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You are here: Home / Naturally Frugal Living / How to Turn Thrift Store Finds into Christmas Gifts

How to Turn Thrift Store Finds into Christmas Gifts

November 11, 2021 by Christine T 13 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
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Thrift store Christmas gift ideas

Whether you are trying to do Christmas on a budget, a homemade Christmas, or a zero-waste holiday presents, you will find many clever thrift store Christmas gift ideas below to help you with your goals.

How to Turn Thrift Store Finds into Christmas Gifts - ideas and inspiration for unique Christmas presents on a budget.

Thrift shopping is a great way to save money year-round. You can get children’s clothing cheaply, housewares, and even furniture. Just about anything you need for your home (besides food of course) can be bought at the thrift store. Did you ever consider doing your Christmas shopping there, though? For most people, giving used gifts is a social no-no; however, if you are crafty or just know where to look, you can get incredible thrift store gifts! Here is your guide to turning thrift store finds into Christmas Gifts

Thrift Store Christmas Gift Ideas

Mason Jars Gift Ideas

There really are so many things you can do with these thrift shop staples. You can make cookie and brownie mix in jars and tie them with a pretty ribbon and label. You could make some homemade sugar scrubs and place them in the jars as well. Here are 15 Gift in Jar Ideas.

Upcycle Old Sweaters

I have seen so many tutorials on how to use old sweaters and turn them into anything from mittens to hats. Many of these projects require very little sewing skill and they are so unique and fun! Teens might enjoy getting a new pair of boot liners like these from Scissortail Silk. Old sweaters can also be stuffed and sewn into pet beds for a great gift for our furry friends. Here are more ways to reuse old sweaters.

Update Clay Pots

Many thrift stores have clay or plastic pots from other people’s gardening time. Clean these up, paint them, and plant a houseplant in them for a truly wonderful and long-living gift. Here are directions for making a Tuscan DIY Embossed Terra Cotta Flower Pot or a Flower Pot with a Twine Rosette.

how to turn thrift store finds like tea cups into Christmas gifts

Make Candles in Teacups and Sugar Bowls

One great use for old teacups, especially the elegant vintage kind, is to make candles out of them. These make awesome gifts that are truly unique. Check out my tutorial on making Teacup Candles for inspiration. Here are directions for making a Sugar Bowl Candle.

Make a Quilt from Old Vintage T-shirts

Make a quilt with old t-shirts. One of my good friends has a quilt made from old T-shirts from her college days and still loves it. You can also use them to make infinity scarves. Here are more ways to use old t-shirts.

DIY Projects Using Old Jeans

High-waisted jeans are coming back into style and luckily the thrift store usually has plenty of them. You can create an awesome gift for a teen by covering the pockets with a fabric scrap with a cool design (think leopard print or something similar). Old jeans are also useful for making many other crafts such as purses, wallets, and so on. Here are 10 ways to use old jeans.

Old frames against a white wall - thrift store items that can be used to make Christmas gifts

Old wooden painting frames on the floor

Upcycle Old Frames

These are a thrift store lover’s favorite find. You never know what you will get when you hunt through the frames and paintings section. You can turn these into framed chalkboards or paint them white and decoupage family photos onto one. Here is how to make a Dry Erase Calendar from a Vintage Frame.

Turn a Tray into a Chalkboard

Thrift stores are full of all kinds of trays and platters. These can be made into great things such as chalkboards, jewelry plates for rings and bangles and even bird feeders. Just about anyone on your list can be made something from a tray or platter. Here are directions for an Upcycled Serving Tray Chalkboard.

Creative Ideas for Old Games

You can use pieces from old games to make custom items for someone who loves that game. Glue a game piece to the top of a jar and fill it with candy. Or use game pieces to make custom jewelry. Here are directions for How to Make Wine Glass Marker with Scrabble Tiles.

