Christmas, like every other year, is extremely stressful (and joyous!) for those who celebrate. This year it is even more pressing to be able to provide an enjoyable Christmas to family and friends after life-changing events such as the pandemic and rises in bills and living costs, all having a detrimental effect on how we spend money at this time. In order to save and be able to sustainably give to others, charity shops are an amazing option to do so. Here are our tips for shopping pre-loved this Christmas:
Christmas clothing is a must for those who like to dress up for not only the day itself, but work events, parties, and other festive outings. As well as the general items of clothing that can be found in charity shops, the crafting side of you can flourish by buying plain jumpers and enhancing the festivity through felt snowflakes, tinsel and battery powered fairy lights being attached to them. Which ever way you would like to show your enthusiasm, DIY Christmas Jumpers are a unique and effective way to make use of your local charity shop, and can be used for many occasions for years to come.
Not only can Christmas Jumpers provide an opportunity for art and crafts, but DIY decorations can be an economical alternative to decorations sold at high street homeware shops. Charity shops are a wonderful place to discover quirky materials and supplies to start the crafting, such as buying a wreath and decorating it with pinecones and plastic berries to make it into an inviting decoration that can be admired by others. Additionally, drying oranges and making them into a garland is a fantastic way to involve all of the family, and to let the aroma diffuse throughout the house. Charity shops can also provide glass jars and containers that can either be decorated or left as they are to become a sweet container for when family and friends are visiting, or to store festive spreads and jams. A great way to involve the children is to decorate baubles, which can be sold without patterns to then be later embellished.
Whilst everyone is currently being affected by the cost of living, the most vulnerable people are the elderly who don’t have access to a wide range of shops for supplies. Charity shops provide a variety of products, and especially at this time of year, many blankets and warm clothing items will be sold with the elderly in mind. These cheaper options are a practical and easy way to help the elderly enjoy this Christmas a little bit more. Shops also encourage the community to donate these items to as well, in order for them to be accessible to those who need them.
To help those who live alone or are struggling for meal ideas leading up to Christmas, cookery books are often sold in charity shops for those who may not be too knowledgeable in the kitchen. Seasonal cooking that is shown online and on TV often looks overwhelming and confusing for those sat watching at home, and whilst they may be inspired by the recipes, they may not know where to turn to first. This can also help those whose loved one’s that have passed were the chef of the household, and often at Christmas, relatives struggle to provide for others if they don’t know where to start.
As well as providing seasonal recipes for anyone who may need them, charity shops also sell home supplies, including more affordable table sets and crockery that can be used at Christmas. These are a perfect way to present your cooking expertise to guests. Finding hidden gems of glasses, tablecloths, festive drinks mats and others can all help create a warming atmosphere when hosting or simply enjoying the time of year. Buying pillowcases, bedding and other supplies when hosting for family and friends is also something you may not factor in when planning festivities, but charity shops provide these necessities to fit into your budget for the holidays.
One of the main ways that people tend to use charity shops at Christmas is for buying affordable gifts for others. There are several means for this, including making use of the many books sold at charity shops. They can then be stacked and tied with a ribbon, and often they are of such good quality that they are a much better option than buying at more costly retailers. Other gifts include making hampers out of the variety of products sold at charity shops, such as crockery, DVDs, books, candles and jewellery.
It is clear that there are endless options for Christmas spending at charity shops, and not only is it more affordable – especially in today’s economic climate – but helps vulnerable people spend Christmas with less stress, and provides fundraising for local charities, including your local hospice, Willow Burn. Our three retail shops located around Derwentside help the community at Christmas time and aid the hospice in providing care and comfort to patients and their families.
You can find your local Willow Burn Charity Shop in Stanley, Consett and Chester-le-Street, open Monday to Saturday, 9.30am - 4pm. On Saturday 19 November, the shops are hosting Christmas Shopping Days and all customers will receive 10% off purchases (excluding Willow Burn Hospice merchandise).
