Holiday Gifts for $50 or Less

The holidays are a time of giving, but tight budgets and growing recipient lists can make it difficult. With a little creativity, though, you can take care of everyone on your list for less than $50 each (as of 2010).

For Employees

Chocolates and other food are always a good option.

"Entrepreneur" magazine offers a variety of ideas for taking care of employees, from food boxes and baskets ($25 to $50) to computer memory drives ($27 to $48). Customized ideas include specialized gift baskets (from $40), personalized stationery ($9 to $29) and engraved desktop items ($8 to $50).

For Her

Add some style to her mp3 player.

With technology literally at her fingertips, gloves that allow for typing and texting can come in handy ($16). Add style to her music enjoyment with fashion headphones ($32). A gift that keeps giving all year is a magazine subscription, most of which are available for less than $50 annually.

For Him

Sports tickets are a perennial favorite with men.

Let his geeky side show through his style with microchip-inspired cufflinks ($50). For the sports-obsessed, many teams offer mini and flexible ticket plans for $50 or less. Flasks ranging from pocket-sized to 64 ounces can often be engraved ($20 to $50).

For Kids

Let kids explore their creative side.

For creative kids, markers, easels and activity kits will delight ($6 to $40). While video game costs have skyrocketed, board games for kids of all ages can still be found well below $50 each.

References

• Entrepreneur Magazine: Holiday Gift Ideas Under $50
• The Huffington Post: Christmas Gift Ideas 2010