A Trash Panic Guide to Gifting

vintage and secondhand finds perfect for showing someone you care

There is no greater joy (to me) than the excitement that comes from finding the perfect gift for someone you love.

I absolutely love giving gifts, though I struggle with keeping surprises like a little kid with a secret. How hard it is to not burst from the seams and blurt out the reveal seconds after handing over a wrapped present!!

There’s something obviously very overly commercial about the holiday season, the instinct to equate the worth of someone’s love to the dollar amount, size, and grandness of the gesture, and the pressure to find the perfect something for your partner’s sister’s mother-in-law’s cousin even though you’ve only ever said a handful of words to one another and will likely only see each other once every five years. Gift giving can easily shift from meaningful to nightmare the second the list feels too long and your bank account feels too small.

Luckily for you, I spend a lot of time on the internet and my wheels are always turning on little things I think have a big impact when given to someone you love. And honestly, we should probably normalize a nice card and a chocolate to all the partner’s sister’s mother-in-law’s cousins because this shit is getting out of hand!!

When we think of gift giving as a love language, it often feels oversaturated in sentiments of materialism and vanity, something I think is unwarranted for those of us who express our deepest feelings of love and intimacy, both romantic and platonic, through the ritual of watching someone unwrap something that made us jump with excitement the second their interests/desires/personality/joy came to mind.

Here are just a few ideas I have to get your creative juices flowing when thinking about what to get the people you love this holiday season. A reminder, once again — something doesn’t have to be big or expensive to be special and experiences/spending time together are other perfectly wonderful ways to show you love someone!! I hate the term “normalize” because it’s always used online in this tone that just feels kind of icky yucky gross, but I do think as a society we need to ~normalize~ teeny tiny little tchotchkes as presents in this time of icky yucky gross overconsumption and influencer culture.

My brainstorming list for this was kind of all over the place so I will do my best to organize them into thoughts that generally make sense lol and if you’ve been with me long enough, you’ll notice some of these reflect my picks from last year but that’s because they’re always good gifts!!

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For the crafty person

• A special vintage fabric for your pal who likes to sew. I think this a unique way to celebrate someone’s talents and hobbies while also being incredibly useful to those who like to mend, sew and craft.

• A stack of old magazines for collaging, scrapbooking, art making, etc. Old magazines are so much fun to flip through and this could even encourage a wine+snack+craft night amongst friends. I’m honestly hesitant to chop up a good 1960’s Playboy, but there’s plenty of old magazines on eBay.

• A yarn holder. I think I post these a lot but they're always so cute and come in some awesome shapes and varieties. Pair with a yarn from a local shop or small business! (This one is super cute, too.)

• A vintage pin cushion. There are so many funky and quirky shapes out there that will suit a variety of personalities. I love this fancy turtle.

For the person who likes to cook (+ some hostess gift ideas)

• A recipe box. Bonus points if you and your family/friends/etc include a recipe that’s unique to you. I wish I had more recipes printed and physically written down, so start this tradition for someone you love!

• A vintage cookbook. There are so many out there that are kooky, have drool worthy design elements, or have precious notes and writings in the margins. This vintage (copyright 1891!) confectionery one would be perfect for the baker in your life, even if it’s just on display.

• A set of salt and pepper shakers. My mom collected salt and pepper shakers back in the early 90s and I think that’s something we should bring back in this era of open shelving. (Honorable mention to these and these and these. Oh, and these.)

• A condiment caddy. This would make a nice hostess gift for someone you know who loves having people over to snack. It makes me think of being at a swanky old school bar sipping on a very dirty martini.

• A vintage caviar spoon. The ultimate luxurious gift to someone who has bougie taste. I’d pair with a bag of potato chips because caviar 🤝 potato chips.

• A vintage salt cellar. This one is fun! But there are so many options. (Like this swan one.) Perfect for the pal who loves a dinner party or cooks with nice salt by their stove.

For the person with a new home (+ some hostess gift ideas!)

• A super cool art book. This Dali book is technically a cookbook, but I assure you it’s better to look through than to enjoy recipes from. It will start a conversation.

• A quirky old photo, framed. I have an entire other newsletter drafted about this that I’ll publish this next week because it’s also filled with a lot of ideas worth gifting, but basically finding good art is so hard in the world of bad “Gather” signs and Etsy “download and print” scams. The internet is filled with people who collect estate sale photographs and there are so many I think that would make amazing art for your home. And yes, I’m a believer in photos having a juju, but I’d just pick one where abundant joy is present, like these cool beatnik gals. They need to live over your bestie’s bar cart!

