$25 is a fabulous budget for a myriad of people on your holiday shopping list. From coworkers to Secret Santa swaps to friends to gracious hosts to assorted aunts, uncles and cousins. So here are 10 top ways to spend that $25 and treat ’em right!
Slaughterhouse 90210 by Maris Kreizman – $22.99
The site where this clever coffee table book originates from may very well be my spirit animal – creator Maris Kreizman takes stills from incredibly popular mainstream fare and pairs it with meaningful literary quotes that somehow perfectly mesh. It’s a crazy mashup of Gilmore Girls and Vonnegut, Beyonce and Bronte, but it actually really kinda works. This book is an extension of the Tumblr – featuring recognizable celebs, movies, shows and more next to quotes you likely haven’t memorized (although the authors and their works are surely more familiar). Now if you’re wondering if it’s better suited for someone with more pop culture leanings or literary leanings, obviously the ideal recipient is someone who loves ’em both (like me!) but pop culture fanatics will probably appreciate the clever captions best.
Instant Ugly Sweater Kit – $12.95 @ Danna Bananas
Yeah it’s a bit of a gag gift – but that makes it perfect for that snarky teen in your house or a quirky pick for an office Secret Santa exchange. Available in two styles, this fun kit contains six hideous patches that can be affixed with a pin to whatever everyday sweater you’ve got kicking around in your closet. It’s a perfect way to show up at an Ugly Xmas Sweater Party without having to troll Value Village!
KISS Power File Deluxe – $24.96 @ Walmart and London Drugs
Spa-ready nails for under $25? Yes please! This incredibly affordable 15-piece kit features 12 interchangeable attachments designed to take care of every aspect of your nails – from getting that perfect oval shape to cleaning out gunk to trimming cuticles. The core gadget itself is also rechargeable and the entire kit comes in a handy case for easy storage and transport. It’s an excellent gift idea for your nails-obsessed friend that simply can’t spend another cent at the salon – jaws’ll drop at the price I tells ya!
Aqua Zinger – $24.99 @ Zing Anything
Want to liven up those endless glasses of daily water? The Aqua Zinger water bottle is the easiest way to infuse your drink with the flavour of your choice. Just add fruit or fresh herbs like mint to the bottom compartment and twist the container to release fresh citrus, juicy berries, or whatever you’ve added into your water. Available in two different caps depending on your preferences, this easy-to-clean, BPA-free water bottle is an excellent gift choice for the health conscious folks on your list.
The Waterford Girl Body Butter Mousse – $12 + Shimmer Balm – $7
So technically one of these glam gift ideas is under $10, but they make a gorgeous twosome when paired together. Let’s start with that heavenly body butter – I got a jar of it try for myself and not only does it smell amazingggg, it goes on like real, actual butter with a light and airy texture. Meanwhile, the festively appropriate shimmer balm moisturizes and adds a bit of sparkle to your skin at the same time – just warm it up in your hand and slather it on. The result is head-to-toe spectacular!
SLEEP Aromatic Tonic – $24 @ Vitruvi
If you want to encourage those visions of sugar plums then be sure to pick up this dream-inducing aromatherapy spray. Inspired by the scent of warm cashmere, this paraben-free, synthetic-free, botanical oil blends together chamomile and french lavender with luxurious vetiver oils and frankincense extract (the latter of which also gives it an extra festive note). While adults will love the spray to unwind after a harried day, this spray is also safe to use for babies and kids to help them nod off to slumberland. And for the record? While SLEEP may be Vitruvi’s most popular scent, it’s certainly not their only one – the Canadian brand offers collections of products depending your needs, from GO to FOCUS to STILL. Pick a different one up for each of your friends to knock a few names off your list this season.
