They do not know it yet and they may be shocked to read it here, but my loved ones are getting old stuff for Christmas.
That sounds a lot worse than it is. Anyone who has spent serious time in charity shops or nosed around church bazaar white elephant or bric-a-brac stalls knows they can be troves of treasure and the source of unique bargain gifts.
The secret is to see past the junk and unearth the jewels, and so this is an unofficial guide to do downscaling your gift budget and (hopefully) delighting recipients.
To the newbie thrifters out there, the main thing is not to be put off. These are the things that may put a rookie off:
• Manky soft toys encrusted with years of toddler meals and drool;
• Worn-out, pilled jerseys;
• Mothballed pyjamas;
• Sticky Tupperware;
• Cracked glassware;
• Dodgy electrical appliances;
• Chipped mugs;
• Stained bath mats;
•Yellowed bed sheets; and
• Expired cosmetics.
Sightings of these may send potential thrifters galloping straight to the mall to stock up on overpriced gifts, temptingly manufactured for this time of year.
Mass-produced, often of questionable quality, they break the bank and boost conspicuous consumption.
Instead, do your best to look past the off-putting merchandise and employ a razor-focused strategy.
It comes with practise and when you crack the ability to see potential in discarded objects, a whole new world opens up.
You can spot a seasoned thrifter from a mile off. Their eyes skim over the junk and settle quickly on the lucky finds.
A giveaway is the turning upside down of china and pottery to clock the makers’ markings.
They know their Meaking from their Maxwell Williams, their Willow pattern form their Wedgwood and their Limoges from their Lalique.
They also know that chunky pottery from the 1980s is making a big comeback and that people inadvertently donate their real silver teaspoons along with their silver-plated ones.
Trawling for rare high-value items is not what thrifty Christmas shopping is about, however.
Count yourself lucky if you find it at a bargain price, but gorgeous vintage gifts do not have to be worth a lot to be beautiful and useful.
Resale value is not a prerequisite. But it is important to have vision.
And so, if you are a person who thinks they cannot see past the junk and perceives lovely old things as clutter, here is what to look out for and how the gift recipient can use it or style it into one-of-a-kind décor:
• Jugs: I have to resist grabbing them all, tall and squat. They are useful for milk, salad dressing and custard, of course, but look wonderful filled with flowers. Hack off some lavender, pop it in a jug, add a gift ribbon. Perfect pressie.
• Tea cups: The more mismatched the better. For the tea lovers in your life. If they are chipped, no matter. They still look pretty on a shelf or can be home to a succulent or little cactus.
• Milk glass: A newish obsession for me. Milk-white glass vases, candy dishes, and cake stands, it was first manufactured as a cheaper alternative to pricey porcelain. Can’t find anyone who likes it? Gift it to me!
• Pyrex: Since it’s launch in 1915, the company made more than 50 colours and 170 patterns of the heat-resistant glassware. Your granny had them and who wouldn’t want some of that functionality and nostalgia?
• Vintage SA ceramics: Made by Boksburg East Pottery in the 1950s and 60s, Lucia Ware comes in fabulous colours such as sea green, buttery yellow and maroon, and in so many shapes — vases, ashtrays, pen holders, bookends. They used to be the cheapest item in the charity store or junk shop, but have become dearer as they are now highly collectible. When I see one at a church bazaar, I pounce. Or look for ceramics made by Grahamstown Potteries and labelled Drostdy Ware. Wonderful gifts and still cheaper than new stuff, even though these are future heirlooms.
• Bulky brownish pottery: We had it in the 1970s and now it’s being snapped up by millennials looking to recreate a mid-century modern vibe in their homes.
• Old teaspoons: Who doesn’t want a container filled with whimsically crafted little teaspoons next to their kettle? Often donated by deceased estates, they sell by the handful and are cheap as chips.
• Vases: I find them hard to resist. And most anything can be a receptacle for flowers, or cooking utensils. A lidless coffee pot, an old yellow canister, a beautiful glass jar.
• Shoe lasts: Gloriously shaped like a human foot, these come in some fantastic colours and are used by shoemakers. For the person who loves a quirky ornament.
• Old plates and platters: An eclectic collection of dinner or cake plates adds interest to any gathering and I still love the farmhousey whimsy of a wall of beautiful old plates. Give someone one or two and you could trigger the collector in them.
• Art: I have found vintage prints of romantic roses, a moody charcoal drawing by an art student and a very beautiful original oil painting. These may have little value, but are lovelier than the mass-produced ones from cut-price décor shops.
• Salt and pepper dispensers: I have a small collection of quirky little vintage sets. There is a pair of turkeys, a pair of red cows and a pair of kitsch poodles. Quite hard to find and impractical to use for their intended purpose, but they are funny and are great conversation starters.
• Bakery mixing bowls: The vintage ones are super sturdy and look out for the old Kenwood ones. Made of milk glass, they can obviously be used for baking but also to hold a pot plant. I have picked up a couple for R30 each!
I could go on, but you get the idea. Your friends and family will be impressed by your original gifts and you will save a packet. And Mother Earth will thank you too for repurposing rather than consuming.
A word of warning: Some people have a strong aversion to anything that has been used before.
They will not thank you for an old plate. They may even be offended. Give them a box of chocolates, rather.
Otherwise, happy thrifting! Christmas shopping just got to be fun again.
Weekender
