Extract from ABC News
Feel good
Andrea Gonzalez says the quality of Christmas gifts hasn't fallen, only the price. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)
In short:
A Queensland family has saved "thousands of dollars" after they embraced the spirit of 'Thriftmas' this festive period.
It means they will be opening second-hand Christmas gifts in "thrifted" clothes, bought from shops like Vinnies.
Second-hand stores save shoppers around $2 million per year and keep waste out of landfill, research shows.
Christmas is a holiday marked by family traditions, but between the presents, parties, and grocery lists, it is also one marked by expense.
To help curb the cost of the holiday season, Queenslanders like the Gonzalez family have taken a new approach to Christmas shopping.
"This year, we've started a new tradition in my family which is 'Thriftmas'," Brisbane mother Andrea Gonzalez said.
"About six months ago, it was really hitting us that it is a big year… it's been expensive."
That was when the family of five decided everything bought for Christmas this year would be second-hand.
Ms Gonzalez says all kinds of unexpected treasures can be found in second-hand stores. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)
"It's not just about the gifts ... on Christmas Day everybody has to be dressed in thrifted clothes, too," Ms Gonzalez said.
"You'd be surprised by how many things are actually new or hardly have been used."
Ms Gonzalez said that while the quality of the gifts bought had not diminished, their total spending had.
"If I were to look at what I have spent, versus the retail value of the things I have purchased, it's thousands of dollars saved."
Australians are tipped to spend $12 billion dollars on gifts alone this Christmas, according to research from the Australian Retailers Association in partnership with Roy Morgan.
Good for the hip-pocket and planet
Shannen Pipe says wanting to avoid waste is another factor driving an increase in second-hand sales. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)
Shannen Pipe, who manages Vinnies in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington, said more shoppers were embracing the 'Thriftmas' trend each year.
"Cost-of-living pressure is at the forefront of why they're coming here,"she said.
"But a lot of people are coming to us saying they want to be a little more mindful with their shopping, because particularly at Christmas time, waste is such a prevalent thing."
A national impact report released by Charitable Reuse Australia found that almost 200,000 tonnes of waste was diverted from landfill in 2024 thanks to second-hand shopping.
Second-hand stores saved Australians an estimated $2 million last year. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)
"There are big challenges around landfill space in our cities," said chair of the Australian Repair Network, Leanne Wiseman.
"We know Sydney is running out of landfill, we will run out of landfill here in Brisbane. Gold Coast is really at a crisis point as well."
Ms Wiseman, who is also a law professor at Griffith University, said Australians were becoming more aware of their waste and turning to second-hand stores – a move which is estimated to have saved shoppers around $2 million last year.
"I think it's not only the economics or the cost of buying new, but people are very environmentally aware, and I think our new generation is particularly conscious of the amount of consumption that we currently have,"she said.
The joy of fossicking
Ms Gonzalez says her whole family has embraced the spirit of 'Thriftmas'. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)
With two sons and one daughter-in-law living under her roof, Ms Gonzalez said thrifting was something he family bonded over.
"I have high school leavers, and a young adult family, and thrifting is really big for them, it's something they love to do," Ms Gonzalez said.
"[Thriftmas] is a new tradition that allows Christmas to evolve into something we can be proud of."
Ms Wiseman said the thrill of hunting down the perfect item in a second-hand store can make also buyers value the thrift find more than they would a new purchase.
"When you're shopping online, it's an easy purchase that just comes to your door and then you don't really feel as though you've got any belonging with those items," Ms Wiseman said.
"A lot of people are realising you don't have to go out and buy new, expensive presents, and that there's actually some joy fossicking through a second-hand shop."
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