GIFTS $20 & Under for Mom

As a child, my parents made a tradition each year at Christmas to have each person in our family select a name out of a hat for the person we would buy a gift for. We didn't have much money, but my parents would kindly give my two brothers and me each $20 to spend on our "Secret Santa" person. $20 does not sound like much money, but we actually found it to be quite fun as a challenge of finding the most creative, inexpensive gift for our designated receiver.

I decided to post several lists on our Christmas Page for us to all see how creative and inexpensive gift-buying can be when we just take a little extra time to think about what that person truly likes. This is also a GREAT way for children to learn the JOY OF GIVING!

Here is our first list: Gifts $20 & Under for Mom

1. Mom's Five-Second Memory Journal - $6.40 (amazon.com)

Whether you’re a mom with only five seconds to spare—or a mom with an attention span of five seconds—this journal is for you! Mom’s Five-Second Memory Journal includes playful, breezy, and sometimes eccentric prompts to jot down thoughts on your life as a wife, a professional, and—of course—a mother to those wild and crazy kids! The journal is portable enough to carry in your bag, yet substantial enough to become a keepsake. And best of all, since the journal isn’t chronological, you won’t feel guilty if you don’t fill it out for a week (or a month or three)!

2. Brass Alphabet Hooks - $15.50-$19.50 (potterybarn.com)

Casual and with a touch of fun, these hooks help you keep any room in the home organized. Each hook features a lower case letter a–z. Gold finish is hand applied. Mounting hardware included.

3. Etched Mercury Filled Scented Votive Benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Set of 2 - $19.50 (potterbarn.com)

There’s more than one way to brighten the holidays. For every mercury-glass votive benefiting St. Jude, we’ll donate 50% of the purchase price directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, helping to support research and treatment for pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. These great gifts bring light to kids everywhere.

3.5" diameter, 2.5" high; 41-hour burn time
Blown glass with an etched antique-mercury finish, and filled with spiced-vanilla-scented paraffin wax.
Set of 2.

4. Lucia: A Venetian Life in the Age of Napoleon Hardcover – Deckle Edge, January 22, 2008 - $6.49 (hardcover) $11.99 (Kindle) (amazon.com)

From the acclaimed author of A Venetian Affair comes the vivid and dramatic story of the fall of Venice and the rise of a new age during the tumultuous Napoleonic period, as seen through the eyes of his great-great-great-great-grandmother.

5. Redeeming Love Paperback – May 9, 2005 by Francine Rivers - $16.95 (hardcover) $9.99 (Kindle) (amazon.com)

California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep. Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

6. Como se Llama? Tea Towel Set - $19.99 (modcloth.com)

Every new guest you host could inspire material for your next novel. Take note of character ideas as you serve the second course with one of these two tea towels over your shoulder! Designed with colorfully decked-out llamas and festive pom-poms, this cotton duo is a lighthearted representation of your literary journeys.

7. Plaid Houndstooth Fedora - $18.00 (dressbarn.com)

One size fits all

22'' circumference
100% acrylic
Wipe Clean

8. TRUE by Tuleste™ Heart Pendant Necklace - $18.00 (dressbarn.com)

18'' length
Textured heart pendant
Wipe Clean

9. WOMEN’S FAST TREK™ GLOVE - $20.00 (columbia.com)

When you need a sleek winter glove for warmth and protection, these are the girls for you. 250g’s of microfleece keep your digits cozy while elasticized wrists seal out the elements. Abrasion-resistant palm patch lets you grip with ease.