My Favorite Unsung Holiday

Thrifting also shaped my perspective on people. I learned early what it felt like not to have the best of everything and how to make do and still feel content. My mother once shared a story about bumping into an acquaintance after my father had been laid off. The gentleman commented, “Well, at least you’re not in the same social class as us, so it should be easier for you.” That moment made it painfully clear to my young soul that there’s a great gulf fixed between the haves and the have-nots, but it also instilled in me a deep empathy for others.

Over time, I became a pro at finding the “good stuff”. Anyone can walk into a store and buy something off the rack, but finding the perfect treasure in piles of things others have discarded? Well now, that’s an art form.

To this day, when someone compliments something I’m wearing or a unique furnishing in my home, I often say, “Oh, thank you, I thrifted that.” The common reply? “Oh, I have tried that, I never find anything.” The magical thrifting secret, persistence! My favorite reply came from someone lamenting the fact that she couldn’t afford new sneakers. I suggested thrifting, since I had recently scored my like-new Hoka sneakers for a fraction of their original cost.  She dismissed my suggestion with, “I’m sure they won’t have my size.” I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.  How would she know if she never looked?

Let me share with you just a few of my favorite finds:

• Santa Clara Wedding Vase – While visiting the Southwest earlier this summer, I fell in love with the intricate black pottery of the Santa Clara Pueblo but couldn’t afford a piece. Weeks later, I walked into a thrift store and spotted what looked like the real thing, priced at just $30. Upon inspection I could see that there was a piece of paper jammed inside, but I just couldn’t work it free.  After my purchase I took it to the car and shook it free.   It confirmed that it was indeed an authentic Santa Clara Wedding Vase valued at $399. Not only was it a bargain, but it also carried sentimental meaning from my trip.
• Prada Nylon Bag – For $9.99, I couldn’t resist taking a chance on a bag sporting a Prada label.  After authenticating it, every detail confirmed it was the real deal.  While I couldn’t find the exact style online, similar designs were selling for hundreds.  In the end, I decided this was a treasure worth keeping, one of my proudest finds, now displayed in a place of honor on the top shelf of my closet.
• Doc Martens Triumph Boots – My heart skipped a beat when I spotted these chocolate brown, floral-lined beauties for just $12.99. They were exactly my size and turned out to be a retired style selling used online for $275. Could I have flipped them for a profit? Sure, but sometimes you deserve to keep the treasures you find, and I happen to find great joy stomping around in them.

National Thrift Shop Day isn’t just about bargains; however, it’s about stories, resourcefulness, and the thrill of discovery. Every thrifted item I own carries a memory, a lesson, or a reminder that beauty and value aren’t always found on the full-priced racks. Sometimes, the greatest treasures are the ones you have to dig for, both in thrift shops and in life. So, here’s to the hunt, the hidden gems, and the joy of finding something wonderful where no one else thought to look. “Thrifting is when yesterday’s discards become someone’s else’s must-haves,” Rhonda S. Kelley, Executive Director, Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

*If you would like a list of local thrifting spots, the Gems & Junk brochure can be found on the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau website at www.jrvvisitors.com, or you can stop by our offices in the Historic Courthouse on the square in downtown Lewistown to pick one up.

Happy Thrifting!