‘Tis the season for gift giving. While these weeks of celebration can sometimes lead to wracking up too many expenses, luckily, finding the perfect gift doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune.
To help anyone trying to stay within a budget—and these days, who isn’t?—we set out to find great, thoughtful gifts that all cost less than $100. From tasty treats to stylish home accessories to presents kids will love, this guide will help everyone find memorable gifts that strike the perfect balance between practical and fun—all without breaking the bank.
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Luxe Sheet Masks
Anyone with even a passing interest in skincare will smile to unwrap these sheet masks. SK-II has long been the gold standard in skincare, and a splurge at about $100 for a pack of six sheets. That, of course, makes it an excellent gift.
Buy now: SK-II Brightening Serum Facial Treatment Sheet Masks
Cheese Trio
Say cheese! The Sonoma, Ca. based Cowgirl Creamery will ship its award-winning cheese right to your favorite dairy fanatic’s front door for $99.95. This gift includes a trio of the Creamery’s most-famous cheeses, which means a hunk of the triple cream Mt Tam; their buttery Red Hawk; and the aged Wagon Wheel.
Buy now: Classic Cowgirl Cheese Collection
Amazon Kindle
Why have one book with you when you can carry an entire library in the palm of your hand? This $99 e-reader has become a classic for a reason, changing the lives of bookworms around the world. Link it to your library card to make this handy device even more versatile.
Buy now: Amazon Kindle
Pasta Sampler
Give the gift of lotsa pasta with this treasure trove of Italian eats. For $99, this gift box has everything a person needs for multiple meals at home with a variety of pasta and sauces straight from the source. It’s a carb lover’s dream.
Buy now: Eataly Pasta Icons Gift Box
Hello Kitty Bluetooth Boombox
This Bluetooth boombox ($99) is downright adorable with its Hello Kitty theme and graphic color scheme. It’s not just looks; this cutie also packs a sonic punch with a built-in cassette player and radio, and it can be paired wirelessly via Bluetooth to act as a speaker, making it perfect for parties for all ages.
Buy now: Retrospekt Hello Kitty BX-85 Bluetooth Cassette Player Boombox
Spice Collection
Add a little spice to the life of your favorite chef with this gift box full of New York Shuk’s best-sellers. Fill their spice rack for $99 with the company’s famously flavorful harissa, preserved lemon paste, shawarma BBQ sauce, za’atar, sumac, and shawarma spice. Throw in a cookbook or a trip to the Middle East so they know how to use all those incredible flavors.
Buy now: New York Shuk Spice Collection
CD Player
While CDs may be slightly dated in the streaming age, this CD player ($99) is portable and stylish with excellent sound and a modern look. If you know someone who refuses to part with their massive CD collection—or a young’un interested in, ahem, vintage technology—this player is a great fit.
Buy now: Retradisc Portable Bluetooth CD Player
Glam Playing Cards
This high-gloss, high-glamour set of playing cards ($98) is emblazoned with a chic lounging leopard. If you’re looking for a host gift for someone you suspect already has everything, or someone who just loves playing cards, this set adds a touch of elegance to even a humble hand of Go Fish.
Buy now: Jonathan Adler Lacquer Playing Card Set
Portable Speaker
Bring your favorite tunes to the beach, the athletic field, the office, or anywhere that needs a little vibe shift with this portable speaker. It costs $90, lasts up to 12 hours on one charge, and uses Bluetooth to connect to a phone and all the many playlists your favorite music lover may want to play.
Buy now: JBL Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Stacking Planters
This planter set ($85) adds a touch of elegance to any windowsill. The clever design has the planter nesting seamlessly into the saucer, stylishly catching any water runoff. The only thing the lucky recipient needs is a plant and a green thumb.
Buy now: Coming Soon Stacking Planter Set
Slippers
Slip into something more comfortable with these hypnotic slippers ($85). Made exclusively for the Museum of Modern Art, these shoes are designed for both indoor and outdoor wear with textured rubber soles and a whole lot of good looks.
Buy now: Jeffrey Gibson for MoMA Subu Slippers
Masala Chai Kit
Welcome winter with this kit ($84) that provides everything needed to make a proper cardamom and ginger-spiced masala chai. Simply add the spice blend to milk, sweeten with the included jaggery, and serve in the included ceramic cup made by East Fork in Asheville, NC.
