10 gifts ideas for $25 or under!
We don't need holiday stress! I'm cancelling it this year!
Well, the rumors are true, this year is coming to a horrifying close. With another Tr*mp Presidency on the horizon, the last thing we all need is more stress — and personally, this time of year stresses me tf out. No matter how much I prepare and tell myself not to go overboard, every single holiday season I feel the need to BUY! BUY! BUY! and I always end up in debt and upset. (Not in a funny way sadly! But in a very literal sense!).
I also think it’s ok to feel like spending right now isn’t smart (or feasible!); I’m worried about our future, stability, and what joy will look like in the coming weeks, months, years, etc and I don’t think our sense of joy these days will (and ever should) tied to spending money. So here’s my holiday-season gift guide — but I kept it frugal. I hope this list of presents that are $25 & under is useful if you’re planning to do some shopping in these next few months! I’ll make more of these at different price points (and sorry, hopefully, they’ll be a bit more ~joyful~).
I’ve said this before, but I think the best gifts fall into two categories:
SOoOooo practical that the giftee will ALWAYS be winning (see: “bag of coffee”)
SOoOooo unpractical and/or ridiculous that the giftee wouldn’t want to spend their own money on it, but is happy someone else did (see: “asparagus candle”)
These are the guiding principles of my suggestions…
A delicious bag of coffee with a nice note
My fiancé has a Sey coffee subscription (his love language is making a beautiful latte for friends and family when they’re over), and it seems to me the fun of trying a different bean each month is a little gift. He was recently given a bag of coffee with a cute note & I thought it was such a sweet idea. Unexpectedly saving someone a monthly expense is, to me, the best kind of present. It doesn’t need to be coffee!
Funky Matches & a cute taper candle
My friend Sophie got me the house-shaped matchbox pictured above, and it’s one of my favorite things I own. You can easily do this combo for under $25 and I think it’s adorable. These $10 asparagus candles at Target “live rent-free in my head” as the kids say, but I’m sadly on a self-imposed no-buy, so I did not get them (you should!). I also found these ones for $8/each on Etsy.
A $5-$25 gift card to somewhere/something they love
Say what you will about a gift card, I LOVE them as a gift & I don’t think they’re unthoughtful (obvi if it’s for somewhere the person loves!). People appreciate being thought of — even when the voucher doesn’t cover the full cost of what it’s being used for, who doesn’t want a discount?
A ceramic dish and a brooch (or something else cute that fits in a ceramic dish)
I swear you can do this combo for $25! For example, a small trinket tray can be well-priced (like this one from Leif Shop for $9, or this one from Urban Outfitters for $10). That leaves you $10 for a brooch or other shiny thing - go to a flea market or similar and pick out a funky one that reminds you of the person you’re buying for! I love this approach too because it’s the most fun way to shop.
Mini Le Creuset Coquette ($20)
This will never not appear in a gift guide if I’m writing it. You can keep your Maldon salt in it. You can make a little cake it in. Garlic confit!
Scented Pencils ($22)
Hear me out, I don’t know who needs these (not me) but I bet you know someone who does. These are like fancy adult version of those Mr. Sketch scented markers. Have a friend starting a new job? Stationary-obsessed partner? Gifting a boss something appropriate but still fun? Scented pencils… mmm.
A framed photo
Print a photo at your local CVS (or similar) and find a cute frame. I like this lego frame, but also look at Etsy, your local flea market, or thrift store/charity shop.
A silly little trinket, like “The Hoptimist” ($16-$23)
This is the definition of something sOoOooo unpractical and/or ridiculous that the giftee wouldn’t want to spend their own money on it, but is happy someone else did.
A ceramic wine bottle stopper paired with a bottle of wine you already have at home
I’m obsessed with these. I also love this one from Areaware and these dog ones from Etsy.
A $5-$25 donation in their name shared with a thoughtful message on why you thought of them for it
…for a little bit of hope!
this guide is so cute!
The salt in the coquette is genius and so cute!