No matter who you’re buying for this holiday (or birthday, etc.) season, I implore you to check out second-hand shops first. I can never in good faith recommend the Salvation Army (though if that’s the only option in your area, I get it), but a quick Google will give you plenty of local options. If not, websites like ThredUp, Depop, and Poshmark make buying second-hand goods and clothing really easy, though those sites tend to be more expensive than, say, purchasing at a Goodwill in-person, to account for shipping, etc. 

If you’re thinking, Okay, this sounds great in theory, but how will I possibly find a good gift for everyone on my list at a thrift store? Well, it might take some time. I enjoy thrifting for gifts and in general, so I don’t mind making more than one trip or checking out more than one location. If you’re super savvy, you can usually call specific locations and ask when they get new stock in, and time your trip around arrivals so you get the first look. If the item ends up being big—say, you realize your college student relative would love a new desk, but where will you put it for now—you can usually arrange to have an item held for you. 

Thrifting for a good present also (to be blunt) requires you to know something about what the receiver might enjoy. If you know they love books, for example, I can’t say I recommend just wandering into the book section and grabbing whatever you touch first—but I also can’t say I’d recommend doing that even when it comes to brand new hardcovers in a chain bookstore. Ask them! Or look at their social media, or ask people close to them, for hints. 

Clothing can be tricky in this way, too, especially because a benefit of buying new (usually) means the person can return or exchange the item if you provide the tag and receipt. Generally, this doesn’t work from second-hand stores, so you might want to go for items that allow for more room for error (a decidedly oversized hoodie, for instance, or a hiking raincoat that you’d want extra room in anyway) or, again, just ask. I would also keep in mind that you’ll want to put the clothing through the wash before you gift it, as while people should wash and dry before they donate…. They probably don’t. 

There’s honestly a ton of neat stuff to gift with these caveats in mind. For example, at my local Goodwill, for example, someone (someones?) recently donated a ton of really unique vintage film cameras. Do they all work perfectly? I have no idea. Are they aesthetic? Yes! Are they very, very inexpensive? Also yes! If you know someone who loves to redecorate their room, for example, or likes collecting retro items, this sort of thing could be a perfect stocking stuffer or white elephant gift. Now, someone might be reading this and thinking, If you give me a potentially broken camera from the 70s for my birthday, I will not be happy with you, and hey, I get it. Again, this comes down to knowing the person you’re buying for. 

Even doing what I think of as a “hybrid” gift can work. For whatever reason, a thrift store I frequent has an absolute ton of Starbucks-themed mugs from all over the country. Yes, Starbucks is just about the opposite of shopping small, but if you have a fan in your life, gifting them a rare mug or two from a place you know they love (or would love to go sometime in the future) plus some freshly bought coffee could be a cute surprise. 

And if all this still rings as cringe-inducing to you because you have no idea what the person would like, and you really don’t want to talk about, I always default to giving someone cash. Again, a controversial take, but cash is almost certain not to collect dust in someone’s closet or add to our growing landfills. 

(And if you gift someone a thrifted item and they hate it, feel free to blame me!)