2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Her Under $20! (Day 2)
Hello, hello! This is Day 2 of my 25 Days of Christmas series, where you can enter to win a giveaway to win a prize worth $250! Click here to read about the rules, and I wish you all luck!
I feel like the perfect way to start off this giveaway series is with a post on what you can give others. This year, I will be doing several Gift Guides for both "Her" and "Him". I decided to start off with the "Under $20" post, because it's perfect for those holiday shopping on a budget, and also those who want to gift multiple gifts to someone (Plus, this is probably the post I can relate to the most). Of course, the gifts that I am suggesting also come in different price points, and these are simply suggestions. If you have a larger budget, you can easily find an "upgraded" version of these gifts!
I have separated the gifts into different sections, but women usually tend to be a blend of different personas, and may even have some masculine preferences! By no means are these sections meant to set constraints as to what kind of friend can be gifted what, but to oversimplify the gift-buying process so that last minute shopping does not have to be so stressful.
THE ONE WHO LIKES BEAUTY STUFF
We all know someone who is a beauty queen. They're not necessarily the next candidate for Miss Universe, nor are they necessarily the one who you think of when you ask the Magic Mirror for the fairest of all. However, this girl is the girl who loves the idea of pampering herself and making herself feel beautiful, because honestly, that's the most beautiful kind of beautiful of all.
Lotion set
You know your friend best, and you know what scents make them happy. What can be better than smelling the way she wants and taking care of her skin, all at once? Of course, some people can be picky about what kind of lotion they use, but let's be honest: she's not going to complain about having a yummy-smelling backup plan for when she runs out!
(other scents available)
Rollerball Perfume Sets
Personally, I do prefer rollerballs or travel-sized sprays much better than the actual bottle of perfume. While buying the large size is better in value, I like being able to carry around a small size so that I can reapply after a hot pot pig out sesh or a long plane ride. The best part is that in buying a set, you are able to gift your friend the gift of variety!
(sensual scents)
Chloe - Deluxe Mini Duo Set $20 (floral scents)
(citrus-y scents)
(variety of individually packaged scents, good for splitting up for different people)
Nail Polish Set
The great thing about nail polish is that it acts as an accessory that you don't have to take off and reapply for a while. Personally, I think nail polishes are a great stocking stuffer for friends who like nail polish, because it's super fun to pick out the "right colour", and it's useful. It's small enough to not take up room, but it's also of a good enough value to not look cheap.
Really, who can say no to getting some serious, easy pampering? Face masks come in packs as well as individually, so you can really customize this gift. You can even stock up on a lot of face masks and other pampering products to make a spa kit (or multiple spa kits)!
(different "flavours" available)
Bath Set Along the same lines of the face masks, wouldn't it be nice to have some nice bathing salts or bath bombs? It's relaxing, and if your friend is into taking baths, you are giving them the gift of winding down and resting! To be honest, I saw this bath bomb set in Target, and I just couldn't resist adding it to this list.
THE ONE WHO LOVES DRESSING UP
To be completely honest, those who love dressing up can be picky about what clothes they get. It is probably safest to get them a gift card to their favourite store(s), so that they can shop on their own for a gift that they personally really like. However, I understand that sometimes, when we are on a low budget, it's easy to feel self conscious about being cheap, because we couldn't afford a gift card with a bigger value. Here are some accessory fun pieces that I think will be great to give to someone who is fashion-forward.
THE ONE WHO LIVES OUTSIDE MORE THAN INSIDE
Personally, I have many friends who prefer living outside to inside. There is just something awesome about being out in the wilderness, don't you think? Of course, that might just be the excitement of being near trees, since I come from the burnt up region of Southern California, and moved to the highly industrialized New York area. Naturally, a lot of my friends don't get to interact much with trees and fresh air, so the outdoors is very alluring to us.
Lip Balm Set Especially in the winter, it gets quite dry, so lip balm would be perfect for the friend who loves venturing outside. This would also be great if you paired it with a tube of hand lotion, since lip balm does tend to be on the lower in price.
Hand Cream
(other scents available)
Warm Clothes
Of course, this depends on where in the world you are and/or if your friend is a traveler, but the holiday season usually means colder winter weather, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, anyways. Something simple and classic, but easy to move around in, is always timeless and suitable for most people! What better way to show your love and appreciation than to make sure your friend can go on her first adventure of 2018 wearing new clothes that you gifted?
