For most people, the holidays are the most expensive time of the year. You have a long list of people to buy gifts for — including a few that feel more like an obligation, if you’re being honest.
You don’t want to break the bank for someone you don’t know very well, but you still want to give a nice gift they’ll appreciate. What should you get someone who you have no idea what they’re into?
We’ve got you. Rounded up here are gifts that pretty much anyone would be happy to receive, and nothing costs more than $20. Maybe you can use that leftover cash to get yourself a little something.
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We bet that the person on your list would never think to buy something like this for themselves, but a set of lightweight headlamps like these can be so handy to have around the house. This pair comes with four batteries.
Literally everyone could benefit from making self-care a priority. This journal includes weekly self-care goals, writing exercises and mental health activities to put into practice throughout the week.
You can never go wrong with hand warmers. This set contains 10 sachets, each made from non-harmful materials, that promise to stay toasty for up to 18 hours.
A solid pair of kitchen shears is an “essential part of every chef’s tool bag” in the words of food editor and culinary school grad Kristen Aiken, but many home cooks don’t have them in their arsenal. Whether they’re a total novice or a seasoned home chef, they’ll appreciate this stocking stuffer.
All five teas in this set are organic and Fair Trade. A run-down of the different flavors inside: Orange turmeric, lemon ginger, lavender chamomile, strawberry elderflower and green tea with lemon.
This diffuser is small enough to pack with you when traveling home for the holidays and won’t be too expensive to mail. In addition to making a room smell amazing, it gives off a soft, warm light.
When in doubt, some high-quality, humanely sourced chocolate will always do the trick. Each of the four bars in this set of milk chocolate is made with Fairtrade-certified cocoa and sugar sourced from West Africa.
This puzzle leads to solving a murder case, piece by piece. Unlike traditional puzzles, this one is guided by a narrative, not just searching for pieces that fit together. With 500 pieces, it will take a while to complete it too.
This vintage-inspired cookie jar is minimal enough to match any decor. Your gift recipient will love it even more if you fill it with homemade cookies!
A Lifetsraw “can remove microplastics, bacteria, parasites and more (including E. coli, salmonella and giardia) from just about any water source,” wrote senior shopping writer Lourdes Avila Uribe in previous coverage of this nifty handheld filtration device. “One single filter has a long lifespan, providing about 1,000 gallons of clean and safe drinking water — making it well worth the price tag.” This practical gift is sure to please anyone.
This gift set includes an essential oil, bath soak and body scrub, all made with peppermint, basil and eucalyptus. Unlike many beauty sets, this one is unisex, so you can give it to literally anyone.
This mug warmer keeps coffee, tea and hot chocolate continuously hot but automatically shuts off after eight hours, so it’s safe too. Choose from seven different colors.
Has anyone ever been given a cozy throw blanket and been disappointed? I don’t think so. Don’t be surprised if the person you give this to wants to curl up under it as soon as they unwrap it.
Even without a green thumb, it’s pretty easy to grow your own herbs. Choose from between basil, mint, cilantro, rosemary or parsley.
Virtually everyone suffers from dry hands in the winter, but this set can make an especially great gift for anyone who is required to wash their hands a lot, such as healthcare workers, daycare workers, teachers or those in hospitality. It comes with a lemon butter cuticle cream, almond and milk hand cream, shea butter hand cream and cotton gloves to seal in the moisture.