It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, houses, stores, and streetlights are decorated for the holidays. If you have yet to secure your holiday decorations, I encourage you to look second-hand. Thrift, antique, and consignment stores all have a great selection and are better than buying new for multiple reasons.
Second-hand stores are a more sustainable option. By buying used decorations, you are helping the environment and lessening your carbon footprint. Items that are not bought end up in the landfill.
Items in second-hand shops are often older and still in good shape, meaning that they are usually higher-quality decorations that can be used for many years to come. Cheap new items that are made for short-term use (like one holiday season) are usually plastic and deteriorate quickly. If you buy second hand you have a better sense of how things will hold up over multiple years of festivities.
Secondhand items are also much cheaper than what you can find in big stores, allowing people to DIY and decorate to their tastes without breaking the bank. It also means if you try something out and don’t like it you can re-donate without worrying about having wasted too much money.
Thrift stores have a great selection of holiday decor and display items that were made over the course of many years. Unlike most stores, thrift stores do not cater to trends. This allows you to find timeless pieces not in production today.
In an age of overconsumption, it’s important to be mindful when shopping. While Christmas is becoming more and more about commercialism and gifts there is space to make intentional decisions. Buying used decor is a great place to start.