Playskool Friends My Little Pony Rainbow Dash Glow Pony – $24.99
As I mentioned at an earlier point this gifting season, with the proliferation of babies this year and last, I’m making an effort to feature a few extra baby gifts than usual. With that mind, meet your little one’s favourite new toy. This plush My Little Pony toy is cuddly enough and designed that even infants can use it (note the sewn-on eyes) and soft enough that they can self-soothe on it. But it also features a few other elements to delight the kiddies – that purple belly piece can be pushed to play a rather extensive catalogue of dreamy tunes and triggers a soothing light show.
e.l.f. Spotlight Ready 50-Piece Palette – $15
Beauty mavens in the know are already familiar with e.l.f. and their ridiculously affordable cosmetics – but this season the brand has outdone themselves with even more limited edition sets, stocking stuffers, and other great gift ideas than ever before. Case in point? The dazzling Spotlight Ready set, which is chockful of 40 different eyeshadows from vibrant tones of coral and teal to classic neutrals like grey and beige, as well as a palette of 10 blushes and bronzers to achieve that trendy contoured look. This is truly just one item from the e.l.f. holiday line that you’ll want to check out – imagine how many people you can cross off your list with prices like this!
Modern Wood Salad Servers – $25 @ Craft Collective
Dress up the dinner table with a set of these hancrafted salad tongs made from Canadian-sourced wood. They’re actually available in a range of woods with different colours dip dyed on the end with food safe dyes. And if your giftee truly loves ’em, Craft Collective also offers up matching charcuterie boards which make for a great gift set at $60. An excellent choice for the foodie or host in your group.
Spongelle Ornaments – $8 each + You Have My Heart On a String – $15
Want to save time in the shower? Enter Spongelle – a unique brand that infuses their exfoliating sponges with fragrant soaps so you can slough off skin, avoid buying an extra product, and always ensure you have a fresh sponge (they last for at least five washes). This holiday season, their ornaments make for a festive pick to be hung on a mini-tree for guests to take home – with seasonal scents like champagne, pomegranate and peppermint. For a more romantic take, the Heart on a String all-in-one buffer + polish smells like sweet peony and makes for an excellent stocking stuffer!
I’m delighted to share that I’m giving away a prize package featuring the best gifts under $25, valued at over $185! If you win, the following items will be yours:
- Slaughterhouse 90210 by Maris Kreizman
- KISS Power File Deluxe
- The Waterford Girl Body Butter Mouse + Shimmer Balm
- Zing Anything Aqua Zing
- Vitruvi SLEEP Spray
- Playskool Friends My Little Pony Rainbow Dash Glow Pony
- e.l.f. Spotlight Ready Palette
- Spongelle Heart on a String + 2 Holiday Ornaments
Here’s how to enter my friends!
1) First & foremost: you must be a subscriber to the Canadian Gift Guide to enter this giveaway. It’s as simple as finding ‘The Gift of Gab’ box in the righthand column and dropping in your email or clicking follow. Then leave me a comment below by November 27, 2015 telling me your favourite gift idea under $25 featured in this post!
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around November 28, 2015 to select the winner, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.
4) Bonus Entry: Do as many or as few of the following as you’d like. For every bonus entry you rack up, be sure to leave a separate comment with proof (i.e. a link) or your bonus entries won’t count!
Raincoast Books – Follow the brand on Twitter and send out a Tweet about the giveaway that tags them + me (@cdngiftguide) and links back to this post.
KISS Nails – Follow the brand on Twitter and send out a Tweet about the giveaway that tags them + me (@cdngiftguide) and links back to this post, and use the hashtag #CGGKISS
The Waterford Girl – Follow the brand on Twitter and send out a Tweet about the giveaway that tags them + me (@cdngiftguide) and links back to this post.
Zing Anything – Follow the brand on Twitter and send out a Tweet about the giveaway that tags them + me (@cdngiftguide) and links back to this post.
Vitruvi – Follow the brand on Instagram and either Regram one of their photos, or share a photo from their site onto your Instagram.
Hasbro – Follow the brand on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway, linking back to this post. Please tag @cdngiftguide too!
Spongelle – Follow the brand on Instagram and either Regram one of their photos, or share a photo from their site onto your Instagram.
