Lots of folks are feeling the pinch this year when it comes to holiday spending. Here are some great gift items for under $30 that are functional, stylish, and unique. Make them stand out even more by pairing them with something homemade!
1. I love paper products and fancy pens. Last year I picked out one for a friend from My Handbound Books on Etsy. These books are handmade in Nova Scotia and are really gorgeous. Each one is a unique little piece of art, ranging in price from $10.99 for a wee little journal, to $30.00+ for larger journals and weekly planners.
2. Books are always a great choice, and Chapters Indigo has great bargain books for a fraction of their original price ($3.99 – up). I love getting a stack of books for Christmas and prices like these make it happen!
3. A Maple Landmark rattle
($10 – $16) is on my wish list for Boy#3 — he’ll probably find one in his stocking Christmas morning! These rattles are made by hand in North America, using North American wood.
4. For any new babies on your list, Padraig makes adorable newborn booties ($20), as well as sizes suitable for bigger kids ($30) — handmade in British Columbia and lined with soft sheepskin, these will keep those teeny tiny toes toasty in our cold Canadian winter!
5. I love Playmobil and Ottawa has a great source for amazing deals on discontinued Playmobil sets! PlayValue is the one toy store I visit every year for stocking stuffers, and the “big gift”. They have lots of great options for under $30.00!
6. Magazine subscriptions are a gift that gives all year long — kids, especially, love the excitement of monthly mail “just for them”. There are lots of great magazines available for less than $30/year, and many offer holiday savings for new subscriptions. Examples: Canada’s History ($29.95), YES Mag ($25.00), The Walrus ($29.75)
7. 
A sturdy Thermos Insulated Travel Tumbler ($25.99) will cheer up anyone’s morning commute! Make it extra special by pairing it with some fabulous coffee beans, homemade hot chocolate mix, or some hand-blended teas (made by you)!
8. Give the gift of a night out! Empire Theatres has a holiday promotion on, giving $30 of theatre coupons with every purchase of $30 in theatre gift cards. I think this is a particularly thoughtful present for families — it’s expensive to get out to a movie with all the kids. Gift the cards and coupons together for a fabulous holiday surprise!
9. Have a guy on your list who’s hard to buy for? No worries! The Beer Soap Company has a great selection of handcrafted artisan soaps ($5 – $7) to offer, each made using a different type of beer. Pick some of his favorites or buy him a 6-pack ($25)! These soaps smell fantastic — pair them with a matching bottle of beer for a truly personal touch!
10. Thermos ROHO hydration bottle ($14.99 CDN): These dishwasher-safe stainless steel water bottles come in a great line of fun and funky prints, suiting everyone from kids to adults. The press-button lid makes it easy to drink on the go and the extra-long neck makes it easier to hold onto than similar water bottles I own and use.
*Disclosure: In the past, I have received products from a couple of the companies featured in this list in exchange for review. This did not affect my decision to feature them here. Products featured in this gift guide are here because I think they’re great and are items I, personally, would enjoy giving or receiving as gifts!
My kids love getting magazine subscriptions. My mom always gets them each one for Christmas, and she buys the current issue to wrap up for them. My eldest knows what day of the month his magazine comes and is always rushing to the mailbox to check for it.
As an added bonus, our school sells them as a fundraiser (QSP) so my mom can buy them through that at the same price and help the school out too.
Wow — when I was a kid we did the QSP magazine sale fundraiser every year! I sort of miss it — great deals and helped out the school! My BFF gets my older boys magazine subscriptions for Christmas and it’s really great –they don’t take up a lot of room, and they’re not a toy that quickly become “boring!”. When the new issues arrive, the boys grab them and run to their room to read them — interesting and exciting for them, encourages reading, and the remember all year long who gave it to them!
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What a great list, thx for sharing. Love the look of those books espcially – will be checking them out for sure
Wow! This is a great gift guide. I love handbound books so I am definitely bookmarking that one. (Ha! Just went to Etsy and I actually already have that one added as a favorite!) Thanks for including one of our beer soaps.
My husband is an avid homebrewer, so I picked up a selection of 5 for him for Father’s Day a couple years ago. They make an amazing shaving soap! I love them!
These are really great ideas. I really like that handbound book. Thanks!
what a great list! *love* the handbound books…maybe I’ll just print the list and circle certain items and accidentally
leave it out for people to see…heehee! Was trying to find loose leaf tea friendly Thermos products…help??!
MEC carries the Urban Elements tea infuser Thermos. It looks pretty slick, though I’ve never used it myself: http://is.gd/ieKNT
They also carry this: http://is.gd/ieLce And this (like my funky green one): http://is.gd/ieLqx
Just discovered that Thermos also carries a 16oz loose leaf tea infuser on-the-go container as well! (because I REALLY like your Thermos Travel Tumbler, I’m convinced the tea infuser will be just as good.)
We get a magazine in our stocking on Christmas morning each year. Love that! Glad this topic came up – I ordered a Chirp subscription over a month ago for the wee guy and had forgot to factor that into his list…!