Wrapped with a Secondhand BoW
As the holiday season approaches, the excitement of gathering and giving grows. This year, instead of reaching for brand-new holiday dinnerware and gifts, consider embracing secondhand for entertaining and events. With a little creativity, you can turn your holiday traditions into festive, eco-friendly masterpieces that are budget-friendly and filled with nostalgia!
In a season that often revolves around “new” – new gifts, new decorations, new outfits – secondhand holiday offers a refreshing change. It allows you to celebrate in a way that honors the past, supports sustainability, and creates a unique, memorable experience for you and your loved ones.
In addition to their nostalgic charm, secondhand dinnerware for the holidays is the gift that keeps on giving. The production of new dining sets each year involves the extraction of raw materials, water consumption, and energy usage – but the gift of sustainability is a great way to increase your positive carbon footprint! Holiday celebrations can be wasteful, often utilizing large amounts of disposable items and packaging. Supporting a secondhand mindset helps create a longer-term tradition that can positively grow (and make you feel good, too!)
One of the fun aspects of using secondhand for the holidays is the uniqueness these items bring to your table, especially vintage pieces, which often feature intricate designs and craftsmanship that is harder to find in modern sets. From hand-painted Christmas trees to whimsical snowmen, older dishes tell a story of celebrations from years ago. Mixing and matching different patterns can add a quirky touch to your gifts and table too – the eclectic look can be just as festive and add a level of character to your display.
SECONDHAND TIPS: GIFTING TO OTHERS
Use thrifted holiday plates for your dinner parties, cookie exchange, and more. A secondhand plate of cookies makes two gifts in one!
Sustainable wrapping: thrift stores have large selections of wrapping paper with unique designs. You can also repurpose fabric or cloth for a different vibe and wrap with ribbon! For an extra touch, con- sider finding a woven basket or decorative box. The recipient can enjoy the packaging long after the gift is unwrapped!
Re-loved cooking: casseroles, muffin pans, etc. can all be thrifted and gifted – you could thrift a ma- son jar, fill it with a cookie recipe, and bag it with a secondhand pan to bake them in!
Drinkware: Some of my favorite glasses have come from the thrift store, and guaranteed your guests will ask “Where did you get this glass?!” as they enjoy their holiday cocktail!
For this season, as you plan your entertainment and gifting needs, explore the charm of secondhand. You’ll not only set new traditions, but this thoughtful and eco-friendly approach can bring a renewed sense of appreciation to your season of thanks and giving. And who doesn’t love saying, “Thanks, it’s thrifted!”
Consider looking for fun, non-traditional patterns in holiday colors.
They add a unique accent to your table and still fit the holiday theme!
Holiday Cocktail
Created by mixologists at The Daily Refresher (Alexander Street, Rochester)
Cups are both secondhand, thrifted locally!
Ingredients:
3/4 fl. oz. Evan Williams Bourbon
3/4 fl. oz. cinnamon simple syrup
3/4 fl. oz. lime juice
3/4 fl. oz. cherry herring
1 bar spoon of all-spice dram
1 dash rhubarb bitters
1 dash cardamom bitters
1 orange slice for garnish
Festive cranberry cookies
Filled with an abundance of fresh, tart cranberries - balanced in a sweet cookie!
Prep Time: 20 minutes • Cook Time: 22 minutes • Serving Size: 32 cookies
Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
12 oz bag of fresh cranberries (frozen or cold work best)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color – about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beater out of the bowl, so mix well!
Add the soft butter and vanilla in; mix for two more minutes. Stir in the flour until just combined. Add the cranberries and stir to mix throughout.
Portion out the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 18 minutes, until the cookies have puffed and turned golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes.
For more secondhand tips, visit www.secondlookstyling.com and our Instagram page @sarahsecondlook. We would love to have some thrifty fun with you -
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