I hunted down some gifts for under $20—items I personally love or would give to a loved one. We do a family gift exchange every year with my own siblings, and we usually keep a smaller budget for it. Same with the gift exchange we do with our kids. These traditions have me always keeping an eye out for fun and thoughtful ideas that don’t break the bank!

We always tell our kids to think really hard about what they actually want for Christmas, instead of compiling an endlessly long list of things. I love seeing their wheels turn as they carefully think through and write down their wishes. We don’t do super big gifts for Christmas; instead, it is usually gifts we know they will really love and use more than a few times. I like to surprise them with something not on their lists as well. Bonus points if it won’t break in ten minutes (this has definitely happened a time or two on Christmas morning). This gift guide is a mix of things our kids have loved in the past and items that have really piqued my interest for different age groups.

I love to slowly gather gifts throughout the year when I find small boutiques or neat local shops. I am also always ordering a few gifts last-minute when I am out of time to shop. I love shopping for loved ones, but I can rarely name things I personally am wishing for. (Poor Gabe is usually playing the guessing game.) This gift guide forced me to sit down and scour the internet for things I would personally love, but also things I would want to give to my own mom, sisters, or friends.

Written by Gabe

I look forward to our annual gift guide every year! Many of these items I have either used and loved, or they are on my own wish list! I hope it saves you time in the hunt for the right gift for the menfolk in your life.