Spring 2009 - Issue 5

The Silversword: Home > Features > Great Christmas gift ideas with a budget

Great Christmas gift ideas with a budget

By Katrina Garcia

Chaminade Silversword

 

It's that time of year again to spread Christmas cheer and gifts. A time to try and enjoy a brief school break and fit in the gift finding for friends and family before Christmas Eve.

Stay away from last minute shopping madness and fretting over gift ideas (with a budget in mind) with these 10 great gift ideas that will help you get that perfect gift for less than $20.

1. Cell phone cases. There are creative cell phone cases, like cartoon characters and retro cassette tape designs, are really popular, especially for the iPhone. This is a fun and practical gift for someone because you can change up what your phone looks like and it is a protective case that tries to eliminate scratches and cracks to your phone.

2. A DVD or CD. You can't go wrong with gifting someone a DVD of a good movie or a CD of the person’s favorite band. If you're lucky, you could probably fit a nice combo gift of a DVD and a CD as they both are usually under $10, depending on when it was released and its popularity, Wal-Mart usually has decent prices for these items.

3. A book. Some people like to relax through reading a book. This is the perfect time to gift someone with a novel as finals are over and there is loads of time to spend for yourself. “The Hunger Games” would be a great book to get someone into, especially when the movie is coming out in March.

4. Chaminade merchandise. Why not get something from the Chaminade bookstore? You can gift your family with Chaminade T-shirts and friends with stationery. It's an ideal gift for those who take pride in the school they go to.

5. A Hawaiian souvenir. This has to be the perfect gift to anyone you are visiting over the winter break and has never been to Hawaii. What's great about this gift is that you can find it everywhere, ABC Stores, Wal-Mart, Hawaiian stores in malls. It is also a great gift to maybe a roommate that is going to the mainland for the break and they will have something to remind them of their Hawaiian home.

6. A board game. This gift is ideal for family members, the holidays call for family time and fun, what better way to bring them closer together than to bust out a board game and challenging each other. There are a variety of board games like "Scrabble" and "Monopoly" under $20 at Wal-Mart and Target.

7. Custom-made gift. There is no way you can go wrong with personally, heart-felt made gifts. Making T-shirt or hat designs that fit your receiver’s personality is the perfect way to go. Be creative and have fun with it. This is something that will be irreplaceable.

8. Lotion/cream/perfume gift packs. What can a girl not have too much of? Beauty products, this is a great gift idea for your female friends and family members. There are specialized body and beauty care stores, like The Body Shop and Bath and Body, that have a variety of gift sets that include hand creams, body lotions, and fragrances that have the great deal of being under $20.

9. Food gift packs. Make someone’s Christmas holiday joy a hundred times better with a pack of nicely wrapped cookies or chocolate. It is a nice treat for anyone who is looking forward to digging in this Christmas holiday.

10. A plush toy. There is still a kid inside us all, and what better to bring it out than gifting with a plush toy of their favorite character. Hot Topic has a variety of plush toys that range from video game-related characters like Yoshi and Link, to comic book characters like Superman and Wonder Woman, there's also Star Wars characters and Hello Kitty.

Remember, it's the thought that counts. Do not over think gifts and enjoy the special time you can spend with close family and friends.