Look Through the Old Books

I have found signed copies of classics while rummaging through the old books. I have found interesting out-of-print or first editions of classics that make a great gift on their own. Old books can be used in a variety of DIY projects. The pages can be used to make ornaments and as a background in scrap projects. You can also use the book to create a unique item such as this DIY Succulent Book Planter.

What are some of your favorite ways to use thrift store finds and create new things with them? Have you ever given a re-purposed thrift store find as a gift? I would love to hear your creative ideas!

Other Frugal Holiday Tips

Tips for Buying Gifts on Ebay

Frugal Holiday Family Fun 

Frugal Christmas Decorating Ideas

10 Low-Cost Hostess Gift Ideas

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Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    December 21, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    I always comb the books for gifts. Look at vases and flower pots, sheets as fabric for sewing projects. Baskets and tins for gift holders. Sometimes you can find brand new candles. Mugs can hold succulents. Tote bags are gift holders too. When my kids were little we found brand new toys a lot but also bought 2nd hand. Sometimes you can find unique jewelry for gifting too.

    Reply
  2. Cindy Liles says

    November 23, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    I bought a dozen of the large Christmas mugs last year for a dollar at our local thrift. They each had different designs on them. I cleaned them up, put 2 packs of hot chocolate, a dipped candy cane, tiny doughnut snowmen and their gift cards in them. These went to my grandkids and neighbors(without gift cards).

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      November 24, 2020 at 7:41 pm

      What a fun idea! Thanks for sharing it with us!

      Reply
  3. Maria says

    April 4, 2020 at 5:41 am

    I have brought all different wooden picture frames, painted them all one colour – antique white and put on my photos in them. The antique white frames.. with all different styles again a medium grey wall looks fantastic.

    Reply
  4. Jane says

    October 9, 2015 at 8:16 pm

    I use food tin cans n cover with fabric n decorate with ribbon, sequins n beads. Choose a tin that does not have a sharp edge. Cover edge with fabric tape.
    Cut old greetings cards into gift tag shape. Pierce a hole n thread ribbon or recycled string. Same with paper carrier bags that Hv a nice pattern or colour.
    I sell these for charity n they are a great success.

    Reply
  5. Becca says

    August 26, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    Often you can find things in thrift shops that look almost new – this is especially the case with board books, picture books, stuffed animals, baby toys, and baby clothes. My kids always get a few second-hand books at Christmas and for their birthday. I’ve also been known to give them second-hand clothes, especially dress-ups. If you’re looking for things to repurpose, don’t forget pillowcases and sheets! There’s a lot of fabric in those puppies and they can be used for everything. It’s especially easy to make a pillowcase apron – cut off one side, hem it up, make straps and a pocket out of parts of the other side, sew them on, and you have a very cute half-apron at a nominal cost and with nominal time.

    Reply
    • Aley says

      August 31, 2015 at 12:58 am

      I would stay away from stuffed animals or examine quite well bc of bed bugs

      Reply
      • kenzmay says

        December 1, 2015 at 12:43 pm

        Wash on Hot water, and put in the drier on hot and you will be fine. Nothing can survive going through both wash and drier.

        – someone who studies bugs

        Reply
        • Robin says

          October 11, 2018 at 10:40 am

          Better yet, put them through the dryer on hot for 20-30 minutes, first. Wet stuffed take longer to dry, and can have cool enough spots for bed bugs to survive. They are tiny, and don’t need much. Then you can wash and dry as normal. Bedbugs have little trouble surviving a wash cycle. (From my huspand, a board certified entomologist, and professional pest control specialist)

          Reply
  6. Diane says

    June 30, 2015 at 5:40 pm

    I like her tips, and I live in MT also.

    Reply
  7. Colleen says

    December 3, 2014 at 12:24 pm

    I like using mod podge on wooden boxes. Also you can etch clear glass dishes or baking dishes for a personalized gift.

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      December 3, 2014 at 12:33 pm

      Great gift ideas! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  8. Modi Kwanza says

    November 12, 2014 at 6:58 am

    These would also be great for holidays where homemande/handmade gifts are the focus.

    Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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