12 Budget-Friendly Gifts That Aren’t Short on Sentiment
The holiday season always has its ups and downs: Your boo gets you the perfect present, but he’s spending the holiday with his family on the opposite side of the country. Your family reconvenes for a yearly reunion, but your uncle has one too many eggnogs and busts your pop’s lip. (Okay, maybe that’s just our family!) On top of this, you’ve got a whole list of precious friends you want to show your appreciation to, but you’re on a budget and don’t want to sacrifice next month’s happy hours to afford meaningful gifts. If you’re in the shallow pockets category, we’re sharing our favorite inexpensive gifts that aren’t short on sentiment.
1. Pattern Play ($10): You know your bestie like the back of your own hand, so much so that you know the back of her hand too. Give her an adult coloring book that will help her destress better than down dog, all while coloring outside the lines like the creative maven she is.
2. Monogram Earrings ($24): Nothing says “luv ya!” like personalized earrings. With these monogram studs, just pick out her initials for a gift she’ll love wearing and you won’t mind buying.
3. Polaroid Film ($24): Instant cameras are great when you first break ’em out of the box. Selfies and accidental pictures are shaken in the hands of all until the party ends early when the film runs out. Don’t let film scarcity afflict your favorite shutterbug; give them this film for a Polaroid 600 Camera or Instant Lab.
4. Chalkboard Candle ($24): Pre-opening a gift that you purchase for someone else is usually a worse faux pas than dating your BFF’s ex, but not anymore. Write a message on this candle holder that’ll make the recipient smile every time they light the candle, then repackage it for some serious brownie points.
5. Crystal Card Necklace or Bracelet ($12): If you could buy a big rock for that special someone in your life, you know you would. But when reaching into your pockets only yields paper clips and lint balls, your second best starts to look mighty fine. Each of these delicate jewels comes with a rough-cut semi-precious crystal and a 14k gold-filled spring clasp, plus the characteristics of the stone itself. Just match up the right stone with the personalities of everyone on your list, and you just won budget holiday shopping.
6. Soy Glad We’re Friends Candle ($18): If you ever door-to-door fundraised for a high school organization, you’re probably familiar with the phrase “this thingamajig makes a great gift.” Just insert badass soy candle into the equation, and this time you won’t say it sarcastically.
7. Petal Perfume Starter Pack ($9): Give the gift of an intoxicating experience that won’t bomb your budget. Each satchel contains a measured dose of a different fragrance. They’re all lovely, so you don’t have to worry about giving a stinky, unsavory scent.
8. Magnetic Photo Rope ($9): You definitely don’t need to smash your coin bank for this brilliant gift. Just make prints of your favorite pics together and give them along with this ingenious wall hanging. Think of it as the physical version of an Instagram photo collage.
9. 3D Printed Ornament ($15): Speaking of photos, this snap-happy ornament is like a locket for Christmas trees in winter and desktops the rest of the year. Just fill the lens with a picture of you so you’ll always be in the recipient’s sight.
10. Color Block Planner ($18): A new year calls for a new planner. Give this pretty agenda to the organization freak on your list. Just make sure you pencil in a few girls’ nights and coffee dates.
11. Sea Salt Soak Set ($12): You want to give the gift of love, so why not tender loving care? Each of these test tubes contains a specially formulated dose of sea salts and essential oils designed to relax muscles and detox skin. What’s not to love about that?
12. Chocolate Tasting Set ($10): For the foodie on your list, what better gift is there than chocolate? This set contains eight handcrafted chocolates that are sure to sate sweet tooths the world over. With flavors like Baconluxious, Cinnamon Cereal Smooch and Firecracker, their mind might actually be blown.
How are you navigating holiday shopping while worrying about your finances? Tell us about your favorite low-budget gifts on Twitter @BritandCo!
