This gift guide is filled with the best gifts you can buy for less than $20. Whether you’re looking for stocking stuffers for family members, the perfect gift for the Secret Santa exchange, a holiday gift for your BFF or something else, these gift ideas will make you look like a gifting rock star without blowing your budget.
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Great Gift Ideas that Won’t Blow Your Budget
Skip the gift card this year and buy your loved ones gifts with meaning but without the big pricetag. These Christmas gift ideas are more than trinkets. They’re fun, unique gifts that can even be bought last-minute! That’s because most of them sell on Amazon. Your Prime membership means they can be delivered the next day without shipping charges!
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Gifts for Women Under $20
Folding Travel Bandana Travel Valet “Stow and Go” Tray
You know where everything goes at home, right? But what about a hotel room? This folding travel valet holds all of those please-don’t-let-me-forget things you never want to leave behind in a hotel room. Just set it up, deposit your phone, keys, jewelry and other important possessions. The bright yellow color will catch your eye. Then, when it’s time to check out, zip it closed to protect your valuables and slip it into your carryon.
Contigo Water Bottle
Staying hydrated on a long flight, road trip or just walking from the train to the office is an important part of staying healthy. And a refillable water bottle is an important part of keeping our planet healthy. We’ve got tons of water bottles, but we keep coming back to our Contigo AUTOSPOUT. It’s got a clip so we can hang it from a backpack or suitcase. The spout closes to prevent spills, then opens with one touch, which makes it easy to use when you’re juggling luggage, purses and kids.
Oh K Beauty Face Mask
This is the antidote to that awful, dried out feeling your skin gets after a long flight. The nourishing avocado fiber sheets don’t make a mess. You can even sneak them under your eye mask after they turn off the cabin lights! Even that guy in the middle seat won’t know. Just 15 – 20 minutes during a red-eye is all it takes to help you land feeling more refreshed and moisturized.
Books to Dream By
One of our favorite ways to rev up excitement about an upcoming trip is to read a fabulous, well-written novel set in the place we’re planning to visit. A good book is also a great way to relive a wonderful trip.
A Local Cookbook to Bring the Flavors Home
Keep the taste of that wonderful vacation after you get home. If the woman in your life loves to cook, give her a cookbook featuring recipes from her favorite place in the world.
Ellessi Luggage Scale
No more overweight luggage fees! No more embarrassing moments spent unpacking your dirty underwear on the floor of the airport as you shift some weight from one bag to another to avoid those hefty fees! Use this luggage scale to weigh the bags in the privacy of your hotel room before you head to the airport. It’s small, lightweight and, best of all, it’s self-powered. Just shake it to power it up. There’s no need to remember to check the battery. Our TravelingMom tests show that the Ellessi digital measurement is more accurate than other scales.
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Paper Atlas
While getting lost on a road trip can be part of the fun, being on a rural road without a GPS signal isn’t. Go Old School with this gift: a paper road atlas. Not only is it nostalgic fun, using a map instead of GPS gives her the chance to chart her own path.
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Custom Sequin Pillow
Immortalize that favorite family vacation photo in one of these awesome custom sequin pillows. Every time she looks at it, she’ll remember the trip and think of you! And you just can‘t beat the price.
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Gifts for Men Under $20
Travelon Wet and Dry Bags
“Real men use wet bags,” TravelingDad Paul Eisenberg told us, apropos of nothing. But he was sincere about how useful the Travelon Wet and Dry Bags are for the “unspeakably disgusting” moist gym clothing he goes through while traveling. The nylon bag is a vast improvement over disposable gallon zip-top bags, Paul says, which are fine early in the trip, but by the time you head home “you want something sturdy for your wet unmentionables.” Gifts for men who love to travel can be practical too!
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Personalized Leather Wallet
When the guy in your life pulls out his wallet, he will always remember you with this super-soft, durable genuine leather wallet. It’s inscribed with words of love to a husband or son. Even better, it includes RFID blocking as well as a functional design with six card slots and one cash slot, which makes it safer for travel. This is one of the best travel gifts for men because it is both useful and meaningful.
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Electronics Organizer Travel Case
We all travel with more cords than underwear these days. Help your guy keep his iPhone charger and his computer cables in one place with this electronics organizer travel case.
‘What I Love About You’ Journal
Yes, you could buy a travel journal for the man in your life to fill out, but perhaps it would be more meaningful to write in this fill-in-the-blank journal yourself and let him take it with him on his next trip. The prompts are super easy to fill out and don’t take much time at all. The book sells for less than $10 and doesn’t take a lot of time to read either. It will be a keepsake that will keep you with him no matter how far he travels!
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Gifts for Kids Under $20
Backseat Organizer
OK. This might be more of a gift on our Mom wishlist. We like the way it keeps all the toys in one place and off the floor of the car. But our kiddos like it too. Really. They like having all of their toys easily accessible on road trips. It’s more for them than us. Honest. This backseat organizer has plenty of pockets for toys, electronics, and snacks!
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Mermaid Blankets
Trust us, every girl wants to be a mermaid! I can just imagine how jealous the other little girls will be on the plane when your daughter pulls on her mermaid blanket and settles in for a nap!
Hot Potato Game
This electronic game is fun for the whole family but simple enough for little ones. Just start the music and pass the potato, but don’t get caught holding the spud when the music stops!
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Doodle Mat
Take this Water Drawing Mat to Grandma’s house or the hotel. Kiddos can have all the fun of drawing without any of the mess. The set comes with a water coloring book, 3 “magic” pens, 1 “magic” brush and stamps. The mat is big enough for four toddler or one toddlers and two happy grandparents to draw together.