• A trinket dish, box, or tray. Perfect for displaying goodies and candles on their coffee table or bar cart, etc. I’m currently obsessed with Art Deco-ish trays after having found a very dreamy one stuffed in the corner of an antique shop recently BUT this olive tray!!! I am also a believer in boxes carrying certain juju, so I’d lean for a more modern, whimsical style (like this Aspirin one) if we’re leaning towards a box, but that’s just me. 👻

• A photo album or guest book. Print is not dead and that includes actual photos and written memories of you and your friends! Super extra nice points if you pair it with an instant film camera!

For the person who loves to read

• A set of vintage book plates. The perfect gift for someone building their physical library of treasured books, especially if they lend copies to friends. Snatch these ones up! They’re so cute.

• A pair of bookends. There is a vast selection of amazing vintage bookends across many price points all over the internet!

• A cutie reading lamp. Excellent for reading in the wintery months when the sun sets at 4pm.

For the person who loves to make cocktails

• A vintage cocktail book. A little on the “obvious” side but there are so many insanely cool ones out there.

• A set of cocktail glasses. *Read above*

• A vintage ice bucket. *Read above* (this one leans pricey, but you can find similar in a less expensive price range like this one and this one.)

I’d pair any of these with a set of cool cocktail stir sticks, Luxardo cherries (they’re the best 🤤), and maybe a fun cocktail napkin.

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For the person who loves to chill out

• A cool ashtray. “Cool your hot butt in my old tub” Naughty but tastefully kitschy, this would make a festive addition to a coffee or side table.

• A psychedelic light or lava lamp. An original 1970s strobe that is perfect for zoning out and setting the mood on a night meant for chillin’.

• A retro astrology poster. I love these old late 60s mod astrology posters. They’ve become harder to find, but you should be able to dig up some funky retro ones on eBay. Perfect for your friend who is super into star signs.

• A cigarette case. There are pages and pages of very cool metal cases but I do love this blue case meant for holding your entire pack of cigarettes. This feels plucked out of a Sofia Coppola set.

• A tabletop lighter. It was hard to narrow down which one to feature here because there are loads of cool tabletop lighters perfect for displaying in your chill friend’s space. This Cartier one is pretty fun, too. I’ve featured a few on “The Dump” from Chairish and 1stDibs - go hunt!

• A cigarette dispenser. Look, I’m not here to be a good influence and what’s to say you can’t load this up with something that’s not a tobacco product…

For the person who loves getting dolled up

• A lipstick carousel. This is peak chic!!!! Like, just so so friggin’ cool.

• A vintage vanity set. Also very chic to have on display on your vanity or in a guest bath.

• A stick pin. If you can’t tell, I love a celluloid moment. A stick pin is a cool and unexpected accessory that your person can add to coats, jackets, dresses, hats, etc for some unique bling.

• A dressing robe. Elevate the style of your favorite homebody/introvert/work from home friend with a super cool old house coat.

• A sterling silver charm and bracelet. (or gold!) My mom had a charm bracelet all throughout her teen and twenties filled to the brim with charms from milestones, travels, and friends. Starting this tradition with a friend or family member would be a great way to always have a gift in mind for any future occasion.

Experiences to share with people you love

• An art museum date. Fashion a cool card from vintage postcards or art prints and include tickets to a local museum or exhibition for a future friend date. Use

  Ali LaBelle
  ‘s strategy for getting your creative juices flowing by finding a theme or color scheme (bows, pearls, pets, colors, etc) you can look for as you roam the gallery. (Personally, I’d take pictures of the chosen theme, print out our findings, and gift a mini photo collage from our fun day out…. just an idea!)

• Support your local theater. Get dressed up and go see a local adaptation of a ballet, Broadway show, or comedy troupe. Tuck tickets in a vintage playbill like this gorgeous one from the late 20’s. Browse Eventbrite in your city— you’ll be shocked at how many tiny local shows are working hard to be seen! Go for the chaotic fun of not knowing what to expect!!

• A National Parks pass (or whatever is local to your area.) Gift it with a vintage bird guide, or old park souvenir. I love this idea because it encourages multiple opportunities to get outside and be together. From a scenic drive to a hike or picnic, your beloved person can spend the year reconnecting with people and nature.

Welp, there ya have it.

Who are you shopping for this holiday season? Let me know in the comments or reply to this email and let me know if I can help brainstorm some vintage or secondhand options for you and those on your list.

I might be back with a second volume if I have the time and energy…tbd. If you’ve found this helpful, I encourage you to share it with your friends and family to inspire them to consider buying something vintage or secondhand this holiday season.

Lots of y’all have messaged me that you miss my dispatch newsletters (I am very flattered) so a new one will be in your inbox this Friday.

Thank you love you you’re the best.

Until next time,
xo,
G