There was a time when Christmas shopping meant scouring the malls and shops for “just the right gift” for friends and family. Painstaking hours were spent wrapping presents and topping them with bows and tin adornments, creating a mass of small works of art under the tree. So how did we get to the point where the bulk of the gifts under the tree are gift cards in a gift bag? When did Christmas shopping turn into grabbing a hand full of plastic from a rack at the Kroger check out?
This year I decided to put a little more time and thought into my shopping and I found my inspiration last weekend when I attended a holiday fundraiser and silent auction. Wandering through the maze of tables I noticed that the items drawing the most interest were those with vintage merchandise. From 1980s collectible holiday stemware and Christmas decorations, to a 1970s turntable and a stack of 60s albums it was obvious that the items from “Christmas Past” appealed to all ages. Then it hit me. Maybe the way to recapture the joy of giving is to take a step back. So first thing Monday morning I hit the vintage stores.
Starting with the women on my list I headed for a local resale shop to check out the jewelry and accessories. For my youngest niece I found a clusters of brightly colored 50s Bakelite bangle bracelets and for her sister a rhinestone choker. Knowing how my cousin loves designer bags I went straight to a Gucci satchel and I could not believe it was in my budget!
For my daughter there was a selection or bohemian cloth shoulder bags straight out of the 70’s, so I grabbed one for her, and one for myself!
My best friend loves to bake so my next stop was a local antique mall where I found vintage cookbooks, mid-20th Century cookie cutters and a solid wood rolling pin. Definitely the hottest item for Christmas 2014, and flying off the shelves, are the colorful nesting bowls and refrigerator dishes made in the 1960s and 70s by Pyrex. These will run in the $15-$95 range, if you can still find them.
To me, men are the hardest people on my list to shop for, mainly because when you ask them what they want for Christmas, they inevitably say, “I don’t need anything.”
Many men are collectors. Tools, knives, coins, stamps, vintage and rare books for the readers on your list, as well as old magazines from Mad, Look, Playboy and National Geographic all make for a gift that will not be duplicated under the tree. Baseball, football, basketball, golf, whatever the sport, eBay has a huge selection of collectibles to choose from. Music lovers on the list? Fully reconditioned turntables from the 60s and 70s are in the $150-$100 range, and vintage albums to go with them start at as low as $10.
My son is planning a June wedding and he and his fiance’s taste lean towards Mid-20th Century Modern furnishings. Furniture from 1960-1980 is an easy find at decorator shops and antique malls, but for the budget-minded shopper, make sure to check out the second-hand furniture stores where you will find savings of 40-60 percent. Unique accessory pieces such as lava lamps, bean bag chairs and retro lighting and wall decor are also readily available.
If you are still in doubt about a gift, I have happened upon a “gift that keeps on giving” — vintage Christmas decorations. Bubble lights, glass character ornaments, paper mache Santas and boxes of vintage ornaments may be a little late for this year, but they will be used and cherished for years to come. Until next time…..Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-429-7887 or lkennett@indy.rr.com