This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
It’s that time of year!
Every December, I dream of the gifts I’ll shower on my loved ones. Concurrently, I’m reminded of the minimum wage. So, every December, I write a list that relies more on my creativity than my wallet. Here are my 2025 favorites:
- A hand-painted card deck – this one takes a little more time and creativity, but you can find some inspo here.
- Clay magnets – cheap, easy, and extremely versatile.
- Altoids case/ purse essentials case – practical and customizable. As someone who is constantly looking for hair ties and lip balm, this one’s a winner.
- Keychain lippies – speaking of which, I’d never lose my lip balm with one of these.
- Dehydrated cocktail garnishes – classy and cute, especially when paired with your favorite shooters.
- DIY bath salts – My sister actually made these for me one year and I loved them. All you need is some good salt, a jar, and dried flowers (bath not included).
- Candy wreaths – the perfect extra “something”. I went with Ferrero Rocher last year.
But I get it, not every gift can be DIY’d. So if you’re low on time, here are some thrifted items I think would make perfect gifts:
- Books (either for reading or display)
- Accessories (I once found a gold vermeil ring at Savers! Don’t underestimate TarnX)
- Cheeseboard (hello charcuterie!)
- Frames
- Trinket dishes
- Purse (bonus if you can find a nice scarf to tie on it)
- Vases
As always, good luck and happy holidays!