Buy now: East Fork x Diaspora Spice Chai Kit
Canape Dish
These elegant porcelain dishes ($80) can add a splash of color to a dinner table or cocktail party, as they are the perfect size for appetizers or party nuts. But they’re versatile, and can definitely be used as a chic catchall on a dresser for earrings, rings, or keys.
Buy now: Versace Alphabet Canape Dish
Silk Pillowcase
Silk pillowcases are beloved for their smooth surfaces, which reportedly help you stay cooler at night and reduce frizz and friction. This one from Blissy ($81) adds a touch of glam to a night of rest.
Buy now: Blissy Silk Pillowcase
Water Bottle With a Filter
Outdoor enthusiasts and travel lovers alike will appreciate this clever water bottle ($80). The built-in filter reduces chlorine and odors, along with bacteria, parasites, microplastics, and plain old dirt, too. Just fill it up with water and drink through the straw as it does its magic filtering, keeping users safe from contaminants and reducing waste from plastic water bottles.
Buy now: LifeStraw Go Series Stainless Steel 700ml
The Jewelry Book
If diamonds aren’t in the budget right now, The Jewelry Book ($80) offers an aspirational—and informative—wishlist. This deep dive into the world of jewelry is filled with stunning images of jewels from some of the most famous design houses in the world, Boucheron, Buccellati, Cartier, René Lalique, Elsa Peretti, Hemmerle, Tiffany & Co, and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Buy now: The Jewelry Book
Retro Longboard
Skip the carpool lane and hit the sidewalks with this vintage-inspired longboard ($79) which pairs retro cool looks with modern performance. Perfect for kids getting their footing on wheels and adults looking to relive their youth, this stable longboard features a wide deck and shock-absorbing wheels ideal combining fun and function.
Buy now: Zed Longboard
Candle and Diffuser Set
Give the gift of good scents with this candle and diffuser set ($78). This limited-edition boxed set contains a full-size Candle and Reed Diffuser in Juniper Birch, but the company offers scents for all occasions and all preferences.
Buy now: Apotheke Juniper Birch Candle and Diffuser Set
YSL Photo Book
While Yves Saint Laurent’s clothing and accessories may exceed the budget, this gorgeous book ($69.95) is the next best thing. The photo collection features the designer’s work worn by Audrey Hepburn, Catherine Deneuve, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss and shot by Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Annie Leibovitz, and Juergen Teller.
Buy now: Yves Saint Laurent and Photography
Dog Rider Toy
This adorable toy ($69) is both stylish and fun for anyone small enough to ride it. That means kiddos can have a blast zipping around a dachshund riding toy and parents don’t mind having yet another kid toy in the house.
Buy now: Dachshund Hot Dog Rider Toy
Superfood Collection
This collection ($68) is the perfect gift for your friend or family member who is always trying out the latest health trend, with a little of everything to sample, including supposed superfoods like turmeric, ginger, and perilla, and thoughtful blends designed to restore balance, support immunity, or otherwise soothe your mind, body, or soul.
Buy now: Humble Origin Superfoods Complete Wellness Collection
Artsy Jigsaw Puzzle
Art lovers and puzzle fans will both appreciate this classic Yoshitomo Nara print-turned-puzzle ($65). The 1,000-piece jigsaw is a beautiful challenge sure to help wile away the hours while the weather outside is frightful.
Buy now: Yoshitomo Nara Jigsaw Puzzle
Garden Kneeler
Help your favorite gardener keep their knees happy with this sturdy, rust-resistant garden kneeler ($65). The kneeler is extra-wide for stability and extra cushy for comfort, plus it turns into a bench so they can admire their hard work.
Buy now: Gardener’s Supply Company Deep Seat Garden Kneeler
Cake Kit
This realistic cereal bowl kit is a cake, an activity, and an at-home episode of Is It Cake? all in one. Created by Jonny Manganello, better known as JonnyCakes, this cake kit comes with everything you need, including a tutorial on how to make a cereal bowl cake that is sure to confuse and delight your loved ones ($60.95).
Buy now: Realistic Cereal Bowl Cake Kit by JonnyCakes
Shell Tray
This catchall ($60.50) is part kitsch, part class, and all fun, making it the perfect gift for anyone with whimsical good taste. This little shell is the perfect place to stash life’s detritus (earbuds, jewelry, car keys) or it can be used as an ashtray, if so inclined. Either way, it’s a great gift for a chic friend.
