a “good deal.”
U.S. shoppers are nearly just as budget-conscious, says the National Retail Federation’s report, with 59 per cent of people shopping early to take their budget further, and 42 per cent using early shopping as a way to find the best promotions.
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Budget shopping can mean hitting your local thrift stores to find the perfect book or framed art for your friend.
It can mean shopping in-person or online with local independent vintage and secondhand sellers, many of whom specifically highlight giftable, affordable items this time of year. It can mean scouring resale sites like Poshmark or The RealReal to find gems at heavily discounted prices.
Since planning is a priority for shoppers in 2024, there is no better thing to do when gifting secondhand than to start your shopping early. Many items are one of one and can be hard to find again, so avoid disappointment and get started now.
For more ideas of what secondhand and vintage gifts you can buy on a budget, turn to p. 10 and p. 20.
Gifting with intention
Value doesn’t stop at price. What about intention? A single, impactful gift is going to go further than a number of small gifts that have little to no meaning attached to them other than “I want it.”
Thoughtful, nostalgic or sentimental items are a sure bet that a gift will be well loved — and secondhand is a great place to start your search.
How about a retro collectible for someone’s desk, like a Trolls doll they loved as a kid, a postmodern pen holder in a primary colour, a vintage Chia Pet in the shape of their favourite animal or a Star Wars piggy bank for the sci-fi fan?
Or maybe a choice pair of vintage costume earrings that are a dupe for their favourite ones in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A lesser-known copy of their favourite book they can display on their shelf. A vintage silk scarf that looks exactly like the one their grandma wore. A collectible lighter topped with a vintage graphic from a place you both visited together.
If someone is more likely to keep an item for sentimental reasons, you’re giving them big value.
Gifting quality
Value also translates to quality — how long is something going to last? If we’re going to spend our hard-earned dollars, we want to make sure that our giftee uses it well. Give them something they can rely on again and again.
A new poly-blend sweater from Zara that’ll have a hole in it six months from now? Try a vintage cashmere crewneck that looks as new as the day it was first sold 20 years ago.
The hottest viral kitchen pan with reviews saying it scratches easily? How about a vintage Le Creuset in mint condition? Throw in some vintage recipe cards inside and you’ve just skyrocketed to the top of the nice list.
Quality often comes with more cost, which is where we as consumers tend to go wrong on the value equation. A 24-piece set of cheaply made dishes regularly priced at $100 but on sale on Black Friday for $49 gives the impression that they’re a “good deal”.
But we don’t usually think about that value again 12 months later when the dishes crack in the dishwasher, and we either have to re-buy them or stop using them altogether.
If you’re in the market for quality secondhand gifts, check your local buy-and-sell groups on Facebook. Someone in your neighbourhood might be selling something that you can grab for a steal.
And for a more curated experience and the additional value you get with quality customer service and inventory, try a specialty vintage retailer or independent seller.
For more inspiration, see more than 230 products in our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide starting on p. 27.
The most valuable gift of all
One more thing when it comes to value during the holidays. No matter how you choose to gift this season, let the recipient know how you feel about them in a card, on a gift tag or with your words.
How much do you value your relationship? That’s why we give gifts, after all — because we care.
A kind note, compliment or “I saw this and thought of you” goes a long way.
Take this once-a-year opportunity to let your loved ones know how you feel about them, and let your thoughtfully chosen gift do the rest of the talking.
A version of this article originally appeared in the digital edition of our 2024 Vintage Gift Guide.
