We made it! December is here! Hopefully your Wishlist is complete, because December means that it’s time to start looking for gifts. Whether it’s for White Elephant, your BFF gift exchange, or Christmas morning with family, giving presents is a great way to show your loved ones that you care.
But let’s be honest, this is a hard time of year. School goes into hyper drive after Thanksgiving (seriously, how many tests, projects, and papers can these professors fit into 3 weeks?), our “summer-money” has essentially run out by now, and it’s freezing outside (I’m just gonna say it: life is harder when it’s cold).
So, the prospect of a grand gesture in the form of a bomb-ass present isn’t as attainable as we would like but worry not! Below you’ll find some little ways to make it through the gift-giving season and put some smiles on the faces of those you love along the way. Check out some of these great gifts all under $50.
PJs are Cool, I Swear
Personally, I support wearing an oversized t-shirt to bed. But there’s nothing like lounging in a comfy set of pajamas and cuddling up with some Netflix on. Who wouldn’t want to give the gift of a comfy night in with Netflix? And you can have some fun with it.
Old Navy has a joyful array of holiday themed PJs each season, from pants to shorts to night shirts. Make it a tradition! Every time the holidays come around, your friends and family could look forward to new long johns with snowmen on them, or a new pair of holiday boxers. Get a pair for yourself too, and you could match! Just imagine the Christmas morning picture opportunities.
The Sets We’ve All Set Our Sights On
I know that the cliché of getting underwear for Christmas is kind of taken care of by grandparents and distant relatives, but thanks to the rise of Calvin Klein and copycats from brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, and even Victoria’s Secret, we are living in the age of cute underwear sets. I mean, the whole Kardashian family endorses them. If that’s not the definition of on-trend, I don’t know what is.
Maybe it’s just me, but you can’t help but feel more put together when you’ve got a matching set on underneath your outfit. I can do anything #InMyCalvins, right? Since they’re so popular, these sets can get a little pricey. But stores we have locally, like TJMaxx and Nordstrom Rack, give you all these in the same space for discounted prices.
Head over to one of those shops or check some holiday sets out online just in time for holiday season! This year, Calvin Klein is hosting a 12 Days of Savings sale that features a countdown with new deals every day.
Lululemon from Head to Toe
When I came to Furman and first discovered the Lululemon trend, I did not buy into it. Then I saw how expensive they were, and really didn’t buy into it. Eventually I decided to check it out when the new shop opened in Downtown Greenville, and I quickly realized that anything is possible if you’re willing to think big. And by think big, I mean go small.
Lululemon offers so many great options for accessories that give you all the satisfaction of the brand name, but without the buyer’s guilt. Throw in a hat for working out or for the winter time, a cute water bottle, or one of their iconic wrap scarves!
Around here, a lot of us wear that Lululemon emblem proudly. Help a friend expand their collection! You can even buy it in person and get one of those adorable seasonal bags.
All-in-One
When all else fails, grab a couple friends and pool your money. The more the merrier, for real, people. By joining in with others, you’re able to give a gift with even more of the goodies that make your loved one smile! Throw it all in a basket, throw a bow on top (literally), and the job is done! Here are some suggestions if you want to go this route:
1. Mugs
2. Fuzzy socks
3. Small jewelry
4. Redbubble Gifts: stickers, phone cases—anything that you can personalize!
5. Favorite snacks
6. Mini makeup pieces: lipsticks, mini eyeshadow palettes, or anything else they love to wear!
7. Candles: Check out these Homesick candles that you can pick to smell like home. The South Carolina one would be great for your Furman fam!
And there’s so much more than that! If you want to add a little something extra, throw in one big ticket item—maybe a top they’ve had their eye on or a bottle of their favorite wine. The sentiment and care that it takes to put one of these together won’t go unnoticed.
This is definitely not a list of everything out there. All it takes is a little creativity and initiative—the rest will fall into place. We can’t put a price on the value of our friends and family. We want to use this holiday season to show them in some little way how much they mean to us all year. And we should! But hopefully this list helps you budget a bit so that you’re able to do that and save some gas money for that long drive home, too.