Men seem to have trouble deciding on what to get their significant others. Unless they have a specific list, the only things that come to mind are gift certificates, perfume or electronics. Mind you: those things aren’t bad, just a little staid.

If your boyfriend seems stressed about gifts, show him this link. Most of these gifts are less than $20 and all are covetable in their own right.

1. Stocking – This plastic to-go cup is environmentally friendly and budget-conscious too. You can save up to $30 a week making your own coffee at home, but still carry the familiar cup in your hand. $20.00
2. Christmas Eve – The Night Before Christmas was originally titled A Visit from St. Nicholas. Find an early edition copy for a lovely and nostalgic Christmas Eve gift. $10-25
3. Stocking – J.Crew makes lovely gloves, like this yellow fingerless pair. Slip the mittens over your fingers if you get chilly! $12.50
4. Christmas Eve – Christmas Eve pajamas are a must-buy. Make them sexy, but with some holiday-ish print. Victoria’s Secret has great options. $39.50
5. Under The Tree – Take tons of photos with this adorable pink fisheye camera. $48
6. Under The Tree – More of a couple present, this wine accessories kit is a great deal, comes in a nice boxed set and is the perfect thing to bring along on a spring picnic. $12.50
7. Stocking – Starbucks has this great gift set of holiday blend coffee featuring characters from A Charlie Brown Christmas. $40
8. Under The Tree – With everyone so busy these days, it’s hard to find time to read a long, exhaustive novel. Try a collection of short stories for quick pick-me-ups. $12
9. Under The Tree – To make perfume buying easy, get this collection of popular scent samples. $50
10. Under The Tree – Every girl loves shoes. Just find the right size! $48
11. Under The Tree – Turtlenecks are a wardrobe must-have, especially in the winter, as you can wear them over and over. Try them under summer dresses to extend your wardrobe when the snow flies. $10 each
12. Stocking – Adorable gingham headbands at an amazing price. $2.80
13. Under The Tree – Every woman loves flowers, but try these more earthy, elegant arrangements for something different. $50
14. Christmas Eve – You must have slippers to go with your new Christmas pajamas. May I suggest these from Old Navy? I have them and adore them. $20
15. Under The Tree – The entire series of Sex and the City is the kind of decadent gift every woman wants, but would never buy for herself. Wrap it pretty! $95

The holidays are fast approaching and company is coming for dinner! As a city girl who rents and has a small eat-in kitchen, there is not always enough room for all those gorgeous upholstered dining chairs I would like to have, so I must make do with the folding chair option. Ever the girl who needs to be different, I have been scouring the internet to find ways to glam up these ho-hum chairs and look at what I have come up with: The ever popular (for good reason) removable decal! By using them on the back of a chair and not the wall you can create a chair uniquely your own.

My favorite find is from Blik: the “Chair Back” decal! I love all the different styles and they are available in a range of colors! At a price point of $30 for six decals, it’s certainly an easy way to update those once boring chairs!

Next, we have numbers and letters from the Etsy store TastySuite! A fun idea to label each person’s chair with either their initial or a number. You could get really creative with the numbers and subtly let someone know they are #1 in your life. Who knows, by Christmas they could have moved down the list and you could subtly give them a new number. Cheesy, I know, but fun!

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I’m trying to get started early on my Christmas shopping, and what better place than Etsy.com? I love that most items are homemade, and there are also plenty of cool vintage finds.

For My Sister:

This jeweled headband is made from vintage pieces, making it one-of-a-kind.

For My Mum:

My mom and dad have a black lab they love dearly, and my mother likes to find little home decor items or the like that have subtle appearances of their dog. She’d really like these adorable holiday greeting cards.

The vase is another good find: it’s all handmade porcelain, and the yellow interior would match the colors of the living room and sitting room in my parents’ home.

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Shopping for my friends and family around the holidays is super-stressful. Lately I’ve been putting off my Christmas shopping, saying, “Ahh, I’ll just do it tomorrow…or next weekend…”

That kind of denial only gets me into trouble. Instead of going to buy a gift for my mother, I’ll procrastinate and stay home, curled up in my warm bed reading a good book. My justification? “But it’s been such a long day!”

But, shopping online for gifts instead is a great alternative. I can stay in my PJ’s, and it’s basically killing two birds with one stone–shopping and wrapping done at once (most online retailers offer free gift wrapping near the holidays).

The Mark by Avon Little Black Box can be customized with whatever combinations of makeup you desire. There are some pre-selected options, but it’s more fun to create a unique combo, don’t you think? It’s a great deal (about $6) and perfect for stocking stuffers for friends/cousins/nieces/etc.

My best friend Lisa is a make-up fiend. She adores Eyes Lips Face (E.L.F.), as do I, for their unbelievably inexpensive make-up. This “Ultimate Kit” is only–wait for it–$15. I know Lisa would just love this…and because she lives on the other side of the country, this kit would be easy to ship, as it isn’t perishable or a weird-shaped item.

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