under $20 holiday gift guide + how to personalize a generic gift

Holiday gift shopping is in full swing and chances are that you have people on your list that you are not looking forward to shopping for. Not because you don't like them, but because you have absolutely no clue what to get them and every idea seems way too generic. Well, have no fear. Today I will be suggesting gift ideas for under $20 along with ways to make a generic gift feel more personal. (Spoiler alert: it is all about what you write on the gift tag.) So whether you need a gift for a niece you haven't see in a couple years,  your new daughter-in-law who lives halfway across the country, or the coworker you've barely spoken to but managed to get in the Secret Santa drawing, I will help you look like a gift-giving pro.

The first thing on the agenda is to adjust your expectations by reminding yourself that the gift doesn't have to be perfect. You want to get them something that they will actually enjoy, but if you don't know much about them, that can be a tall order. So instead ask yourself the following two questions: 

1. Is this something they won't mind getting? 
2. Is there some way to connect this item back to something they like?

Obviously you would like the answer to both questions to be yes. The second question may seem difficult to answer, but with the hints that follow in this post you will be connect pretty much any generic gift back to what little you know about the person. With only a little bit of effort, you will be able to make a generic gift seem thoughtful.

LAQA & Co. Lil' Lip Duo $16

The first item on this year's gift guide is the LAQA & Co. Lil' Lip Duo gift set. I have it in the Bossy Boots & Ring of Fire color option, but I think either would work equally well. While nailpolish and fancy bath products are often used for generic gifts, few people give makeup. This may be because it can seem like a very personal preference, but I think a fun lip color can be appreciated by a wide range of women. The key is in how you frame the gift and that is where your note on the gift tag comes in. Try to tie the lipstick to a fun event that you know the recipient has planned. For a co-worker that has been talking about her New Year's Eve plans, you can write, "Hope this helps you feel extra glamorous during the holiday season! Can't wait to see photos of your New Year's Eve outfit!" 

With a couple sentences on the gift tag, you have transformed a generic gift into something that feels relevant to the person. It also helps to alleviate any confusion of why you gave someone the gift. If you don't know someone well, they may read a different meaning into the gift than you had intended. Writing more than just names on the gift tag will make it clear why you chose that item and help to prevent any hurt feelings.

Gift sets are popular around the holidays and what could be easier than a tea or coffee basket? I like this one from Stash Tea because all you need to do is add water. It's great for college students or coworkers because they can use it in their dorm room or cubicle without any extra effort. Personally I love tea and I also love collecting mugs more than the average person, so I would be pretty thrilled to receive this set even without a personalized note attached. However, since not everyone shares my enthusiasm, it may seem a little generic. The first thing is to ensure that the recipient actually likes tea (or coffee or whatever food and beverage related gift set you decide to go with). Once that has been ascertained, try to connect it to a specific event in that person's life. If your neighbor is hosting a lot of family during the holidays, your note might read, "Open this when you need a break from entertaining this season." For your child's teacher you might write, "To help you stay warm and relaxed on a snowy day." 

Stash Tea Fiesta Gift Pack $16.95

At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson (paperback) $15.95

Books can be difficult to buy for people you don't know very well, so I wavered on whether or not to include this. What finally swayed me is that recently I have found that there are lots of people who have not heard of this absolutely amazing book. This is the perfect winter book because you are spending a lot of time indoors and this book is all about the interesting things that make our homes the way they are. There are stories about historical figures, inventions (both lauded and not), and events that all have affected how our homes look and how we live in them. It may seem like this book is only a good option for your friend who is super competitive at trivia night, but I think this fascinating read should be on everyone's bookshelf. 

If you are looking for a gift for someone who recently bought a house (or even just moved into a new apartment), you can add a gift tag to this book that says, "Enjoy your new home! Hopefully this book will help you look at it from a new perspective." For a more all-purpose sentiment, this can be used: "What better time to read a book about homes than when the cold weather keeps you stuck inside? Hope this helps to keep your cabin fever at bay." Of the gift ideas in this post, At Home is the best option if you are participating in a blind gift swap. It is relevant to most everyone so you don't have to take personal tastes into account.

Journals are often a go-to gift and Paperblanks makes ones that are absolutely gorgeous. Since this gift can be very generic, it is best when you can connect it back to one of the recipient's interests. Many hobbies require some amount of writing or note taking, so this can be a way to show that you've been paying attention to them without struggling to find something that is actually related to their interests. 

For example, the gift tag for an aspiring writer might read, "Even the rough draft of your novel should have a beautiful cover." If your friend loves to cook and is always dreaming up new creations, you could say, "For all the recipes you love and the ones that you haven't yet created." Perhaps your coworker is planning a fabulous trip so you can frame this as a travel log: "I hope you'll keep track of your fun adventures in Europe so that you can tell me all about them when you get home!" By giving the journal a purpose, it feels personalized instead of just blank pages and a pretty cover.

Paperblanks Journal $19.95

While my focus here has been to personalize gifts, it is also handy to have a couple generic items on hand for when you unexpectedly need a gift. Pre-wrap all the gifts, add a blank gift tag, and use a sticky note to label each item. Then if someone drops by with a gift, all you have to do is write their name on the gift tag and you'll be able to reciprocate. It won't be as personalized, but at least you won't be empty-handed.

I'm sure that some of you are still fretting about whether these gifts (even with thoughtfully written gift tags) are too generic. To make you feel a little better about this, I want to tell you a quick story about how gifts that are too specific can go wrong. I was at a holiday party that included a blind gift swap and the general premise of these is that all the wrapped gifts go in the center and everyone can pick a gift (and often this includes a period where gifts can be "stolen" and switched among the attendees). Most of the gifts were baskets of bath products or small jewelry, but there was one very large present. That present turned out to be a case of Fresca soda. It was brought with a specific recipient in mind, but due to the rules of the swap, that person did not end up with it (and there was a little bit of bitterness on the part of the person who did end up with it). So if you aren't sure that a unique gift will be a hit or you can't guarantee who will actually receive the gift, I think that it is better to go generic.

What are your favorite gifts to give people you don't know very well? Share your thoughts in comments!