Thrifty places to get your Christmas gifts
These charity shops have a great selection and the money goes towards a good cause, so getting your Christmas gifts here will bring a net positive!
Christmas gift shopping is stressful. It’s expensive, and you worry about how sustainable your gift will be. Is it going to be used? Will it be appreciated? Will buying it contribute to the global consumerist culture we live in?
Still, gifts are expected this time of year, and you don’t want to disappoint. Why not offset those concerns by giving back to the community with you purchase, and giving used items a second life?
These charity shops will help you do that, with all proceeds going directly back into their organisations’ causes, and all wonderful items on sale being second-hand.
SPCA Bargain Barkers
The SPCA ensures that animals in our community are all safe, well-cared-for, fed and warm, even if it means that they have to keep some of them. To do this, they need a constant supply of food, blankets, fuel to go to calls of abused or neglected animals and more.
To help cover the cost of these endless expenses, and to help ensure that they can continue caring for the community’s animals throughout the busiest time of the year, they have a charity shop called Bargain Barkers in the Mall@Carnival.
Here you can find dozens of books, household items and decor, games, clothes and jewellery perfect for gifting to your loved ones. The shop will have specials for the entire month of December, and will be open regular mall trading hours as well, except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
These hours are 09:00 to 20:00 on weekdays, 09:00 to 18:00 on Saturdays, 09:00 to 17:00 on Sundays and 09:00 to 18:00 on December 16. These hours are not to be confused with SPCA operating hours, and only apply to the store.
Helpende Hand ‘Ons Winkel’ Brakpan
The Solidariteit Helpende Hand charity shop by the name of “Ons Winkel” in Brakpan is situated at 642 Voortrekker Street, open all December except for December 25, 26 and 31.
On week days the shop is open from 09:00 to 17:00, on Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00, and on December 24 from 09:00 to 13:00. It’s closed on Sundays.
The profit made by the shop is used to provide social services in the community, including work opportunities, the Solidariteit education fund, and take care of those in need within the community.
