Cheap Christmas Gifts and Handmade Festive Gifts Under $5
When did holidays become more about the price of gifts than the joy of waking up on Christmas morning?
At Open For Christmas, we think that giving gifts should be enjoyable.
Unfortunately, in today’s times, gift exchanging can feel like a competition of who spent the most money.
It’s partly due to the holiday season being a time where we’re overloaded with advertising and pressure to shop until we drop.
Because of this, it can feel inconsiderate to give cheap gifts.
Not only is this false, but it’s also unhealthy to get yourself into financial stress over buying expensive gifts.
So to help take off some of the dread of festive shopping, we’ve put together some nice ideas for Christmas gifts under 5 dollars.
Our list is packed with gifts that are full of thought and love, to keep the bank balance happy without the receiver ever questioning how much you’ve spent.
We’ve split the gifts into different categories so you can find the perfect cheap but thoughtful gifts.
So whether you’re hunting for the perfect secret Santa gifts under 5 bucks, or just looking to save some money, we hope you find the perfect gift.
In this post you’ll find:
- DIY Christmas Gifts Under 5 Dollars
- Office Christmas Gifts Under 5 Dollars
- Cheap Christmas Gifts Under 5 Dollars
| Please note: All of these items were priced at $5 or less during the time of writing. Although we do try and stay on top of price fluctuations, occasionally we do miss some. |
36 Gift Ideas Under $1
12 Cheap Christmas Gifts Under 5 Dollars
Bear Claw Telescopic Back Scratcher
This funny novelty gift will get people laughing and serves as a useful tool when lounging on the sofa.
Shampoo Head Massager
A relaxing massager that’s great for recreating the salon experience at home.
This tool works fabulously when used in the shower to work in a hair mask and stimulate the scalp, or just as a self-massager to help de-stress.
Scrunchie Set
Those who love vintage looking hair accessories will love this range of velvet-looking scrunchies.
The different colours are perfect for matching up with different outfits and coordinating with other accessories.
Handheld Head Scratcher
These devices look similar to a kitchen whisk but are actually designed for self head massaging.
The small plastic beads gently massage your head and leave you feeling relaxed and completely de-stressed.
Hair Ties
Sometimes the best gifts are things we will always need and use.
Hair ties are one of those things that no matter how many you buy, you always end up having none left after a few months.
Sort them out for a good long while by bulk-buying this set of neutral-toned hair ties.
ChapStick S’mores Collection
Smores flavoured Chapsticks. Need we say more?
These are the perfect handbag lip balms for the sweet-toothed people in your life.
Festive Trivets for Hot Pots and Pans
For the person who loves getting their home all cosy at Christmas time, these trivets make the perfect table accessory.
They have a gorgeous rustic and farmhouse Christmas design which is great for thanksgiving or family meals in the holidays.
Colorful Owl Notepad
A cute little notepad that will brighten up their day at school, work or for shopping lists.
IKEA Tolsby Frame for 2 Sided Pictures
This affordable picture frame is great as a gift by itself or filled with two photographs of special memories.
Reusable Stainless Steel Straws
Reusable straws are a great way to cut down on plastic use, and they even come with a little carry case to take them to restaurants and bars.
Check out our post 6 Best Ethical And Eco Friendly Gifts This Christmas for more eco-friendly gift ideas.
Yosemite National Park Poster
This cool poster would look great in an office, bedroom or living room. We love the calming colours.
Candy Cane Bath Bomb
What’s better than a lovely pink bath bomb? A candy cane scented bath bomb, of course.
| Enjoying this gift guide? You might also like our Open For Christmas article 21 Best Cheap Christmas Gifts Under $10. |
Office Christmas Gifts Under 5 Dollars
Daily Planner Notepad
Help them stay organised and on top of their work with this affordable daily planner that includes a useful brain dump.
Colourful Fruits Mouse Mat
Brighten up their day at work with this vibrant mouse mat.
Adjustable Phone Stand for Desk
A lot of us now use our phones to send work emails or view documents and take work calls. It’s no longer taboo to be on your phone whilst at your desk, so make life easier with this adjustable phone stand.
Svenee Mini Artificial Desk Plant
We love this thoughtful artificial desk plant that adds a splash of vibrant green to an otherwise dull desk.
Cute Cartoon Animal Mini Vase or Knick-Knack holder
This tiny little frog (or is it a dinosaur?) is an adorable trinket holder or plant pot for somebodies desk.
Milk Frother
If they’re a big coffee fan spending money on lattes, why not introduce them to the milk frother.
Delicious foamy coffee for much much cheaper.
Rose Flower Pattern Pen Pot
This pretty pen pot, mini trash can or vase is a great accessory to decorate a desk in the office without taking up too much space.
You could even fill it with wrapped candies for a special treat.
Gifts Under 5 Dollars for Kids
Melissa & Doug Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Train Craft Kit
For the train lover in your life. We love these kits as they’re great for letting kids personalise their favourite things.
50pcs Stickers, Vinyls and Wall Decals
These stickers are great for kids of all ages to personalise and decorate notebooks, laptops, walls, water bottles and furniture or anything they can think of!
