Once upon a time you might have been red-faced giving a secondhand sweater or a tin filled with homemade cookies for the holidays. It seemed out of step in a culture that pushes designer clothing, the newest action toys or S.U.V.s with giant red bows.

Of course, extravagant gifts still overshadow the humbler ones. But there are signs that more Americans are taking a quiet stand against materialism. Some are just embracing simplicity and rejecting clutter, while others want to avoid overspending and debt. Still others worry about environmental waste and climate change.

Whatever the reason, more people are giving and receiving used goods, making their own gifts, choosing “experiences” like cooking classes and travel, or even requesting charitable donations in their names or (gasp!) nothing at all for the holidays.

First, a disclaimer: Retail still reigns.

Nearly 190 million Americans shopped online or in stores over the Thanksgiving weekend this year, a 14 percent increase from last year, according to the National Retail Federation. Most bought new merchandise, with only 7 percent doing even part of their shopping in thrift stores, said J. Craig Shearman, spokesman for the federation.