Skip the department stores for this year's holiday shopping and join Kelly Stumpe (@the_car_mom) for "Thriftmas" as she buys her children's Christmas presents exclusively from thrift stores.
In a viral Instagram reel, Stumpe shares her thrifted gifts from Goodwill. Thrifting presents is an inexpensive and eco-friendly way to shop for friends and family this holiday season.
"I hit the Thriftmas jackpot," Stumpe says.
Thriftmas is a new social media challenge. Participants buy gifts from thrift stores to save money, prevent waste, and discover one-of-a-kind items they wouldn't find at Target or Amazon.
Stumpe bought her daughter a wooden baby doll bed that matches her toy rocking chair. She also found a box of Bristle Blocks for her son to add to his existing toy block collection.
She found gifts that fit her children's interests or complemented items they already own, showing that you don't need to buy new to find gifts children will love.
Stumpe spent $6 on the baby doll bed and $5 on the Bristle Blocks. These items would cost more if she purchased them new, as a 120-piece Bristle Blocks set retails for $25 on Amazon.
Around 90% of toys on the market have plastic components, and when children mature or lose interest, toys often end up in landfills. For every $1 million in revenues, the toy industry uses an estimated 40 tons of plastic, and most plastic toys are not easily recyclable or biodegradable.
Thrifting instead of buying new will keep toys out of landfills and make Christmas morning extra special for you and your family.
Instagram commenters thanked Stumpe for posting her holiday haul and shared their Thriftmas finds.
One user says, "Love this! Thank you for normalizing thrifting!"
"I did a fully thrifted Christmas $100 challenge several years ago when my three kids were little and it was a lot of fun," another user adds. "You've got some great finds!"
Follow The Cool Down on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter.