When we wrote this there were 8 different packs to choose from including Grand Theft Auto, Sloths, Daisies, and Courage the Cowardly Dog.
Melissa & Doug Design-Your-Own Bracelets
Kids will have loads of fun with this bracelet kit by Melissa & Doug.
Melissa & Doug DYO Monster Truck
Who doesn’t love monster trucks! Get messy with this Decorate-Your-Own monster truck set for less than $5.
Unicorn Coloring Book
We love this unicorn colouring book on Amazon that will provide hours of fun for a unicorn-lover.
Melissa & Doug DYO – Wooden Race Car
Got a youngster in your life that loves race cars? Then they’ll absolutely adore this wooden race car set from Melissa & Doug.
Lots of Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids
For the tiny comedian in your life. Be warned – you’ll be hearing knock knock jokes for a long time after giving this present.
Melissa & Doug Princess Wand
If you’ve got a princess that loves all things girly, they’ll really enjoy decorating this princess wand.
DIY Christmas Gifts Under 5 Dollars
Gift a Homemade Experience Kit
Movie Night
Include popcorn, fluffy socks and a cocktail or beer. You could make a homemade ticket for this one for a special extra touch! Or, include an invitation with a time and date for your movie night.
Include a recommendation for a film you think they’ll like to add a personalised element.
Pamper Night
Buy a fun shower cap and fill it with a body scrub (you could try making a homemade scrub with coffee grains and coconut oil), a nice smelling body wash, sponge or loofah and a face mask.
Sleep Kit
We all value our sleep, and it’s nice to feel like someones looking out for you.
A simple gift that could go a mile is an eye mask, earplugs, sleep socks and some lavender essential oil or pillow spray.
For more homemade gift ideas, take a look at our Open For Christmas article 15 Easy & Unique Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas.
Plant Pot and Seeds
Fill a plant pot with tissue paper and head to a supermarket or home and garden store to pick up some cheap seeds.
We like this pot from Amazon: Full Depth Round Cylinder Pot, Black, 6-Inch
Display them nicely inside the plant pot and wrap with gift paper or place the pot inside a gift bag.
Cookie Making Kit
All you need to make these cute cookie recipe kits are:
- Jars
- The ingredients
- Optional decorative ribbon
These cookie recipe jars are great for individuals or to give to families as an activity to do together.
Don’t forget to add a personalised note asking for a photo of the cookies when they’re made so you can see how they turned out!
Hot Cocoa Kit
Fill a mason jar, plastic tumbler, or mug with a small bag filled with one serving of hot chocolate to keep the inside of the jar clean.
The other components can be loose or also in plastic, it’s up to you!
Fill the jar with mini marshmallows, their favourite chocolates, a gingerbread cookie, reusable straws, candy canes, a heartfelt message, the name of a relaxing playlist to listen to with their hot chocolate, or suggestions for the best Christmas movies.
Or, have a go at making your own hot chocolate bombs. They’re so indulgent, look amazing, and will go down a treat. We love this easy to follow recipe from Sugar Geek Show.
Get creative with this one and personalize it to their favorite things so they really feel special and loved when they’re enjoying their luxury hot cocoa.
| And how about gifting this one with these festive candy cane spoons? The perfect addition to any large cup of cocoa, coffee, or Christmassy desserts. |
Skin Pamper Kit
Making a mini skin pamper kit is like giving the gift of a relaxing spa treatment.
You can include whatever you want in this kit, but here are some ideas to help you on the way.
- Face mask
- Washcloth
- Makeup wipes
- Cotton pads
- Q Tips
- Face wash
- Moisturiser
- Face massager
- Facial oil
- Toner
- Vitamin spray
- Sun cream
Hair Care Kit
At the time of writing, this scrunchie set was $3.99, which leaves one dollar to pick up a cheap comb, single-use hair mask or cheap hair accessory.
To make a haircare kit from scratch, fill a tub, box or gift bag with anything hair related. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Hair clips
- Scrunchies
- Hair accessories
- Hair ties
- Comb
- Hair mask
- Hairbrush
- Rollers
- Conditioner
- Shampoo
- Mousse
- Hairspray
- Hair gel
- Heat protectant spray
- Temporary hair dye
Best Christmas Gifts Under 5 Dollars and DIY Gift Ideas – Final Thoughts
It’s safe to say there are lots and lots of options out there when it comes to affordable gift ideas.
We’ve really enjoyed putting this list together and we hope you’ve enjoyed reading it!
If you’ve got anything out of this post hopefully it’s the fact that you can still give thoughtful gifts at Christmas without spending a fortune.
Sometimes it really is the thought that counts.
And putting effort into creating something meaningful like a spa pamper night or a movie night, is way more impactful to their lives than a fancy piece of jewellery.
We hope that you’ve enjoyed reading through our list of the best Christmas gifts under 5 dollars, and our homemade Christmas gift ideas.
If you haven’t found exactly what you’re looking for then hopefully you’re feeling slightly more inspired by our recommendations.
We know we’d be more than happy to receive any of these gifts.
It’s even better to enjoy them knowing that loved-ones haven’t put themselves into financial-worry to buy them.
If you’ve enjoyed this gift-buying guide, you might like some of our similar gift ideas and Christmas decor idea articles listed below.
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