Used Christmas gifts are acceptable to a majority of people in Denmark, but most Danes still avoid putting used Christmas gifts under the tree, according to a new poll reported by Danish media this week.
The survey, carried out by the polling firm Megafon, found that more than half of respondents said they would not mind receiving a second-hand present, while more than seven in ten said they do not give used gifts themselves. The gap highlights a familiar tension in Nordic consumer culture: many support reuse in principle, but hesitate when gift-giving becomes a test of relationships.
Used Christmas gifts expose a gap between giving and receiving
The poll suggests that second-hand gifting remains marginal in Denmark. Only 1% of respondents said they mainly give used gifts this year, while 91% said they give few or none. The share has moved only slightly since 2022, when 93% reported giving few or no second-hand Christmas gifts.
For international readers, the numbers point to a specific kind of behavioural gap: reuse is increasingly normal in everyday shopping, but Christmas remains a moment when many households default to new products.
Why second-hand presents can feel socially risky
Gift-giving carries a strong symbolic meaning in Denmark, says Aarhus University professor Anders Klostergaard Petersen, who studies the social and cultural role of gifts. In the report, he argues that a used gift can be interpreted as a signal about the value of a relationship — even when the item is carefully chosen.
The risk is partly about asymmetry on Christmas Eve: children can sometimes “get away with” a homemade gift, while adults are expected to give something more substantial to children and older relatives. In that context, a second-hand gift can make the giver worry about appearing stingy, or about putting the recipient in an awkward position if the value feels too low.
Røde Kors sees record December sales, with gifts among the drivers
Despite the hesitation among givers, Denmark’s reuse sector is seeing strong seasonal demand. Tina Donnerborg, head of reuse at the Danish Red Cross (Røde Kors), said the charity’s shop chain has reported record turnover in December and growing interest in used gifts.
In the weeks before Christmas, shoppers tend to buy second-hand items that can be presented as distinctive and “gift-like”, including kitchenware, home accessories, jewellery, hair accessories and bags.
Røde Kors also launched a gift card this year, which the organisation says Danes bought for about 250,000 Danish kroner (about €33,500). The charity presents this as an easier way to combine the idea of reuse with a conventional gifting format.
Convenience and time pressure still favour new gifts
One of the most practical barriers is time. Donnerborg said December is often hectic, and that searching for a high-quality second-hand gift typically takes longer than ordering a new item online or buying from a mainstream retailer.
In that sense, second-hand gifting demands not only a change in attitudes but also a change in routines: planning earlier, checking local shops more often, and being willing to spend time curating the gift.
A circular economy goal that still clashes with Christmas habits
Denmark has positioned itself as a supporter of circular economy policies aimed at reducing waste and increasing reuse, in line with broader EU ambitions. But the Megafon numbers suggest that cultural expectations around Christmas can still work against reuse — even among people who are broadly comfortable with the idea.
If used Christmas gifts become more common, the shift is likely to be gradual and shaped by social norms as much as by climate goals: households need shared expectations about what counts as thoughtful, and charities and retailers need formats that make reuse feel easy and appropriate for gifting.
