I’ll be sharing a small collection of various gift guides over the next couple of days/weeks with normal blog content sprinkled in the mix as well. As always, this won’t be a complete gift guide takeover, but I plan to feature similar gift guides to those I’ve published on the blog in the past that seemed to go over well with you guys!
Since stocking stuffers and inexpensive gifts are some of my favorites to shop for, I wanted to kick off this year’s PBF Gift Guide series with a roundup of gift ideas under $25. In fact, many of these gifts are under $10 and will hopefully pop out to those of you looking for that one special little something to wrap up for a loved one this year.
Enjoy!
Also, if you have any gift ideas for me to include in my favorite Gifts That Give Back Gift Guide this year, please let me know in the comments section of this post!
PBF Gift Guide: Gifts Ideas Under $25
I ended up ordering a letter board for our family on Black Friday because it seems like such a versatile way to communicate everything from holiday greetings and Happy Birthday messages to dinner menus for casual get-togethers with friends and more. It’s the kind of gift I could see many people enjoying but not thinking to directly add to their holiday wish list.
This handy little cup keeps hot things hot for three hours (Coffee! Tea!) and cold beverages cold for nine hours (Wine! Cocktails! Iced coffee!). If you happen to reheat your cup of coffee 5 times every morning then I think you can understand the appeal of this gift idea! I also LOVE it for wine, especially when you’re on vacation or want to enjoy a cold glass of white wine on the back porch without it sweating and warming up too quickly. A great gift for coffee and wine lovers alike! These Corkcicle cups are selling out like crazy (probably because they were featured as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things this year – some additional colors are available via Things Remembered) but Swig and Sassy Cups seem to make similar 12-ounce cups with a lot of different colors available on Amazon.
I’m pretty sure this hot chocolate has been included in a gift guide every year since I began sharing gift guides on the blog. Apparently free samples work because Ryan and I first fell in love with this hot chocolate when we tried it in a Williams-Sonoma store and it blew us away. We ended up unknowingly buying it for each other for Christmas that year and now it’s something we buy every holiday season. The chocolate shavings make it feel a little more gourmet and special than usual hot cocoa and every cup is rich and creamy. The peppermint hot chocolate is my favorite flavor but every one I’ve tried has been amazing.
Gifts Ideas Under $10
The Invisibobble was a previous Things I’m Loving Friday feature and it’s something I use every single day. It does the best job of any hair tie I’ve found at eliminating the bump in your hair caused by pulling your hair back with an elastic and I use it to pull my hair up at night to save my waves when I curl my hair so they last for a couple of days. The Invisibobble is also great for creating a loose messy bun!
I wear slippers non-stop in the colder months and when I travel, I love packing slipper socks to bring with me to keep my feet nice and toasty. A new pair of cozy slipper socks is a fun gift to give and receive and I love the look of these Pudus Classic Slipper Socks and the Amazon reviews are fantastic. And if you’re looking for athletic socks, BOMBAS socks are the best and a huge hit with my entire family.
I know, I know. I am SO late on the Beauty Blender train but now that I’m on it, I am never, ever hopping off! I used to dot on my concealer using my fingers but once I discovered Beauty Blenders, they changed everything. They allow my makeup to go on smoothly and cover blemishes and dark spots with less makeup and better coverage. Win, win! I love using them to dab concealer on my face and also smooth it over the dark circles under my eyes. Even those who already have a Beauty Blender would probably welcome more of them as a stocking stuffer since they are disposable and should be replaced fairly frequently.
HECK YES, PopSockets!!! This little gadget took some getting used to but after four or five days of using it, I don’t know how I managed my phone without it. I have the larger version of the iPhone 6s and my PopSocket makes it much easier to snap selfies, prop my phone up when I want to watch a video or follow a recipe online and makes me feel more secure when I hold my phone and text or respond to emails. I swear by my PopSocket and with so many different patterns, colors and designs available, it’s easy to find one that will appeal to everyone on your gift list this year.
I don’t know what it is about drinking liquids through a straw but I greatly prefer it to gulping from a glass or a mug. I use my stainless steel straws daily and love popping one into a can of LaCroix or a tall cup of water. The Koffie Straws are my favorite for sipping hot coffee or tea in the morning and protecting my teeth from staining.
If you know a woman who loves to paint her nails but rarely has the time to do so, consider this fast-dry top coat! This nail polish was one of the best discoveries of 2016 for me (thank you to a blog reader for recommending it) because a few swipes of this top coat over any nail polish – essie, OPI, you name it – and your nail polish will dry almost instantly. It’s a miracle-worker especially when you want to paint your nails at the last minute and don’t have time to sit around, not touching anything for a bazillion hours. I LOVE this stuff so much!
Additional Gift Ideas Under $50
- Makeup Remover Cloth (This $7 cloth is AMAZING and powerful! It easily removes makeup, including stubborn eye makeup at the end of the day.)
- Portable Bluetooth Speaker (This $13 speaker has wonderful reviews.)
- Tassel Keychain
- Lil’ Chizler (A cheap but powerful food and label remover tool and a very useful stocking stuffer.)
- Initial Mug (LOVE Anthropologie’s new intial mug design!)
- Personalized Key Hanger (Love the rustic look of this Etsy find.)
- New Book + A Unique Bookmark
- Festive Candles
- Cozy Sweatshirt
- Journal/Planner
- Essential Cocktail Book
- Custom Name Ring
- Body Butter
- 6-pack of Hand-Selected Local Beers
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I really like how your gift ideas are actually useful in real life. A lot of guide guides on blogs aren’t too practical but are novelty. I really like my PopSocket and think that letter board is awesome!
