Buying gifts is one of the ways to show loved ones how you feel about them. Gifts become mementos that people can keep with them even when you’re far away from them.
A gift doesn’t have to be expensive to be well-appreciated by the recipient, but it should be well thought out. Consider the unique tastes, quirks, and facts you know about the recipient, and let that guide you into getting them something they will appreciate.
If you’re still stumped for ideas after doing some research, check out our compilation of fourteen affordable gifts. We have included a variety of options for different tastes, preferences and price points. Use it to guide your gift-giving this season:
1. Pillow with a Pet’s Face
If your loved one shares their life with a furry (or feathery) friend, then they know how much love and comfort the thought of their pet brings. You can light up their world by gifting them a customized pillow with their pet’s face drawn on it.
Or you can really commit and get them a life-size pet. This pillow is sure to make them smile when life’s everyday pressures dampen their spirits.
2. Personalized Cotton Socks
You can get five pairs of high-quality cotton socks embroidered with your loved one’s name or initials and a favorite quote or inside joke. Every grown-up adult appreciates socks, and they’re unlikely to spend lavishly to get personalized socks for themselves. You can get about eight characters in the top ankle area and 20 characters in the bottom toe area.
3. Fill-in-the-Blank Books
This book has a series of questions about a loved one. As you fill in the blanks, you will remind yourself why this person is special to you. Also, you show them how much they mean to you and what you love most about them. The book is available in different varieties for best friends, parents, siblings, other family members, and even teachers, among others.
4. Customized Kitchen Supplies
It is possible to get coasters, cast iron skillets or marble serving boards made in the shape of your loved one’s home state. If their state isn’t available, there are some made in the shape of the country that can still make fantastic gifts. Find these gifts on Amazon or Etsy for less than $100 – an affordable way to remind your loved one of their home.
You can also get them flour sack towels (source: Mary’s Kitchen Towels) for everyday household chores and food serving.
5. Custom Supplements
Is your friend always complaining about their diet deficiencies or how little sun they get? Are they always tired, fatigued or low on energy? Is their digestive system a little backed up?
You can buy them personalized supplements with vitamin D, iron and a probiotic blend to immediately improve their gut health. Vitamin D is great for encouraging the absorption of nutrients, particularly calcium, while iron maintains good blood volume. Probiotics pump in more of the useful gut bacteria that keep your bowels running like clockwork.
6. Personalized Candles
Get a soul-warming candle for all your homesick friends – and treat yourself to one too! This candle has the scent of all their home state or favorite city, beach cottage or other areas they love. Smells have the great ability to evoke nostalgia and can bring your friend to fonder times each time they light it.
7. Heating Pads
Your friend who is always cold or complaining about back pain and other joint and ligament aches may appreciate a microwaveable heating pad to keep them warm. This heating pad can have their picture printed on it (or any other image) and is lavender-scented so that they have a friendly and funny “hug” for when they’re blue.
8. Echo Dot
An Amazon Echo Dot is an excellent gift for a mother, father or friend because everyone is always running around getting things done. They would appreciate the helper with planning. The Echo can help you make grocery lists, set alarms, order stuff from Amazon and listen to music or check the news and weather forecast. An Echo Dot is cheaper if you cannot afford to get the Echo.
9. Family Portrait
Your family members will appreciate this illustrated cameo portrait which can include 2-18 figures (no pets). It can be customized for everything, from hair color and glasses to eye color and skin tones. Get framed and unframed versions to cause your parents and siblings to sniffle with joy and add to their family portrait collection.
10. Life-Changing Journal
Get a fun, non-intimidating way to help your family or friends to figure out their lives. It includes pages for venting, de-stressing, coloring, tracking healthy habits, dividing up unmanageable challenges or tasks and smart ways to plan.
11. Custom Leather Bow
This custom bow is engraved with your personalized friend’s name, and they can wear it every day and think of you while wearing it. Personalization costs a little bit extra but is well worth it.
12. Subscription Box
There’s a subscription box for nearly everything under the sun – every hobby, interest or even passing fancies, from fashion and wine to games and makeup. Get your friend something to look forward to every month based on their unique preferences.
13. Pendant Necklace
A stackable moon and star necklace can be customized to include their initials and stand out from all their other jewelry. There are silver and gold chains and star and moon charms that can be stamped with one letter each to make their initials.
14. Cookbook
If your friend or loved one loves cooking, get them a cookbook that allows you to customize the contents according to their food preferences. You can also add personalized notes and emojis for that special touch. Choose seven recipe categories, and it will be automatically populated with the best recipes for that category.
Conclusion
There are many more choices if you’re thinking about giving a gift to show your loved one how much you care about them. Still, the most important thing isn’t the gift itself, it’s the idea that you got them something that shows how much you treasure them.
