Secondhand gifts are going mainstream this holiday season

Secondhand gifts have crossed into the center of holiday shopping, not because people are settling, but because they are choosing better. ThredUp’s 2025 Holiday Report, based on a survey of 2,000 consumers, found that shoppers planned to devote nearly 40% of their total holiday budgets to secondhand gifts. The National Retail Federation adds that 59% of shoppers would consider buying one, which puts resale squarely in the mainstream alongside clothing, books, and gift cards.

Why secondhand now feels like a deliberate gift choice

The clearest shift is not just price sensitivity, although that matters. ThredUp found that 66% of consumers are open to giving secondhand gifts, rising to 80% among Millennials, and 47% said they planned to, or were considering, selling items from their own closets to help pay for presents. That is a holiday season built around circular shopping, where buying and selling are part of the same strategy.

The reasons are practical and personal in equal measure. In ThredUp’s holiday report, the top motivation was saving money or getting better value at 62%, followed by finding unique, one-of-a-kind items at 56%. Those two numbers explain why a carefully chosen resale piece can feel more thoughtful than a new item pulled off a shelf at the last minute. It is not a fallback. It is often the point.

The categories that work best as gifts

Some secondhand categories are especially giftable because they already carry an emotional or collectible charge. NRF says books and other media are the most popular secondhand gifts shoppers would consider, followed by clothing, accessories, and home décor. That makes the category list easy to translate into real presents: a cookbook for the home cook, a board book for a new baby cousin, a record for the music obsessive, or a vintage vase for the friend who can make a table look finished with one object.

ThredUp’s own category data points in the same direction. Accessories lead the secondhand gift mix at 40%, followed by women’s apparel at 36% and vintage items at 31%. Those numbers matter because they show where resale already feels natural to shoppers. A scarf, handbag, silk blouse, or framed vintage piece has a built-in gift silhouette. It is easier to give than a random used object, and easier to receive without hesitation.

Books and media deserve special attention because they already sit near the center of holiday giving. NRF’s broader holiday survey found books, video games, and other media are already a mainstream gift category, with clothing at 54%, gift cards at 44%, toys at 36%, and books, video games, and other media at 31%. That gives secondhand editions, consoles, records, and films a rare advantage: they do not need much explanation to feel festive.

How to make a secondhand gift feel luxurious

The difference between a clever gift and a careless one is condition. If the piece shows wear, the wear should look intentional, not neglected. That means checking for stains, scuffs, loose seams, chipped finishes, and missing parts before anything gets wrapped. For accessories and apparel, compare photos carefully and ask for measurements, because a gift that fits or functions properly immediately feels more considered.

Authenticity matters most in categories where the label is part of the value. Vintage fashion, watches, handbags, records, and collectibles all deserve a closer look at serial numbers, maker’s marks, and seller documentation when available. If you are buying from resale platforms or independent sellers, the best gift is the one that comes with enough proof to remove doubt.

Presentation does half the work. Clean the item, steam or gently press clothing, and replace tired packaging with something polished. A secondhand cashmere sweater still feels generous if it is folded neatly in tissue, tied with ribbon, and paired with a short note explaining why you chose it. The story is the luxury: where it came from, what it reminded you of, and why it belongs with the person receiving it.

Buying used without holiday-season headaches

Holiday shopping with resale works best when you leave time for the practical parts. Because 47% of consumers say they plan to fund gifts by selling items from their own closets, the resale calendar is already crowded in both directions. If you are buying, place orders early enough to account for shipping, cleaning, steaming, or minor repairs. If you are selling, list pieces well before the busiest gift weeks so you are not depending on a last-minute sale to finance a present.

Return policies deserve the same attention as condition. Secondhand gifts often come with tighter return windows or more limited return options than new retail, so read the terms before you commit. That matters even more for apparel and accessories, which make up a large share of what shoppers are willing to give secondhand. A beautiful item that cannot be exchanged should only be bought when you are confident about size, style, and category fit.

This is also where secondhand starts to look less like a private thrift habit and more like a retail system. ThredUp’s broader resale reporting has projected the U.S. secondhand market at $78.8 billion by 2030, which is a useful reminder that this is not a marginal corner of shopping. It is a growing market with enough scale to support serious holiday buying, provided you shop with the same discipline you would use for anything full price.

How to build a smarter holiday gift list

The cleanest gift-guide structure is based on the person receiving the present, not the resale source. That approach makes secondhand feel curated instead of opportunistic, and it aligns with the categories both ThredUp and NRF say are already resonating.

• For readers and new parents: look to books and other media, especially cookbooks, board books, and records with strong cover art or cultural value.
• For style lovers: accessories and women’s apparel are the strongest secondhand gift bets, especially when condition is excellent and the piece feels current.
• For hosts and decorators: home décor and vintage items work when the object has presence, not just age.
• For collectors: media, records, and distinctive vintage finds deliver the one-of-a-kind appeal that 56% of shoppers say they want.

That is the real shift this holiday season. Secondhand gifts are no longer the thing you explain away. When they are chosen with care, inspected properly, and wrapped with intention, they become one of the most convincing ways to show you know someone well.