Buy now: Edie Parker Shell Catchall
Stylish Weights
Sure, you can pump iron at the gym, or you could make working out a stylish affair at home with these minimalistic dumbbells ($59). Made with a steel core with a soft, nonslip silicon exterior, these 2.2-pound weights are ideal for aerobics, Pilates, or power walks.
Buy now: BetterMe Sculpt Dumbbells
Tostones Kit
Give your favorite foodie a fun addition to their kitchen arsenal with this tostones kit ($55). Slice up a plantain, flatten it with the tostonera press, and season it with Loisa’s flavorful organic sazón and perfectly spiced organic adobo for a feast.
Buy now: Loisa Tostones y Sabor Set
First Aid Kit
Give the greatest gift, which is, of course, the gift of safety. This first aid kit ($55), sold by the wilderness experts at the National Outdoor Leadership School, is designed to fit in a backpack, car, or beach bag, and has enough bandages and other medical supplies for a few nights out in the woods, to tote on a quick trail run, or to stash in the car, just in case.
Buy now: NOLS First Aid Kit
Recipes from the American South
This book is part history, part cookbook, and all a joy to read. Written by acclaimed historian Michael W. Twitty, Recipes from the American South travels ($54.95) from the Louisiana Bayou to the Chesapeake Bay, highlighting some of the region’s most iconic dishes and culinary specialties, including Chicken and Dumplings, She-crab Soup, Red Eye Gravy, and Benne Seed Wafers.
Buy now: Recipes from the American South
Vietnam: The Cookbook
This gorgeous cookbook, written by Anaïs Ca Dao van Manen, takes readers on a tour of Vietnam’s farms, fields, and crowded markets and tiny alleys of the cities, collecting recipes from local cooks. The book ($54.95) is filled with incredible recipes and photos and a deep love for Vietnamese food.
Buy now: Vietnam: The Cookbook
Flower Seeds
Plant these seeds to fill a garden with beautiful edible flowers that can be used to garnish cocktails, tossed into a salad, or added to all sorts of dishes to add a beautiful color and unexpected taste. Each kit includes seeds for marigold, bachelor’s button, viola, and calendula, as well as garden markers to keep track of your planting ($50).
Buy now: The Floral Society, Edible Flower Seed Kit
Snowshoes
Help the lucky recipient make it over the river and through the woods with these lightweight snowshoes ($49). Easy to wear, easy to use, and fun for all ages, these snowshoes make a practical and entertaining gift for anyone in a snowy climate or traveling to one.
Buy now: Drifter Lightweight Snowshoes
Light Projector
Shoot for the stars with this light projector that casts stars and nebula on the ceiling and walls ($48). In addition to displaying the wonders of the galaxy at the touch of a finger, this particular projector looks like a tiny astronaut and comes with both a remote control and a sleep timer.
Buy now: Astronaut Galaxy Light Projector
Truffle Collection
Give the gift of chocolate to sweeten the season. Anyone with a sweet tooth will appreciate this collection of truffles in flavors like gingerbread, butter pecan, pumpkin, and sticky toffee ($44.95). It would make an excellent host gift, too.
Buy now: Compartes Christmas Chocolate Truffles
Garden Scissors
These elegant garden scissors are perfect for clipping flowers for bouquets, pruning or deadheading plants, or trimming a bonsai ($43). Made in Japan of carbon steel, these sharp blades are designed for precise cuts on both green and woody stems with a great grip.
Buy now: Nishiki Garden Scissors
Citrus Tree
Send a box full of sunshine with a mail-order citrus tree ($42). This pretty little Meyer lemon tree can grow indoors or outdoors in warmer climates and, with the right care, can sprout edible fruit, meaning the lucky recipient can have a holiday present and eat it too.
Buy now: Fast-Growing Trees Meyer Lemon Tree
Manicure Kit
This nail polish is designed to dry in a flash and last for weeks, making it ideal for anyone who is pressed for time and likes to keep their nails looking good. Simply add your favorite Dazzle Dry nail color and this kit has everything necessary for a DIY manicure that will dry in minutes and last and last ($42).
Buy now: Dazzle Dry Mini Starter Kit
Sweet Jigsaw Puzzle
Satisfy a sweet tooth (or maybe kickstart one) with this fun 1,000-piece puzzle ($40). The image of retro cookbooks and gloriously frosted cakes looks good enough to eat and tricky enough to keep even diehard puzzlers entertained for hours.
