Holiday Gifts Under $20

By: Kathryn Wexler
Posted In: Entertainment

With all the presents that come due each December, no one’s going to complain if you set an upper limit of $20 for certain gifts.

Well, not to your face, anyway.

And with some serious sleuthing at great discount stores like Loehmann’s, Marshalls and Ross, it’s not likely they’ll be able to tell the difference. Add to that the abundance of Internet options, and finding quality gifts at low prices is perfectly feasible.

What’s more, you’ll have lots of company. According to the New York City-based customer loyalty research firm Brand Keys, about 75 percent of shoppers surveyed will at least partly rely on discount department stores like Kmart and Target for holiday shopping.

“What we’ve found in the past couple years is that … folks want to be seen as being smart about where they shop,” said president Robert Passikoff. “It’s the Wise Shopper syndrome.”

When buying gifts for women this year, consider vintage and hand-crafted jewelry. The online company Ruby Lane (www.rubylane.com) sells jewelry from vendors and artisans who use fixed prices or bids.

Since most items cost more than $20, you must comb through the offers to find the right prices, but a little hunting can go a long way. One vendor recently advertised turquoise earrings from the 1950s for $18.

And don’t overlook eBay (www.ebay.com). There are literally thousands of inexpensive items to choose from- not all of them used- and plenty of people swear by the site.

With cell phones that snap photos all the rage, Internet companies that develop film will also reproduce your favorite photo on a growing number of objects. One, Snapfish, (www.snapfish.com) will reproduce a photo on a puzzle ($13.99), baby bib ($9.99) or even a dog collar ($14.99).

Dog owners might also want a water bowl for the holidays whose lights blink when it needs to be replenished. The ThirstAlert! bowl is $19.95 (www.gojobananas.com), or $14.95 each if you buy three.

Bedtime clothing is another category to explore. Wal-Mart has some festive flannel pants for men that will set you back only $7.74. JC Penney has quirky fleece slippers for $9.99.

Tree ornaments also tend to be affordable and, hey, they’ll keep paying off in years to come. Hallmark offers a tiny circular shoe rack laden with Barbie shoes for $19.99 and a collection of three tiny dresses on wire busts for the same amount at certain stores and through their Web site (www.hallmark.com).

And if you’re shopping for someone with a sense of humor as well as style, try the Miss Army Kit (www.missarmy.com) in hot pink. For $19.99, the little guy includes a flashlight, key chain, knife, mirror, nail file, perfume bottle, bottle opener, corkscrew, safety pin, tweezers, scissors and needle and thread.

How often do you crave caffeine at the office? There are numerous inexpensive coffee machines that fit nicely on a desk. For a twist, Bed, Bath & Beyond has a Salton Iced Tea and Coffee Maker for $19.95 that can brew two liters.

And remember: Don’t bother dropping three bucks on a card they’re only going to throw away. Buy some festive stationery in bulk instead.

Even better, get out the magic markers and make your own. It’ll certainly be more valuable to the recipient than a generic card.

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c 2004, The Miami Herald.

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