Thrifty Wife Happy Life

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35 Non-Material Holiday Gift Ideas for Any Budget

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Mother and children in matching Christmas pajamas.

When it comes to gift-giving over the holiday season, I often find myself feeling overwhelmed by the amount of “stuff” that you can consume this time of the year. Sometimes I feel that the focus on material things overshadows the true spirit of the season—connection, gratitude, and thoughtfulness. That’s why I love exploring non-material gift options that bring joy without adding to the clutter. This is why today I am sharing a list of non-material gift ideas that will work with any type of budget you have!

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Small Shops Holiday Gift Guide

by Katie Haller

Small Shops Holiday Gift Guide
We all know that Black Friday is the big shopping day that falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but the Saturday after Thanksgiving is Small Business Saturday.  I always look forward to that day because it’s the best day to find deals at your favorite small shops in your community and online.  I love to shop at small businesses because they offer unique gift ideas that other stores don’t have.  Your purchases at small shops help keep these businesses thriving and giving back to the community.

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Holiday Gift Guides for Kids

by Katie Haller

 Christmas is so fun when you have little kids.  Of course, you want to give them the world, but you also want them to learn that Christmas isn’t all about gifts.  Material items only go so far so last year when I was trying to figure out what to buy my kids for Christmas I reached out to my Instagram followers for suggestions on how to simplify the holidays and not go overboard on kid gifts.  The one suggestion that really stuck with me was to give your child something they want, something they need, and something to read.  I thought that was a great idea and that’s why this year I wanted to break down my gift guides that way.

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My Favorite Things Gift Guide

by Katie Haller

It’s time for my last gift guide of the season.  I did one for Teacher gifts, Toddler gifts and today I’m talking about gifts for her.  Nothing against the guys, but I’m horrible on buying guy gifts.  For girls, I just think of what I would like for myself.  That’s why for today’s post, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite things.  This is a list of things that I either use daily or really want to buy for myself. 

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*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will earn a commission for this blog. Thank you for your support! 

I do not have this set yet, but it’s defiantly on my wish list.  One of my friends at work has been using it and she loves it.  I always do my nails at home and this gel set gives your nails that gel finish that makes it look like you just left the nail salon. 

I got this eye shadow pallet a couple years ago for Christmas and I love it.  I think if you’re going to give someone makeup, this is the perfect makeup gift.  It’s a good quality of eye shadow and the colors work with almost any skin tone. 

Slippers $29.37
Who doesn’t love a nice pair of house slippers.  I’m in bare feet most of the year, but in the winter I love being able to slip into a pair of slippers to wear around the house.

This is a repeat from my teacher gift guide, but I am so obsessed with my leather earrings that I just had to add them again.  They are so practical to wear all the time.  I personally think that they make the perfect gift.

I bought a steamer this year and it’s my favorite!  I hate ironing and I avoid it at all cost.  A steamer keeps your clothes looking nice and wrinkle free without dragging out a giant ironing table.  Mine is small enough to use a travel steamer as well. It heats up fast and doesn’t spit out water like other steamers, plus it’s a great price! 
Pottery Barn has the cutest monogram coffee mugs.  They are very affordable and make a great gift.  I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy one for myself this year, since I’ve been wanting a “K” mug for a very long time.

Knit Blanket $17.99
I love getting and giving blankets as gifts.  A nice throw blanket is always good to have.

Pajama Pants $38.00
Every year I tell my mom that all I want for Christmas are jammy bottoms.  That’s all I wear in the winter to bed.  My favorite pair is from PinkBlush.  I wear them daily.

Hodded Cardigan $38.00 
This PinkBlush cardigan is my favorite and most warn item in the closet.  It’s so cozy and I feel like I’m wearing my bathrobe when I wear it.  I get so many complements when I wear it.  I think it would make a great gift.

This is on my list, because I really need one, but I also think it would make a great gift.  Any kind of winter accessories always make great Christmas gifts.

