The Art of Semi-Thrifted Gifting

November 21, 2024

By Sarah Ramberg

Happy Holiday Season, friends- it’s Sarah with Sadie Seasongoods here again! To celebrate the Christmas season this year AND keep costs under control, let’s talk about thrifty gift-giving and how the Charlotte Region ReStores can help.

Do you remember the cooking show, “Semi-Homemade” with Sandra Lee? In it, Ms. Lee created recipes and dishes that used a mix of pre-packaged and fresh ingredients. Well, I think a similar concept can apply to thrifty gifting. So, I’m introducing the idea of the Semi-Thrifted Gift!

What Is a Semi-Thrifted Gift?

A semi-thrifted gift combines the charm of vintage and unique finds from your local ReStore with new, complementary items. It’s a thoughtful and memorable way to show you care. Semi-thrifted gifts start with items from the ReStores and are finished with items purchased at grocery stores, garden centers, etc.

Building a Semi-Thrifted Gift

To create this semi-thrifted gift, I headed to the Gaston County ReStore in Gastonia. Since they had such an impressive selection of glassware, I chose two matching wine glasses.

Next, I shopped from the rest of the kitchenware section and found a fun charcuterie platter that paired nicely with my glasses.

Now I had a fantastic foundation for a holiday gift and I spent very little money on three wonderful pieces to build upon!

I finished my gift shopping at the grocery store and purchased wine and charcuterie board offerings to complete the gift.

Not only is this gift semi-thrifted, but I’ve turned some ReStore finds into not just a gift, but an experience, as well. Perfect for a Girls’ Night In or a relaxing evening with a loved one.

More Semi-Thrifted Gift Ideas

Since wine and cheese isn’t the perfect gift for everyone, here are some other semi-thrifted gift ideas that start at the Charlotte Region ReStores:

For the Reader: Head to Julia’s Books & Café and select a few novels. Pair them with a beautiful bookmark from one of the many craft or artisan pop-up markets that take place in Charlotte at this time of year.

For a neighbor or colleague: Buy a pretty vase from one of our ReStores and fill it with fresh-cut flowers from a local florist.

For the Gardener: Source a gardening book and terracotta pot(s) from one of our ReStores and purchase some seed packs so that they’re ready for Spring.

For the Artist: There are plenty of gorgeous picture frames in the ReStore wall art sections. Once you find the right one, you can pair it with the right size canvas for the giftee to paint! (Insert Photo 6)

For the New Homeowner: Candles are always in style when it comes to gifting. You can find all sorts of candlesticks and holders at our ReStores, which you can then pair with beautifully scented candles from a local home décor boutique.

Happy Holiday Gift-Giving Season!

Semi-thrifted gifts are such a great way to keep the holiday budget from getting out of hand. And I hope these ideas have inspired your holiday shopping list this year. Please tag us (@cltregionrestore and @sadieseasongoods) with the hashtag #SemiThriftedGift so we can see what you paired up together!

November 21, 2024