Buy now: Piecework Puzzle Flour Power
Wallet/Phone Stand
Buy now: Native Union Magnetic Wallet Stand, $40
This streamlined wallet doubles as a phone stand. Magnets mean the case easily attaches to a phone and quickly transforms into a stand to watch your stories in landscape or portrait mode. Made from a recycled and animal-free leather alternative, it fits four cards, making it a versatile gift for your favorite phone addict.
Leather AirPods Case
Tuck AirPods Pro into this dapper leather case ($40) with brass accents that clips easily to a work or travel bag for easy access. The case is made by a Virginia-based company that has been making leather goods since 1933—you know it’s built to last.
Buy now: Moore & Giles Reclaimed Leather AirPods Case
Skincare Travel Set
This kit is designed to make it easy to keep up with your skincare routine while on the go. It comes with the company’s Cool + Glow face wipes for quick cleaning and Lift + Restore collagen eye masks to soothe away puffiness, all tucked into a reusable and refillable mesh bag ($40).
Buy now: AprèsBeauty On-the-Glow Kit
Incense Matches
Get some good scents in your pocket with these incense matches ($39). These sleek and convenient incense sticks are tucked into a matchbook and come in a variety of scents, including peony, Japanese cyprus, and Japanese wisteria.
Buy now: Hibi Match, Box of 30 Incense Matches
Balance Bike
Get the toddler in your life a sweet set of wheels. This balance bike ($39) is designed to give little ones a little freedom as it helps develop their balance while keeping their feet safely on the ground. It comes in a variety of colors and, yes, there’s a matching helmet for purchase to keep parents happy and kids safe.
Buy now: Cricket Baby Balance Bike
Cheese Knives
Hunting lodge chic takes over the table with this collection of cheese knives ($39). Crafted from stainless steel and sand-casted aluminum these three antler-shaped knives are an elegant addition to any charcuterie board.
Buy now: Antler Cheese Knives
Tins of Salt
Beyoncé keeps hot sauce in her bag, so there’s no reason not to give these tins of flavored salts to tuck into a tote ($38). This collection features Black Pepper, Rosemary, Black Garlic, Habanero, and Lemon flavored salts plus Jacobsen Salt Co.’s classic flake for anyone who wants to add a little spice to their life.
Buy now: Jacobsen Salt Co. Infused Slide Tin Collection
Cozy Socks
Buy now: Verloop Knit House Socks, $36
Keep toes warm and safe from winter chills with these cozy and colorful socks from Verloop. These brilliantly patterned house slippers are knit and lined in faux fleece to make them incredibly comfortable all winter long.
Beginner Instruments
Parents will either love you or hate you for introducing their little ones to the wonderful world of music. They may forgive you, though, when they see this adorable percussion set complete with a butterfly tambourine, an egg maraca, and a crocodile guiro ($32).
Buy now: Animambo Musical Instruments
Produce Bags
Produce bags are an eco-friendly and endlessly practical gift that might help eliminate food waste. Tuck fresh vegetables into these bags ($30) and they may last longer as the breathable flax linen is designed to help reduce moisture and allow better airflow.
Buy now: Ambrosia Linen Produce Bags
Wine Bag
If you’re shopping for someone who loves a good picnic, lives for summer movies in the park, or simply enjoys a very chilled white, this freezable wine bag ($22.99) is a great option. Pop the wine bag in the freezer, then when you’re ready to leave, add a bottle of wine to the bag, and it arrives chilled and ready to drink.
Buy now: PackIt Freezable Wine Bag
Lighter Cover
If you’re looking for a little something to put your present over the top, this lighter ($19.80) cover looks like a swirl of soft serve. It’s silly, it’s fun, and it’s memorable, making it the perfect gift for anyone who uses a lighter.
Buy now: Edie Parker Soft Serve Lighter Cover
pH Lip Balm
This viral vegan lip balm ($17) reacts to the pH in the user’s skin chemistry to create the perfect shade of pink custom-designed for the wearer by their own body chemistry. Plus it comes in adorable packaging making it a worthy stocking stuffer.
Buy now: Winky Lux pH Lip Balms
Hot Dog Comb
This comb ($12) is kitschy and practical. Pair it with the equally fabulous Deli Sandwich Compact Mirror ($12) for a gift that is both useful and a humorous conversation starter easily tucked into a handbag.
Buy now: Jenny Lemons Hot Dog Comb
