IT could be safe to say most of us have that one corner of the cupboard filled with scented candles, soaps on ropes, and novelty picture frames.<\/p>\n
A study from Compare the Market has found 19 per cent of Victorians will regift the presents they receive for Christmas, and a further 14 per cent will donate them.<\/p>\n
Vi Sutherland and Caitlin Pearce, volunteers at the RSPCA Opshop, both agreed they would donate unwanted presents.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the family exchange this year the notice was feel free to go to an op shop or regift, because that\u2019s the sensible thing to do,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you get something because someone doesn\u2019t know you that well, or they just made a mistake in their choices, keeping it means no one gets to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other places to take unwanted gifts include local churches, who will often send goods to communities in need.<\/p>\n
Ms Pearce said one of their volunteers collects all the donated socks because the op shop can\u2019t sell them.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll take it to a church, and they\u2019ll knit blankets out of them or make different types of things or if not, give them to the children,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Charity organisations that provide people in need with goods, such as Sunshine, who take new and used baby products, would also be good places to take gifts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know one op shop is benefitting the homeless in the area, that\u2019s MadCow, and they\u2019re actually designing their old store into a homeless shelter, and they will need donations,\u201d Ms Pearce said.<\/p>\n
While the RSPCA op shop is accepting donations throughout the holiday period, Ms Sutherland said it\u2019s better not to leave items outside the store when no one is there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe ask that they don\u2019t do that because other people go through them and scatter them on the ground and then they\u2019re damaged or wet or they\u2019re dirty or what not and we have to discard them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Op shops are great places to find gifts too, said Ms Pearce and Ms Sutherland, who have both found treasures in their store.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think especially with the struggle that people are having,\u201d Ms Sutherland said. \u201cOpshops are a fine place to look for a gift and sometimes the things that are donated have never been used and they make wonderful gifts.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the list of gifts the volunteers said they were personally looking forward to this year were book vouchers, art supplies, and seeing smiles on their families faces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IT could be safe to say most of us have that one corner of the cupboard filled with scented candles, soaps on ropes, and novelty picture frames. A study from Compare the Market has found 19 per cent of Victorians will regift the presents they receive for Christmas, and a further 14 per cent will […]<\/p>\n