I came home for the holiday season and was getting a present for one of my friends for Christmas. My mother, whose birthday is on January 6th, told me that I shouldn't give my friend a joint present for Christmas and their birthday because she would "absolutely hate it" if someone did that to her. OK Mom, I get the hint.
When it comes to Christmas, or any holiday during this season, we all look forward to giving presents to our loved ones, and of course receiving some too. However, we all have that one friend whose birthday is terribly close to Christmas. Before or after, it doesn't really make much of a difference. When it comes to these friends or family, try not to always give them the excuse, "Oh, this is for your birthday and for Christmas." I know, like many of you, we are a bunch of broke college kids who are lucky if we can give a nice Christmas gift, let alone a birthday one as well. That's why I've come up with five cheap and easy gifts to give people whose birthday falls right in the holiday season.
1. Photo Frame
Go into Michaels or Hobby Lobby, as normally they have coupons that you can use online and pick out a nice frame. You can either just frame a nice photo of you and the person you're giving it too, or a picture that means something to them, such as picture of them and their puppy! Taking the more personalized route, try buying a shadow box or a clear glass frame and filling it with photos and other decorations for a background. If you and your friend took a trip abroad, try filling the frame with old ticket stubs and photos from your journey. It's a gift that isn't very expensive, but has a lot of sentimental value.
2. A Terrarium
A terrarium is basically a little plant sanctuary. All you'll need is some cacti, succulents and soil. Decorative pieces such as sand, rocks and glass mosaic pieces are optional. This shouldn't cost you more than $20.
3. Basket Of Favorites
This is an easy one for anyone you know and love. Grab a basket from your local dollar store and some ribbon. Thread the ribbon through the basket for a nice touch and fill it with their favorite goodies. This can be things such as candy, soda, movies or even socks! If you can stick to the small things they like, you can make a nice personalized gift for less than $25 for anyone. This will let someone know you're thinking of them and that you really know them! If you have more money to spend and less time to put something together, you can always just grab a nice gift basket. There is an app called Sesame which puts gift boxes together for you. Search by the person you're looking for, select the perfect gift and they will ship it off for you!
4. $15-$25 Gift Card
There is nothing easier than a gift card. Target has dozens of gift cards ranging from $15-$100 from pretty much everywhere you can think of. You can never go wrong with picking up a Dunkin' Donuts gift card for your favorite coffee junkie or a gift card to the Cheesecake Factory for those friends who need a nice night out for dinner. Essentially, you can't go wrong here and you can spend as much or as little as your budget allows.
5. Groupon
Let's be real, Groupon is the holy grail of shopping. Create an account and you can find anything under the sun that you're looking for on this website. Someone needs a massage? You can find one for less than $30. Want something a little less pricey or something you can do with them? Look-up Paint Nites in your local area. Normally, these are only $25 per person and you can go drink wine and be guided in painting a nice work of art!
