Gifts under $20
Whether it’s for your work Kris Kingle, your family’s Secret Santa or a little something you want to buy a friend, we’ve got plenty of great $20 or less Christmas gift ideas.
Our online manager Nina Kenwood and our online assistant Bronte Coates recommend a few choice items. You can browse the $20 or less collection below for many more!
Nina recommends…
If you aren’t familiar with all the Hey Girl Ryan Gosling Tumblrs out there, you’re probably not wasting enough time on the internet (for an overview see here). Out of all of them, Feminist Ryan Gosling emerged as the most popular and with good reason – there is something undeniably compelling about pictures of Ryan Gosling accompanied by feminist theory. This book – with largely new content, along with the best material from the blog – will make any feminist Ryan Gosling fan very, very happy.
I’m at the very tail-end of my twenties, but I can still relate to this gorgeous and very funny book, based off the popular blog F*ck, I’m In My Twenties. Every entry is a hand-drawn or handwritten work of art that has something interesting to say about the experience of growing up in the modern age – from friendships to technology. You don’t really need to be in your twenties to appreciate this lovely book (although it probably helps). Fans of the TV show Girls will enjoy.
I recently saw Lisa Mitchell perform live at the Queenscliff Music Festival and she was fantastic. Her new album is soulful, sweet and truly delightful. My highlight tracks include ‘The Land Beyond the Front Door’ and ‘The Raven and the Mushroom Man’. Bless this Mess is a crowd-pleasing gift that can be given to young or old. And, while we’re talking Aussie music, if you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars over the $20 mark, consider Tame Impala’s Lonerism – the first ever Australian album to be selected as number one album of the year by British rock mag NME, as well as being selected as triple j’s Album of the Year.
If you’re stuck for what to buy someone, a classic 1980’s film is a fail-safe option. Shockingly, there are some people out there who don’t own The Princess Bride on DVD. Even worse, there are people out there who have never seen this movie. Can you imagine watching Homeland not even knowing Saul Berenson was once Inigo Montoya? It breaks my heart. If you know anyone who doesn’t own it – if you even suspect you know someone who doesn’t own it – use this Christmas to remedy that fact. (If The Princess Bride isn’t quite right, other classic 80’s films under $20 to consider are The Breakfast Club, Aliens, Sixteen Candles and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).
Bronte recommends…
While I love the completely hilarious Scared of Santa and heartily recommend you take a look, my favourite gift book for the past year has been Claudia Rowe’s The Very Hungry Bum. To date, I’ve gifted this kind-of-adorable take on The Very Hungry Caterpillar to 3 different people (including my own difficult-to-buy-for-dad) and it has invariably gone down a treat.
If you’re looking for something more substantial than bummerfly jokes, I’d recommend The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett, a slim highly-readable novel about what happens when the Queen starts reading - both widely and intelligently. Obviously, the consequence is ‘surprising, mildly shocking and very funny’. This is an older book but one I continue to love sharing with new readers. If you haven’t tried it yet it is perfect for older relatives, and for reading yourself before handing over…
For something a bit more unusual, I’d recommend this harmonica. As one of the least-musical people I know (okay, the very least) I can attest that a harmonica is a heck of fun regardless of your level of talent. The instrument comes packaged in a classic-inspired design so will appeal to any hipsters you know.
And for something conventional, but really quite cool, I’d suggest you take a look at these Scrabble Alphabet mugs especially if you’re hunting around for a work colleague KK. Scrabble is a hit with nearly everyone, and the individual letters can be a lovely touch. If you’re buying for someone you know quite well it might even be worth checking out our Mr Men and Little Miss collection or our Penguin Classic collection for something a bit more personal.
Have a look at even more recommendations for gifts $20 and under
