How to buy favorite items to give as Christmas gifts

Plan ahead

Buying a loved item often requires more thought and preparation than buying a new one, so take the time to find the perfect gift. Monica Marriott Millswho posts on TikTok about secondhand style, starts by making a list for each person she needs to shop for.

“I make a kind of profile, with the things they like to do, the colors they like to wear or if they’ve mentioned something they want, like a photo frame for their wedding anniversary,” he says. “I write this all down on my phone and look it up when I’m in a charity or antique shop, which keeps everything focused.”

Marriott-Mills buys 50% of its Christmas gifts secondhand, like many of its generation. According to a report by resale app Vinted, more than half of people under 45 buy secondhand items once a month or more, compared to 43% of all consumers.

If you’re short on time, online secondhand marketplaces like eBay, Vinted, and Vestiaire Collective are a great place to start as you can browse and shop from home.

Buying secondhand can mean being able to afford a gift that you wouldn’t be able to buy new. For example, someone new to sewing might appreciate a sewing machine. The John Lewis version starts at £135 new, but Bids on eBay for similar working models start from as little as £10or £45.99, buy now price, still with box.

get up early

If you know someone is looking for household items or electronics, keep an eye out for them at charity shops, junk sales, antique stores, car boot sales, flea markets and online markets.

Marriott-Mills says finding out what days secondhand furniture stores deliver is a great way to get the first deals. “It’s Tuesday at my local British Heart Foundation second-hand furniture store, so I try to get there first thing in the morning,” she says.

“I appreciate that it’s a privilege to go out first thing in the morning, but you can go early on a Saturday or try it during lunchtime.”

If you can’t go out, many of these stores have websites.

Also look for gifts for children

On eBay, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace you can find tons of second-hand toys (some new, still in their boxes) that make perfect gifts.

LOL dolls cost around £25 each new, but on eBay you can find one Mint condition doll bundles from just £4.. If you are looking for something larger, like a toy kitchen, you can find loads on facebook marketplace from £10. New, they cost between £60 and £200.

However, with larger items, check where the seller is located as they are often for collection only or the cost of shipping could cancel out your savings.

Filter by design articles.

“You’ll find pages and pages of designer material on Vinted and Depop,” says Marriott-Mills. “Often people don’t even know if the gift is secondhand.”

You can filter searches for new articles by adding “new with tags” to the search bar. For example, a Ralph Lauren hat usually costs between £80 and £110 New, but you can find them with their tags still attached on Vinted from £25.

check security

With electronic devices or lighting, test them first whenever possible to check that they are safe and working properly. Luke Osborne, deputy technical director at Electrical Safety First, advises carrying out some simple checks, including looking for a legitimate safety certification label on the product.

“First make sure the product is not subject to a recall using the Electrical Safety Product Tester Firstor listed in the Recall of OPSS products and alert website,” he says.

“Also, check that the product you are purchasing is fitted with a three-pin British plug, which should include a fuse; If your device comes with a foreign plug and adapter, it may not have the protection that a three-prong plug offers. .”

When purchasing secondhand toys, it is important to check for loose parts or signs of damage, as well as general wear and tear. Many charity shops sell electric and battery-operated toys, but they have not always been checked. Look for obvious signs of damage, such as battery corrosion, which could indicate the item poses a safety risk. If the product looks good, check if you can return it before purchasing so you can try it when you get home; Be sure to keep your receipt as it will usually be 28 days old.

When purchasing online from sites such as Vinted or eBay, the seller must clearly state whether the toys are in working condition. If one arrives but doesn’t work as described, you will usually be protected by their warranties and can get your money back.

In Made for Mums’ useful guide to buying second-hand toysThey say to keep in mind that some older toys could contain traces of dangerous chemicals like chromium, selenium and lead. You should keep an eye out for recalled toys, the site warns, and these can often be found with a quick Google search. There are also marks you can look for on toys that indicate their safety and quality, including the Lion mark and the CE mark.

It is important to disinfect toys. For soft toys, this might include putting them in the washing machine; just be sure to check the label. For wooden or plastic toys, cleaning them with soap and water is usually sufficient.

Look out of scams

Buying online can carry the risk of being scammed, but there are some strategies you can follow to avoid this. “There are many ways to check if something is legitimate, and you should always start with reviews,” says Marriott-Mills. If a seller doesn’t have many reviews on a marketplace, or they aren’t great, have doubts. If the reviews contain great reviews, you can probably trust that you will get the item. “For designer products, you can use websites like LegitGrailsthat authenticates them,” he adds.

Be on the lookout for sellers who upload the original receipt along with the item, as this is a good way to verify that it is real. Learning about punches and engravings is another good way to check the legitimacy of jewelry and tableware. “I bought my mom a silver bracelet and I know it’s real because of the 925 engraving,” he says. “Don’t be afraid to check again. In the trunk of a car or in an antique store, I literally stand there and Google them,” he says. Depop, eBay and Vinted also have buyer protection guarantees which generally mean you can get your money back if the item is not as described.

present them well

Many second-hand gifts don’t come in their original packaging, but if you put a little effort and wrap them well, they will still look wonderful under the Christmas tree. Cardboard gift boxes help any gift look great, but before you buy any, take a look at what you already have at home. A carefully wrapped shoe box would make a great basket and old perfume boxes are ideal for trinkets or stocking stuffers.