The Gift of Thrift – Guest Blog by Stan Williams

• Set your budget and pay with cash. As with any thrift shopping adventure, if you over-spend and start racking up credit-card debt, you take the fun out of frugal giving.
   
• Always buy pristine goods that can easily be cleaned up to look brand new when packaged up for a lucky someone.
   
• Kitchenware is a fantastic thrifty option. Put together a unique set of silver serving spoons and tie them up with a big, grosgrain ribbon; create a mix-and-match set of dessert plates based on a color or design theme; select interesting vases and fill them with colorful holiday candies, pretty soaps or even a selection of vintage glass ornaments.
   
• A single plate or fabulous platter makes the perfect platform to offer up baked goods in an eco-friendly gesture that avoids using paper or plastic plates.
   
• Think about thrift items as packaging for something else.  Could a heartwarming wooden keepsake box hold a special piece of jewelry, or might a handbag make for a fun goodie bag to hold a gift certificate? I turn vintage bags into what I call Hooch Bags , (http://hoochbags.blogspot.com/) packed with funny money, a discrete nip and all kinds of naughty but nice treats!
   
• Give your vintage finds extra care when wrapping them up. Always try to put your treasures in a box and then wrap them in tissue just like they would be if sold in a fine retail store. Remember, the perception of how beautiful you gift is will be judged by the presentation.
   
• Think about the personality of whom you’re buying for, pick a theme, and buy several small items that when grouped make an impressive larger gift.
   
• Table linens are a fantastic option, provided they are in pristine or cleanable condition. Wash thoroughly (and carefully!) and iron when needed.  Put together a mix-and-match set of napkins based on a color story or a design motif.
   
• Never try to hide the fact that you are offering a thrifted gift. In every vintage treasure, there’s a story, and I find that recipients appreciate the fact that I made the extra effort to find them a unique and personal gift.

For more ideas on vintage and thrift shopping, check out my book The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details at Amazon.com , and visit me at The Elegant Thrifter.

I pick up vintage handbags and turn them into what I call Hooch Bags – a naughty, but nice gift packed with funny money, candy cigarettes and a discrete nip just for fun!

I always take extra care when wrapping up thrifted gifts. While the vintage-inspired wrap cost more than the entire gift, I did use this gorgeous, satin ribbon I paid a dime for at a garage sale.

For a newly married couple who are originally from Chicago but now live in Los Angeles, I bought a made-in-the-U.S.A., Illinois-shaped ashtray at a flea market for $5 at a flea market; a Japanese set of wooden spoons in their original box for $1 at a flea market; and Irish linen napkins, also in their original packaging, for $1 at a garage sale.