Herschel Supply Co. - Elmer Knit Beanie $20 (other colours available)
Planner/Travel Journal
Planners and/or travel journals is useful for anyone, really. However, for someone who often ventures outdoors and enjoys seeing the word, a planner is especially useful in keeping track of travels.
THE ONE WHO IS TECH SAVVY
Honestly, a $20 budget is probably not going to get you something that is most technologically advanced, so instead of trying for that, get your tech savvy friend accessories for their gadgets!
DIY
If you're really looking to save money, there really isn't anything more thoughtful and budget-friendly than DIYing a gift for someone. Yes, there are those who may frown at the thought of receiving a DIY gift, but you know your friends best, and you know who would appreciate the thought and effort. Plus, even if you aren't on a budget, DIY gifts are one-of-a-kind, and the perfect way to show how much you really care. So without further ado, here are some ideas for a DIY gift.
Hand-knit/crocheted scarf
If you are living in the Northern Hemisphere, it is getting cold, and a scarf would be the perfect, heartwarming gift
You will need: Yarn, knitting needles or a crochet needle. (Optional: Fabric softener, conditioner, and hot water)
If you are a beginner, you may not want to venture into doing things like hats and gloves, yet. Scarves are the most straightforward, despite being a bit time consuming. This is a project that you really have to dedicate yourself to, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier and faster, and you can even try creating some designs. Hint: In warmer climates, go for thicker needles to work with, because the scarf will be "lighter". You may want to make it longer though, so that it can still have a voluminous effect. But don't worry, knitting and crocheting with larger needles is faster than working with smaller needles. If you live in a colder climate, you can still use thick needles; you just have to buy thick yarn. Thick yarn tends to be more expensive, and you will need more of it to create the scarf. Fine yarn is nice and soft, but it tends to be more expensive. It will also require smaller knitting needles and a lot more patience. Personally, for holiday gifting purposes, I like going for 5mm knitting needles with the regular Red Heart acrylic yarn (I buy the jumbo pack). Acrylic yarn does tend to be rough and scratchy, but it's the cheapest option. Acrylic yarn is perfectly fine if after you finish up your scarf, soak it overnight in fabric softener. The next day, rinse it with hot water and thoroughly coat your masterpiece with conditioner (cheap $1 conditioner will work). Soak it in hot water (change water as often as you are able to to keep it hot) for as long as possible. Rinse and dry the scarf with fabric softener sheets on low, and your scarf will be as soft as if you purchased more expensive yarn.
Handmade ornament
Gifting someone special with a handmade ornament is great because it can be customized in so many different ways.
One popular way of DIY-ing an ornament is by buying ornaments and drawing on them (or getting clear ornaments and filling them. A really special way of doing this might be creating multiple different ornaments and drawing (or filling) them with something significant to the person.
If you aren't into the spherical ornaments, thin wood slices have been a really popular aesthetic as well, and you can decorate them with much more creative ways!
Another way of making an ornament is doing it from scratch. Buy modelling clay, and you can mold it into anything you want. This one is as customized as you can get it. You can even buy white modelling clay and paint it however you want, so that you are not limited to the colours of clay on the market! Word of warning, if you create a really big (and therefore heavy) piece, I suggest you making multiple holes, so that the ornament isn't being supported by just one string at one place. Of course, if you are making a 3-dimensional ornament, you will need to remember to create a place for the ribbon to loop into*
Scrapbook/Coupon Book
A scrapbook (or scrapbook-esque gift in general) is an awesome way of documenting your happy times with a person, and letting them see how much you treasure your friendship/relationship. A cute idea would be adding personalized notes and coupons to that scrapbook. For example, maybe you have a picture of a birthday party, and you can include a coupon with a note that says, "Remember that time when you were so tired after planning that party, and you wanted a massage? Well, here's a coupon for a free massage, return favour optional!"
MISC HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Regardless of what you end up gifting your friends, family, and loved ones, I hope you have fun picking out and/or making their gift! 'Tis the season of giving, and I hope that this season gives you joy <3 Let me know what other kind of holiday-themed posts you'd like to see on this blog! Talk to you soon~
Disclaimer* None of the photographs of gifts belong to me. If you own any of these photos and would like me to remove them from my blog, please contact me personally and I will remove them.