The holidays are a bittersweet time of year. They're filled with lights and laughter and delicious treats, but they can also empty out your wallet faster than you can say, "Why am I involved in seven different Secret Santa swaps?" For this reason, it's key to have an inventory of ideas for gifts under $10.
Spending money on gifts can quickly become a runaway train for your savings account. You have your family, friends, co-workers, and possibly more, depending on how many gift exchanges you're a part of. What's more, as much as you'd love to be creative enough to make all your gifts at home, it can be just as expensive and twice as time-consuming to put together a present from scratch.
Fear not though, my friends, because your favorite brands have plenty of inexpensive yet thoughtful gift options to choose from this holiday season. Whether you're shopping for your beauty-obsessed BFF or your chic and mysterious co-worker, there's a gift for everyone that won't require you to go bankrupt in the process. Plus, you might love some of these gifts so much that you order two — one for your friend and one for you! Here are 10 gifts under $10 that look like they're worth way more than they actually are.
Champagne Bears, $3, Sugarfina
What's better than champagne and sugary treats? Sugary treats made of champagne, of course. These champagne gummy bears from Sugarfina come in a range of sizes, but the small cube is a perfect stocking stuffer for basically anyone in your life.
Canned Unicorn Meat, $6, ThinkGeek
This is equal parts gag gift and sincere gift, depending on how much the person receiving the gift loves unicorns.
All joking aside, there's no actual meat in this can — just an adorable stuffed unicorn that your friend can pull out with surprise and relief, especially if they were worried it was going to be spam.
Vitruvi Eucalyptus Essential Oil, $10, Anthropologie
Eucalyptus essential oil is a fantastic gift for the person in your life who's always talking about healthy living and the connection between mind, body, and spirit.
This essential oil not only smells delicious, but also has fantastic healing properties that will soothe a cough and let you breathe more easily when you're stuffed up with congestion.
Tocca Mini Hand Cream, $8, Anthropologie
This Tocca hand cream is the perfect gift to give to your boss, mother-in-law, or even a friend. There are lots of different fragrances to choose from, and honestly, a good lotion is basically like the girl next door of beauty products: You don't even know you want it until you have it.
Kalastyle Modern Wash Avocado Face And Body Soap, $10, Amazon
For the millennial friend who's shamelessly obsessed with all things avocado, this is a totally unique, yet on-point gift.
The soap is made from diffused avocado oil, which is rich in vitamins A, D, and E, so yes, giving this gift to your friend is basically going to make them healthier. You only have their best interests in mind, right?
PLAY! BY SEPHORA - The Soft Side Beauty Box, $10, Sephora
Sephora's monthly beauty box can be bought for a one-time-only purchase, which is great for holiday gift-giving. The beauty box includes an assortment of trial-size samples and a collectible bag, and you can choose from several palettes and themes to fit the person you're buying for.
If your special someone loves this gift, they can buy the monthly subscription and turn it into the gift that keeps on giving.
SMASHBOX Studio To Go: Lips, $10, Sephora
This cream lipstick and matte lip transformer duo is a perfect all-in-one lip kit for the person who loves to rock a red lip all day long. The matte lip transformer sets the scene for you to apply this perfect red tone, and have it stick to your lips without smudging or fading.
AMIKA Perk Up Dry Shampoo, $10, Amazon
This dry shampoo works for any type of hair, and it gets some bonus points for being cruelty-free. Dry shampoo is a great gift for any woman in your life who is constantly on the go, moving from work to drinks to a holiday event without ever skipping a beat.
Unicorn Ballpoint Pen, $6, Barnes & Noble
When you have no idea what to get for that co-worker you've never spoken to, a cute desk gift is always a safe route to take. Plus, it's an adorable unicorn pen, and anyone who doesn't like unicorn accessories is honestly someone I don't fully understand.
Banned Books Socks, $10, Barnes & Noble
You can never have too many socks, mostly because it feels like socks have a shelf life of one day before disappearing for all of eternity.
These socks specifically list a bunch of books that have been banned at one time or another throughout American history, so it's safe to say they'll satisfy any bookworm in your life.
