Thoughtful Gifts Under $30
I’ve always loved the holiday season. In my mind, the holidays represent a lot of what humans got right: generosity, time spent together, and sweet treats.
It also represents a lot of what humans got wrong: consumerism.
The financial pressure of the holidays is familiar to almost everyone. Between hosting, maintaining holiday traditions, and buying gifts for our loved ones, the holidays are expensive.
As much as I hate the consumerism aspect of the holidays, I love giving gifts. But if I’m being honest, the current state of my finances has put a bit of a damper on my love for gift giving this year. It’s forced me to reevaluate my philosophy on the matter and get creative.
Gift giving is all about curating a feeling. It’s an opportunity for us to show our loved ones that we see them and understand who they are.
If you’re on a budget this holiday season but you still want to get something special for your loved ones, this gift list is for you. Whether you decide to gift something from this list, or simply use it as inspiration, it’s designed to remind you that you don’t need to spend a fortune to make your loved ones feel special this holiday season.
Everything on this list is under $30 and curated with a bespoke (and maybe a bit quirky) mindset.
Customized & Handmade from Etsy
If you love handmade gifts but you’re not mentally prepared to make it yourself, Etsy will be your best friend. There’s a lot of cheap, drop-ship products on Etsy, but if you dig far enough, you’ll find a vast array of handmade, affordable items that make the perfect gift.
Custom Pet Portrait ($22) This unique take on a traditional, photorealistic pet portrait is the perfect gift for pet-lovers in your life. You get a digital copy of the portrait that you can print off at a local office supply store and put in a cute frame. Hint: I highly recommend grabbing a frame from the thrift store. You can also buy framed art from the thrift store and replace the art with the pet portrait.
Custom Book Embosser Stamp ($16–$27) - Treat the book lovers in your life to a book stamp or embosser, customized with their name and other details.
Handmade Ceramic Incense Cone Burner ($25) - This one is for your woo-woo friends. And as the woo-woo friend, I would be SO happy to receive this handmade incense cone burner.
DIY Solar Printing Kit ($9–$19) - I just learned about solar printing recently and have been dying to try it. This kit comes with hand-treated magic blue printing paper that you can use to create your own print using things like flowers, leaves, or other stencils.
Elevated Everyday Basics
Elevated basics make great gifts because we’re often not willing to splurge for higher quality on ourselves. Better yet, these elevated basics still come in at $25 or under. This is the true meaning of quality over quantity when it comes to gift giving.
Tea Towel from Geometry ($18) – These tea towels put all other tea towels to shame. I can personally vouch for how amazing they are. TRUST. They come in tons of different prints that will fit any style.
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Kosterina ($25) – There’s something about having good basics in the kitchen that makes me want to cook more. This EVOO is made from 100% Koroneiki olives harvested in southern Greece.
Citrus Verbena Body Wash from L’Occataine ($25) – Luxury body wash? Sign me up. This is definitely somewhere most people aren’t willing to spend extra, which is why it makes the perfect gift. Pair it with this ethically sourced African Net Sponge ($7.49) for the perfect gift duo.
Give the Gift of Sleep
There’s nothing better than a good night’s sleep. Need I say more?
Satin Pillow Case from Kitsch ($20) – Sleep tight without the fear of frizzy hair and breakage that can happen with normal pillow cases. I’ve been sleeping on satin pillowcases for years, and I don’t think I’m ever going back.
Osea Vagus Nerve Pillow Spray ($20) – This pillow spray is designed to activate the vagus nerve, which promotes relaxation and sleep. True luxury AND science.
For the Witch in Your Life
Calling all witches! These gifts are for you to manifest the life of your dreams in the new year.
Prosperity Ritual Spell Kit ($18) – This super cute ritual spell kit comes with everything you need to manifest prosperity.
Crystal Infused Soy Candle ($23.95) – Have you ever seen a more beautiful candle? Choose from a variety of different scents and different crystals, and make some magic happen.
Weave the Liminal: Living Modern Traditional Witchcraft ($14) – Weave the Liminal explores what it means to be a witch in the modern world. Formulate your own personal practice and learn how to connect with your intuition with this unique, modern guide to witchcraft.
Giving a gift, however big or small, is an opportunity to show loved ones that you understand who they are and what brings them joy.
But in every attempt we make to quantify our love through consumerism, we miss that opportunity to truly connect. The truth is, love can’t be purchased, wrapped in ribbon, and placed carefully under the tree.
However you shop this year, just remember that your presence, authenticity, and kindness are the greatest gifts you can give to anyone!
