‘Tis the season to trim the tree, deck the halls, and get started on holiday gift shopping. If you’re on a budget, you might be surprised to learn how many affordable gifts, including more luxury items like solid gold jewelry (yes, we’re serious), cashmere accessories, and trendy holiday candles, are under $50.
Every year, our PEOPLE Tested team spends hours upon hours researching and testing products so you know what is actually worth buying. And, in the words of Mariah Carey, “it’s time” to reveal the items we think make the best gifts without pushing you over your holiday shopping budget. Ahead, find our editor-approved list of the best gifts under $50.
Top Gifts Under $50
Best Gifts for Men Under $50
We’re not going to lie: Some of the men on our list are the hardest to shop for — but we love a good challenge.
If you’re looking for the best gifts for men under $50, we’ve got you covered with a subtle Star Wars-themed water bottle, a must-have winter sports accessory, and a classic pair of slide sandals, plus some fun stocking stuffer ideas, too.
Reusable water bottles are the gift that keeps on giving. For the Star Wars fan in your life, consider Owala’s cheeky nod to the franchise. The Owala bottle comes in 15 colors, all corresponding to different Star Wars (plus Marvel, DC Comics, and Harry Potter) characters.
We love a good winter accessory, especially one that is a bit unexpected compared to the usual beanies and scarves. The Smith x TNF Google Bag is the it bag for skiers and snowboarders alike, offering a stylish solution for goggle storage (and protection), plus some extra space for small essentials like lip balm, credit cards, and wireless earbuds.
Editors Say
“If you’re an avid skier, you know that Smith Goggles are a hot item on the slopes, so an under-$50 Smith find is worth adding to your cart immediately.” — Erin Johnson, associate shopping director
If you don’t know what to get the man in your life, you can’t go wrong with a fresh pair of slides. These Nike slides are a classic style that can be worn post-workout, on vacation, or while walking the dog (once the weather warms up, of course). We love them in the classic black and white style, but they come in 30 different colors, so there’s a pair for everyone.
Editors Say
“My husband has owned these sandals for years and loves them. They’re super lightweight and have some excellent cushioning (for a slide sandal) to offer relief from impact, so you feel like you’re walking on clouds.” – Jessie Quinn, contributing writer
More Under-$50 Gifts for Men
Best Gifts for Women Under $50
People / Joy Kim
Shopping for affordable gifts doesn’t mean skipping out on some luxe items. Whether it’s a best-selling makeup set or a solid gold charm, you can still find some of the best gifts for women for under $50.
The best thing about the holiday shopping season is all of the stellar skincare and makeup sets that get released this time of year. For a budget-friendly gift idea that feels more splurge-worthy, pick up the Tarte Glitz & Glow Best-Sellers Set.
This kit comes with mini sizes of Tarte’s Blush Tape, Glow Tape, and Maneater Mascara, all for just $25.
Jewelry is always is great gift idea, especially timeless and personalized fine jewelry pieces such as the Local Eclectic Solid Gold Birthstone Baguette Charm. This under-$50 gold pendant adds a touch of sparkle to any necklace chain or charm bracelet and is made from 9K solid yellow gold.
Editors Say
“Local Eclectic is one of my go-to places to buy gifts (including for myself) because the retailer carries so many unique and affordable jewelry designs from its own collections and small designers, too. I am a big fan of the Family Gold line in particular, which is a more budget-friendly approach to solid gold jewelry.” — Jessie Quinn, shopping writer
More Under-$50 Gifts for Women
Best Gifts for Friends Under $50
Wondering what to get your friends for the holidays? Friend gifts are some of our favorite things to shop for because you can really lean into their interests and hobbies with budget-friendly ideas such as a new baseball cap, game, or embroidery kit.
The Stanley Cup continues to reign as one of the best gifts to give virtually anyone on your list, including your friends. We love the trendy reusable water bottle because it comes in lots of different colors and designs, and you can add some fun accessories like a Stanley Cup Snack Bowl and your bestie’s favorite snacks.
When we’re stuck on what to get our friends for the holidays, we always go the activity route. Ideas such as the Hook Line Tinker Sardines Embroidery Kit are a fun way to spark creativity and self-care. This set supports a small business and includes everything needed for beginners to learn how to embroider their first project.
More Under-$50 Gifts for Friends
Best Holiday Gifts Under $50
Holiday-themed gifts are a fun way to spread some festive cheer this season. From Christmas candles to winter activities and LEGO sets, here are some of our best holiday gift ideas for under $50.
It’s not the holiday season without a holiday candle, and Yankee Candle makes some of our favorites. The Christmas Cookie scent is a classic, and you can get a 22-oz. jar at Amazon, making it an excellent last-minute gift idea.
With downtime and winter weather, the holidays are the best times to give creative activities such as the Paint Anywhere Christmas Holiday Paint Kit. This kit features a festive winter city scene that your loved one can frame and use as holiday decor once finished.
More Under-$50 Holiday-Themed Gifts
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Jessie Quinn is a contributing shopping writer for PEOPLE and has written for publications such as Byrdie, InStyle, The Spruce, NYLON, and more. Finding the best gifts is one of Jessie’s passions, and she has spent years curating her own lists of gift ideas for friends and family.
As a seasoned shopping writer, Jessie also spends the majority of her time researching and testing products that are worth shopping for. With her collective experience — plus some highly recommended suggestions from the PEOPLE Tested team — Jessie put together this list of the best gifts under $50.
Our Shopping Experts
- Erin Johnson is an associate shopping director at PEOPLE and an expert in home, travel, and outdoor products. She lives by the philosophy of, “When in doubt, gift a Tarte bestsellers kit.”
- Kayla Kitts is PEOPLE’s home and kitchen shopping editor, so she made sure our best tested products made this list, like Oprah’s Favorite Truff hot sauce.
- Shalwah Evans is the senior shopping editor at PEOPLE and an expert in all things beauty and fitness. One of her husband’s favorite gifts includes this Yeti mug he uses every single day.
- Madison Yauger is a PEOPLE shopping editor who loves to show love through thoughtful gifts — most of which aren’t the most expensive, but are certainly meaningful. She specializes in lifestyle coverage and is the go-to among her friends for gift ideas across travel, pets, beauty, home, and more.
- Genevieve Cepeda is a shopping writer at PEOPLE and a gifting expert. This year alone, she’s written about the best gifts for men, gifts for women, and white elephant gifts.
- Alyssa Brascia is a PEOPLE shopping writer and beauty expert. She and her two siblings typically set a $50 ceiling on the gifts they can buy each other for Christmas, so she’s used to looking for trendy, fun beauty products or accessories for her sister and cool graphic tees or sports gear for her brother within this price point.
- Cai Cramer is a PEOPLE shopping writer and skincare expert. She loves a good deal and is always searching for the next best thing in beauty and skincare.
What Is PEOPLE Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
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