Great ideas! I love that message board and had been wondering about the popsocket.
I was just thinking last night that I was excited for these gift guides to come out – perfect timing! And I am definitely ordering that message board for my mom and the corkcicle glasses for my sister in law. Thanks for the awesome ideas. 🙂
Love all of these ideas, especially the letter board and Stainless steel mug. I have never gotten any of my shopping done during black Friday or cyber monday, I get excited to decorate first. Can’t wait for the other gift guides coming!
Same! I let Thanksgiving be Thanksgiving and then Christmas comes after. I dont like shopping so to go on Black Friday seems dreadful!
Oh my, I love that small tumbler! Definitely adding it to my wish list and buying for other people. I think I need to buy that top coat for myself considering I painted my nails Thursday and they were chipped by Friday…
Thanks for sharing Julie!
I may be turning to this for Secret Santa ideas for work. Thanks for the gift guide.
Hope it helps!!
I love your gift guides! Some of these ideas would make great stocking stuffers.
I totally forgot about invisibobble…I bought some a few years ago but stopped using them for some reason? Ordering more now!
And I just bought a corksicle for someone 🙂 Love all the fun colors!
Hi! Thanks for these ideas, always appreciate your lists 🙂 I have a request, do you have any ideas for gifts for grandparents from the little ones? I’m looking for a mix of crafts and other stuff that would be a cute idea. Thanks!
Hi Andrea! I actually made my mom a mug (well, I painted it) that said “I Love Grammy” (that was before her grandma name morphed from Grammy to “Mae”) and she LOVED it! I also gave her a jewelry charm specific to a memory she and Chase shared together and one with his birthstone which she loved. My mother-in-law also loves the Willow Tree figurines and they have a few specifically for grandmas!
Totally agree with cozy socks and beauty blenders! I really need to get a new one— mine is getting nasty, hah!
I love Seche Vite too but am changing over to INM Out The Door Top Coat, which as just as great of reviews but doesn’t have that scary birth defect warning that Seche Vite has! https://www.amazon.com/INM-Out-Door-Coat-Ounce/dp/B000EVGQ8U/ref=sr_1_2_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1511785868&sr=1-2&keywords=hk%2Bgirl%2Btop%2Bcoat&th=1
That is scary! Thank you so much for sharing this!
I love these Julie!! I bought the top coat when you mentioned it once before but I didnt ever use it because the warning on the bottle freaked me out…its listed on amazon too
Great list! The slipper sock link isn’t working – it’s directing to the nail polish.
Oops! Thank you for letting me know. It’s updated with the correct link now. 🙂
I just wanted to say that I love your gift guides and honestly look forward to them each year! Thanks, as always, for curating and sharing! 🙂
Thank you, Joy!! They are so fun for me to put together and I’m so glad you like them!
These roundups are super helpful. Thanks for sharing them! I also love the idea of using a Corksicle for wine and cocktails, but I might have to go with a Sassy Cup to keep with my brand. 😉 I had NO idea they existed!!
Ha! Yes!! Sassy Cup for sure!
Great ideas!
One suggestion for gifts that give back is Lost & Hound. They make unique handmade dog bandanas and other goods, and every purchase provides a shelter dog a toy that is used for transitioning from shelter to adoptive home. I know you love dogs so just thought I’d share. 🙂
https://www.lostandhoundmke.com
Thank you!!! Such a sweet idea! <3
Thank you SO much for the Pudus sock recommendation! Was racking my brain trying to come up with something small to give my boyfriend’s parents and these are perfect for them! Bought them immediately. (And maybe a pair for myself too…)
Definitely a good in-law gift!! Really hop they like them!
Popsockets change lives. And I’m not even exaggerating! I’ll never go back 🙂
Dang it, I’m too late for the Corkcicle! Amazon is all, “NOPE.” I hope they get them back in stock! I love my current travel mug but it definitely doesn’t retain heat as well as it could. I either have to be super speedy in my coffee drinking, or constantly top up to make it through a multi-hour meeting. And I’ve been thinking about the stainless steel straws for a while! Our family loves smoothies and the kiddos love to use straws – I’d love to have less waste, and not occasionally find plastic straws in the sink drain! Thanks for the awesome gift guide!
The letter board and pop socket are both such good ideas! And I use that Seche Vite top coat and base coat too! So good!
Since you do your own nails and like to dry them quickly, I would add Essie quick-dry drops on top of your Seche Vite topcoat. I buy mine at Harmon or Walgreen’s and place a drop or two on each nail. This product seems to work best to me. Thanks for sharing your guide – happy holidays!
Thank you for the tip!!
LOVE the Corckicles! I think they’re so genius!
Ahhhhh! I’m totally getting those socks for a yankee swap my family always does. Thank you for the great suggestion!
Love all of these gifts!!! Great ideas for secret santa!!! 🙂 xoxo
These gifts are realistic and usable. Thank you! For some reason my family was demanding my list before Thanksgiving, but I wish I would’ve added these items. Maybe next year. 🙂
Amazing BeautyBlender tip — you can clean it by putting it in a mug of dish soap and water in the microwave for one minute. It is LIFE changing (and money saving!) 🙂
It might take a few times to make sure the sponge completely soaks up all the soapy water. And be careful, you’ll want to let it cool off before squeezing it out!
I need to add the corksicle to my Christmas list! I AM the person who re-microwaves my coffee 3 times per cup.
xoxo!