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Name Puzzle
We love these wooden puzzles! This one is personalized with your child’s name. It can help kids learn to recognize the letters and spell their own name. The big wooden pieces are sturdy and easy for little hands to manage.
Why Book
We know that kids ask a million questions. We love this awesome book because it has 1,111 answers! Pack it for that long road trip and let your older kids teach the family something new!
Socks
No kid ever wants socks for Christmas, right? They’ll want these cute animal socks! They come in cat, bear and fox designs, 6 to a package. The over-the-knee style will keep your girl warm even on trips to cold climes.
Awesome Facts Book
The kids will love having this book of Awesome Facts that they can bring along on their next road trip or travel adventure. The book contains 5,000 facts!
Coloring Books with a Positive Message
We think it’s so important to empower girls to believe in themselves. This is a great coloring book with positive messages on every page that will keep girls occupied on long road trips. It’s aimed at younger girls, but we know plenty of tween and teen girls who could benefit from its message too!
Star Wars Bop It
Who doesn’t love R2D2? Or Bop It? Combine the two, you’ve got fun for the whole family the next time you’re lounging around the Airbnb and want the kids to do something besides watch TV.
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Paper Airplanes
This book includes 100 paper airplane models and teaches future engineers the basics of aerodynamics and aviation.
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Difficult Riddles for Smart Kids
We are always looking for ways to engage the whole family on long road trips. This riddle book is practically guaranteed to get kids (and parents) to unplug and tune into the family. You’ll be laughing and working together to solve these 300+ brain teasers and riddles.
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Gaming T-Shirt
This t-shirt is the right gift for any age gaming-addicted kid (or adult). He or she can wear it proudly on the family vacation.
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Water Bottle
We want our kids to stay hydrated. This smart water bottle makes it easy! It’s got a built-in speaker and the bottle glows every hour to remind kids to take a drink.
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Selfie Light
Once kids have smartphones, they’re gonna take selfies. They might as well get the lighting right. It’s small and has a rechargeable battery, so it’s easy to pack and take wherever you go.
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Tumbler
Get everyone their own personalized cup for travel and there won’t be any arguing over whose cup is the pink one.
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Gifts Under $20 for Disney Lovers
Disney Princess Brush
These cute brushes come decorated in your favorite girl’s favorite princesses — Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White and Pocahontas. The super thin bristles comb out tangles easily in dry or wet hair.
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“I’m Done Adulting, I’m Going to Disney” Stemless Wine Glass
Who hasn’t wanted to quit adulting now and then? When I feel that way, it’s time for a glass of wine. This “I’m Done Adulting, I’m Going to Disney” stemless wine glass is a cute tribute to visiting the parks and it makes everything even better.
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Mickey Stud Earrings
These cute Mickey CZ stud earrings are classics!
Disney Mickey Mouse Mug Warmer
This would pair well with that tea sampler set. The plug-in warming base and cute Mickey Mouse mug would come in handy at the office, at home, in a hotel – you name it.
Disney Parks Castle Patent Prints
If you’re looking for a unique Disney item, patent prints are the way to go. You can choose from Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World or Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. Each is 11” by 14” and is unframed.
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Mickey Mouse Toaster
Even the grumpiest non-morning person will have to smile at the site of this cute two-slice Mickey toaster perched on the kitchen counter. You know what’s even cuter? It imprints Mickey on each slice!
Disney Mickey Mouse 16 oz. Stainless Steel Self Stirring Travel Mug
This Disney travel mug comes with a kick: a self-stirring mechanism at the bottom keeps your drink from separating while on the go. That’s 16 ounces of fun!
Disney Mama Mouse Necklace
Customize this necklace with her name on the back and “Mama Mouse” on the front.
Adult Disney-Themed Coloring Book
This unique coloring book contains 63 paintings from Thomas Kinkade’s Disney Dreams Collection across from the black line art of the same image. Enter the world of the Painter of Light as you create your own renditions of these paintings inspired by classic Disney movies, including The Jungle Book, Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty.
Gaston T-Shirt
Show your guy you think he’s “kind of a big deal” with this fun Gaston t-shirt.
Lanyard Neck Pouch Holder
This cute leather lanyard shows off your teen’s Disney obsession while holding her school ID, cash, key and credit cards.
MagicBand Puck Holder
No more need to fit a MagicBand and smartwatch both on your arm! Combine them with this super cute MagicBand puck holder.
Disney Pens
How cute are these Disney characters pens?!?!? They’re so affordable, you can buy the full set — Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Stitch from Lilo and Stitch, Winnie the Pooh, Mike Wazowski and Sully from Monsters Inc. and Andy and Buzz Lightyear.
UNO Toy Story Card Game
This family favorite card game gets a Toy Story spin!
Disney 5-Minute Christmas Stories
Celebrate the season as Mike and Sully race to light the big Christmas tree, Alice finds the Red Queen’s present, Peter Pan brings Christmas to Never Land, and more! This padded storybook features beautiful illustrations in 12 stories, each meant to be read aloud in five minutes. It’s the perfect fit for bedtime, story time, or anytime!
Frozen LEGO Kit
This LEGO Disney Frozen building set features a clock tower with jetty and double-sided springtime/winter clock face, a market stall with wheels, ice skates and a row boat and includes a Queen Elsa mini-doll figure and a LEGO snowman Olaf.
Luxury Family Tour to Yellowstone National Park with Austin Adventures
