What to give… ideas for great second-hand gifts
14th August 2020 - 2 min read
Tip #1 Maybe the most important part of second-hand gift giving is that we still want to give nice gifts, they’re just not new… we don’t want to palm off our old junk!
Tip #2 Games – An old-favourite game can be given with the promise to teach the person how to play. It’s special in a couple of ways: it’s something you know is great AND you can give your friend the gift of your time as well:
Outdoor games eg .Klop, Finska or bocce
Card and board games
Computer and console games
Tip #3 Puzzles – Lots of people LOVE puzzles, especially jigsaw puzzles. They’re amazing for keeping our minds sharp and they are extremely relaxing, encouraging mindfulness in the puzzler. Particularly for kids, complete the puzzle in a tidy area and put it away as soon as it’s finished. That way you’ll know it’s complete… a puzzle missing pieces is the WORST!
Tip #4 Books – If you know your friend well enough, you’ll have an idea of their interests and you can find the perfect book for them. Or maybe it’s just a book you loved and you think your friend will love it too.
Tip #5 Toys – By the time our kids are about 5, they usually have more than they could ever possibly play with. The reality is, they only really have time to play with a handful of things they really love. The rest are usually played with a few times and then put away in a cupboard until we realise they’ve outgrown the toy and it goes to an op shop. What if, instead, the kid keeps the 4 or 5 things she loves as keepers. She also has a special box or spot for ‘transient’ toys which she plays with solidly for a couple of weeks until she’s lost interest in it and then it moves to someone new to do the same. That would both enrich our kids and declutter our homes. Here are some toy gift ideas (the list is infinite so here are some broad categories which are loved by both girls and boys):
Dolls and soft toys
Building toys
Things with wheels, large and small
Dress-ups
Art and craft kits and supplies
Puzzles
Books
Sports and outdoor gear (inc beach toys)
Tip #6 Clothing – Clothes are personal but you might know what kind of clothes someone likes by paying attention to their style and their interests. Here are some clothes ideas:
A jacket or pants for the hiker
A kaftan for the beach bunny
Scarves, hats and accessories
Costumes for little people
Roller skates, soccer boots and sports gear
Tip #7 Home decor – Pay attention to what your friends admire in your home. You could find a similar thing, or if you no longer notice your own pieces, you could give them to your friends. Here are some home decor ideas:
Cushions
Throw rugs
Vases
Pots
Pictures
Furniture
Floor rugs
Lamps