The brand-new Christmas gifts on offer across our charity shops
WITH Christmas just a month away, many of us are starting to stress over the prospect of what to treat our loved ones to this festive season.
Now that non-essential retail is back open for the first time since 2019 in the build up to Christmas day, there’s a plethora of high street and independent retailers to browse, all offering your run-of-themill presents.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but also the most expensive.
A recent survey by the charity Barnardo’s revealed that the average UK adult is looking to spend £760 on gifts this season, and this figure more than doubles for millennials, who are anticipating an eyewatering spend £1600, so you’d be forgiven for looking to cut the cost when and where you can.
Charity shops have historically had a reputation of being a bit hit and miss, and often more miss.
But in recent years, the quality of donations have rocketed and you can even find brand-new, untouched items on the shelves.
Not only are these gifts much kinder to your bank account, but also the environment too, by encouraging recycling, and keeping items out of landfills.
You may have to look a little harder to find these hidden gems, but with all the proceeds going to a great cause, it makes the time spent digging them out worth while.
Derby city centre is certainly not lacking in its number of charity shops, and if you’re looking, you’ll find one on pretty much every street. I took a look around some of them and sourced some of the great presents you buy this Christmas, for a fraction of the high street cost.
1. SCENTED CANDLES
SCENTED candles are a muchloved
gift by most. Not only do they make your home smell great, but also provide a cosy feel during the colder winter months. Buried away in Sense, in Derbion, there’s a range of lovely candles on offer, and in their original packaging that would make a great secret Santa gift or
stocking filler. These Peartree Emporium candles, elegantly packaged with woven rope, are priced at £2.50 in Sense, but sell on Amazon for over £6.
2. NAIL CARE SETS
BEAUTY related gifts are always a popular choice over the Christmas period, but often come with a hefty price tag. These unopened Obey Your Body natural glow nail kits are on Amazon for 2 for £60, but are being sold in Sense for £5 each, an absolute steal. The kits contain an intensive hand lotion, a cuticle serum, a nail file, and buffing block.
3. PHOTO FRAMES
PHOTO frames are always a great way to gift something a little more personal. Charity shops offer a variety of frames, ranging in sizes and design, and many, despite being used, are still in perfect condition. Why not buy a frame from a charity shop and pop in a photo of you and a friend to gift them this Christmas? If you’re looking for something a little more untarnished, there are also plenty of picture frames sealed and in their original packaging. This adorable Me to You frame at Mind charity shop would make the perfect keep sake gift for a youngster, and priced at £2.75, you’d be parting with almost half the high street price.
4. QUIRKY PRESENTS
A LITTLE humour goes along with presents, and charity shops are a great place to start looking to find something to make someone smile. This gin fund money box is a perfect, light-hearted present for a friend this year. It is currently priced at £4.50 in Mind, and comes with its original packaging. With its sister box Prossecco fund selling on Amazon for over £9, its also at half the cost too.
5. ORGANIC AND VEGAN SKINCARE
In the depths of many charity shops, you’ll find a glass case filled with some of the finest items that have been donated, and the Oxfam on St Peters Street is no exception. Elegantly placed on the top shelf was Gratiae exfoliating body scrub, on offer for £5.99, which sells on Amazon for £13.05.
6. VINTAGE PRESENTS
ONE thing you can be sure to find at charity shops is something old, but that doesn’t always mean battered and used. In fact, many people donate vintage goods in perfect condition, which are patiently waiting for a new home. Stored away behind a pane of glass in Oxfam lies this pretty vintage Kigu power compact. These little trinkets usually sell in excess of £25, but is on offer at the charity shop for £14.99.
7. GIFT SETS
BATH sets are always a safe Christmas gift to buy. These boxes are often stuffed with great little handy shower gels, moisturising creams and body butters. Yet, they can also be incredibly pricey, and dare I say, a bit of a rip off. But luckily, many of these bath sets, still in their original packaging and with untampered plastic seals, get donated to charity all year round. This Florence Anne fragrance set at Derby’s Air Ambulance shop is the perfect example. It originally sold at Boots for £18, but can be found here for just £5 - and its in date too!
8. CHRISTMAS CARDS PACKS
As well as great presents, you’ll be sure to find a stand of reasonably priced, elegant Christmas cards in most shops. There are 12 different designs on offer at Cancer Research UK stores this year, where you can pick up 10 cards for as little as £2.69. They’re all 100 per cent recyclable, so they’re kind to the environment.