SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va., – The holiday season is well known for two things; bringing people together and eating a Wafer-sized hole into your wallet. As college students and otherwise money savvy gift givers, it is important to stick to a budget while also giving your loved ones a gift that they will love. That’s why I have compiled a list of gift ideas that should shrink that holiday ho-ho-hole in your wallet.
Being locked at home sucks. Do you know what doesn’t suck? Being locked in a house that smells like paradise. These candles are hand crafted in soy wax into the glass terrarium. Candles are known for smelling good, but how often do they look as cute as they smell? For just a little over $21 you can gift your mother the best smelling cactus of her life.
2. Lava Lamps
In 1963, Edward Craven-Walker invented the coolest at-home toxin since the thermometer with the invention of the Lava Lamp – every child’s favorite night light. These cool lights are not usually the cheapest of night lights on the market, so you don’t usually see them around anymore unless you frequent the taboo corners of Spencer’s. Lucky for us, Amazon has this wonderful little sale going which drops this lava lamp down from $36 to just $19, making it one of the best deals for one of the hottest gift ideas for any child/teen/ light-fascinated adult
2020 has been a rough year on all of us, and if your family is anything like mine, then you probably have a few little ones missing out on some important face to face time with other children. With Covid seeming to make itself at home and the children stuck inside their own homes, having a soft little friend might make staying at home a little more bearable. The best part? Some of these plushes are cheap enough for you to buy multiple for one child, or to split this idea across several little ones this year. You can never go wrong with plushes.
Set the vibe this winter with some led lights! I have these ones myself stuck to the back of my television. They are remote controlled and easy to set up – all you have to do is peel the tape and stick them on. I got mine last Christmas and have yet to switch the batteries on them. Even better, I have seen people stick them to the walls and cover them
in a thin layer of cotton to create a fluorescent pattern on their wall. These one’s in particular are remote controlled, but you can also find a similar set of lights at Walmart for the same price that are controlled through your phone! These gifts are perfect for a student and personally set the mood for a solid study session for me.
5. Cable Bites
Being stuck at home so much is my excuse for spending more time than usual on my phone this year – it is important to stay connected, after all. That is why it is important to protect your cables from damage from all the twisting and bending they go through. What better way to do it than with some adorable little stocking stuffers! These little biters chomp onto the end of your cord to keep it straight, preventing any unwanted bends and tears in the wires and extending the lifespan of your phone’s lifeline. For only six dollars each, you could fill four stockings and still be under your budget for gifts this year! They come in a variety of animals for you to pick out a loved one’s favorite little animal for the perfect gift.
6. Hand Creams
All the hand washing and sanitizers being rubbed into your skin after nine months of a pandemic will roughen up your skin. That is why hand lotions make for another perfect stocking stuffer for this year’s holidays. And for the whole set to be under $20? With this and the candles, the holidays are going to smell fantastic.
The future is now. This one is really cool – almost something out of a spy movie! A Bluetooth hat, need I say more? This washable hat keeps you warm on that morning jog – no more loose headphones, no more cold ears. This is the perfect gift for anyone that works outside or just likes to discreetly tune out for a moment with their music. The speakers are detachable, making the hat washable, so no worries about keeping them clean!
8. Cookware
Staying at home means more homemade meals! Giving the tools to create more and better treats for anyone who lives in the kitchen. This set is not exactly the set to get, unless you also happen to be a fan of Tim Burton. You could also match this gift with ingredients, cookie cutters, pots, and pans to really make the gift come together
9. T-Shirts
Growing up, clothes were never really the amazing gift that they are for us now as adults. Now, if I unwrap a cool shirt, it immediately takes the top spot as my favorite thing ever. As we go deeper into the holiday season, more and more websites are having sales on their nicest shirts, such as TeePublic and SharkRobot are having their holiday sales currently. Five Below is also a perfect place to find low cost tees as well.
10. Pillows
Pillows are the ultimate comfort object and can be found relatively cheap. You can find them for roughly $10 on amazon or similarly priced at Walmart. However, a great place to find cute things like decorative pillows is on Facebook, where you will be able to find smaller businesses to support this season for typically lower prices. Give both the gift of a cute little comfort pillow and the gift of supporting local businesses this holiday season, all while on a budget!
The holidays can be expensive, and that can be doubly so on students and those affected by 2020s less than helpful events. But nobody said you couldn’t be the best gift giver in the family and also stick to a budget. Don’t forget to pick up festive lights and wrapping paper after the holidays for some sweet post-holiday sales – always looking out for next year!