1. Mystery Secret Santa Bags 

Do you struggle to find the perfect Secret Santa present for under £10? Our Mystery Secret Santa Bags are a lifesaver for anyone who is not quite sure what to buy for the office Secret Santa or distant cousin. Not only will you not have the stress of choosing, but you will also know that the money spent has gone towards raising vital funds for St Helena. Ensuring that we will be able to provide end of life care and bereavement support for those facing the hardest goodbyes this Christmas.

Visit one of our participating shops below:

• Halstead - 41-43 High Street, Halstead, CO9 2JD
• Clacton, Old Road - 188 Old Road, Clacton-on-Sea, CO15 3LR
• Colchester St Christopher Road  - 54 St Christopher Road, Colchester, CO4 0NB
• Colchester Vintage - Unit 3 Mercantile House, Sir Isaac's Walk, Colchester, CO1 1JJ
• Tiptree - 2 The Centre, Tiptree, CO5 0HF
• Walton - 99 High Street, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8AA

2. Festive Christmas Jumpers 

With the excitement and joy of the festive season, do you stop and think about the impact your purchases are having on the planet?

According to WRAP buying a new Christmas jumper every year contributes to the fast fashion cycle. Around one in four Christmas jumpers are worn only once before being discarded. Most are made from plastic-based fibres like acrylic, which can take up to 200 years to biodegrade.

So, when you choose to purchase your preloved Christmas jumper from one of our charity shops you are helping reduce landfill waste and cut down on the carbon emissions associated with producing new garments.

Remember – you don’t have to buy new to be stylish!

3. Preloved Stocking Fillers 

Stocking fillers may be small, but their environmental impact can be surprisingly large. Many are made from plastic or low-quality materials that are quickly discarded. This contributes to landfill waste and unnecessary carbon emissions.

Our charity shops have plenty of preloved items available that will prevent low-quality items filling up in landfill and will be more friendly for your budget.

Choosing to give a second life to items from our charity shops not only helps the planet, it helps local people too. Every item you buy supports vital end of life care for families facing end of life and bereavement in north east Essex.

4. Upcycled Christmas decorations 

A great way to save your pennies can be to get crafty and creative by upcycling your own decorations.

A generous individual donated this beautiful Christmas tree decoration to our Books, Brew and Boutique Shop in Stanway, Colchester. This unique decoration was created using 30 plastic milk bottle tops!

Not only is this a cheaper alternative to buying new, but this is also a way to recycle and have a more sustainable Christmas!

5. Sustainable Toys 

Each Christmas tones of children’s toys are purchased. These are often made of plastic and other non-biodegradable materials. Children growing out of toys very quickly can have huge implications not only on the planet, but also on parent’s budgets.

According to Ethical Consumer, buying second-hand is one of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

So, by heading to one of our charity shops you can pick up some fantastic quality toys, at a fraction of the cost that will help reduce the carbon emissions of new toys being created. This will also reduce unnecessary waste filling up in landfill.

Plus – with items being so much cheaper, think how many more toys you can get for your budget!

6. Give the Gift of Care 

Do you have that one friend that is impossible to buy for?

Have you thought about giving something truly meaningful this Christmas?

Our Christmas Gift of Care cards are a thoughtful way to move away from the materialistic nature of Christmas and focus on the giving instead. You can buy a card that will be a donation to St Helena. Which will go towards helping us provide the exceptional end of life care and bereavement support for those who need us most.

Christmas time is not always easy when you are saying goodbye to a loved one. Make it count with this gift and be more sustainable.

Available to purchase online and in store!

7. Vintage Homeware 

With the cost of everything skyrocketing this year, it can be hard to find quality items at a reasonable price. A Christmas gift idea that are budget friendly and kind to the environment are vintage homeware items.

This can be a great way to find some good quality items that are a much cheaper alternative to buying new. Lots of items in our shops are still in great condition and are waiting for a second life.

A bonus is the vintage look can give your home a unique and vibrant feel that is elegant and timeless!

8. Preloved Fashion 

Fast fashion is a massive contributor to the climate crisis. The production process is energy-intensive, and in the UK alone, clothing use and disposal generates around 1.8 million tonnes of waste annually. This equates to a whopping 28 kg per person!

An easy way to mitigate this, is to shop preloved instead of new. With so many items available in our charity shops, some that are as good as new, men’s and women’s fashion items are the perfect second hand gift.

9. Wrapped Book Gifts

For the friend or colleague who loves a good read, buying a second hand book from one of our charity shops is a great gift idea. Once books have been read, they are often thrown away or spend years gathering dust on a shelf. By purchasing one as a gift in our shops – you are giving it a second chance at life.

A benefit here is that it can be much less expensive and still be in great condition!

Our Books, Brew and Boutique Shop in Stanway, Colchester are offering pre-wrapped books as a sustainable gift alternative. So, you don’t even need to do the wrapping!

10. Games and Puzzles

Perfect for family fun on Christmas day, board games, card games and puzzles are a fantastic Secret Santa gift idea. Our shops are stacked with different preloved options that are a fraction of the cost of buying new but still offer all the fun!

Make This Christmas Matter

Shopping at one our St Helena charity shops not only offers unique Secret Santa gifts at bargain prices, but it also reduces your carbon footprint so you can be kinder to the planet.

With every £1 you spend in one of our shops, you are helping bring comfort to those who face incurable illness and bereavement in north east Essex. Providing relief at a time that is not easy for those saying goodbye.

Let your Christmas shopping do more this year – not only for environment, but for the local people who need it most.