So as we move into this season of giving, I hope we can all embrace the idea that secondhand gifts are just as meaningful — perhaps even more so — than something bought brand new. A thrifted gift often comes with intention, patience, and a story behind it.

Dear Neighbor, 

I like to say I started thrift shopping before I ever took my first breath. My mother was wandering thrift aisles with me tucked safely under her heart, and somehow that love passed straight down to me. I’m 35 now, and “thrifting,” as I call it, is still my favorite way to shop — not just for the savings, but for the stories.

With the Christmas season approaching, I wanted to share a gentle reminder with my dear neighbors: a thrifted gift is not only acceptable — it can be something truly special.

There is a quiet kind of magic in secondhand things. They carry history, character, and the soft fingerprints of lives lived before ours. And while I wholeheartedly believe in supporting our small businesses and local makers, I also know that not everyone has the means to buy new or pay full retail. Some of us have found comfort, joy, and dignity in the aisles of secondhand shops, and there is no shame in that. In fact, there is beauty there.

Some of my most cherished gifts — both given and received — were thrifted finds. I treasure the feeling of stepping into a thrift store, breathing in that familiar mix of nostalgia and possibility, and searching for a gift that feels like destiny. It’s a treasure hunt every time. And there’s a deep satisfaction in giving new life to something still sturdy, still lovely, still worthy. Many of the items made years ago are better crafted, more durable, and more heartfelt than the things produced today.

So as we move into this season of giving, I hope we can all embrace the idea that secondhand gifts are just as meaningful — perhaps even more so — than something bought brand new. A thrifted gift often comes with intention, patience, and a story behind it.

Let’s normalize it. Let’s celebrate it.

And this year, may we all remember that a gift’s value is found not in its price tag, but in the love carried with it from one pair of hands to another.

“Dear Neighbor” authors are united in a belief that civility and passion can coexist. We believe curiosity and conversation make us a better community.