Happy Christmas shopping everyone!

Toddler Gifts Under $15!

by Katie Haller


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Whether you are a parent of a toddler or you have nieces and nephews to buy for, kids are the best to Christmas shop for.  It always makes me happy to buy little kids Christmas gifts.  The best thing about kids is that it doesn’t take much to excite them.  My little guy gets excited over a sticker.  Today I’m sharing 9 toddler gifts under $15! These make great stocking stuffers or just small gifts for any toddler on your shopping list.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will earn a commission for this blog.  Thank you for your support! 

I’m a huge fan of Green Toys! Jack has a couple of these toys and he really loves them!  They are made well and perfect for little kids, plus they are made from recycled materials so they are environmentally friendly, which is always a plus! 
Bath Foam Letters
This is one of Jack’s favorite toys!  He loves the alphabet and these letters helped him learn it.  I credit YouTube Kids for most of his alphabet knowledge, but playing with these letters let him practice them and get even better at the alphabet.


Ornament
My mom gave me an ornament in my stocking every year, and I still have them all.  I would love to start that tradition with Jack.  Ornaments are great because you can give them something that they are interested in or will help you remember that year.


Melissa and Doug Crayon Set
The Easter bunny brought Jack this crayon set last year and let me tell you, it’s our favorite set of crayons.  They are triangle, so they don’t roll off the table like other crayons.  They also are harder to break and they clean off of furniture and floors much easier than other crayons.


Blippi Coloring Book

I’m not sure if you have little ones obsessed with Blippi, but we love him at our house.  Jack learns so much from Blippi.  This coloring book goes along with a lot of the Blippi videos.  It’s really cute and perfect for toddlers.


Board Books
Books are always a good gift idea for every age.  I especially like books that talk about relatable topics for kids.  Books about becoming a big brother or sister, books about manners and in our case a book about potty training.


Color Bath Drops
These color drops are a great stocking stuffer.  They make bath time really fun.  You can mix the colors and experiment with them.  They sometimes are the only way I can get Jack into the tub at the end of the day.


Melissa and Doug 4 in 1 Puzzle Sets
I love Melissa and Doug toys.  They make the best toddler puzzles.  I love the little 4 in 1 puzzle sets, because they are compact and easy to clean up and store.


Honest Company Bubble Bath
Lastly, I have to share my favorite bubble bath.  Kids love bubble baths.  This always makes a nice stocking stuffer.  I love the smell of this bubble bath and it’s very gentle on skin, which is what you need during the dry winter months.

Hopefully, you find this gift guide helpful for your little ones.

Happy Christmas shopping!!

Teacher Gifts Under $40!

by Katie Haller

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I am getting really excited for Christmas.  I’m officially ready to start my shopping.  I have to say that my favorite people to shop for are Jack’s daycare teacher.  I truly appreciate everything that they do for him, so when Christmas comes, I get excited to spoil them.  Being a teacher myself, I’ve received a lot of great teacher gifts over the years.  It’s always the thought that counts and us teachers always love to be remembered. 

  This year, I’m going to try to do most of my Christmas shopping from my couch to avoid shopping the crowded stores with a toddler.  Amazon happens to be my go-to place for gifts this year, because you can find almost anything there, including great teacher gifts.  Here is a list of teacher gifts that I have my eye on this year.  Best of all, these gifts are all under $40 and most of them are under $20!!

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking and/or making a purchase through a link, I will make a small commission. Thank you for your support!


One || “After School Snack” wine glass
This wine glass just cracks me up because it’s so true.  Teachers deserve to have some time to wind down from a long day with kids.  
Two || Blanket Scarf
Us teacher love our scarves!  I like to give scarves as a gift because they are easy to pick out and one size fits all.  
Three || Kate Spade bow bracelet
This was actually a teacher gift that I received from one of my students at the end of the year last year, so I just had to add it to my list.  Jewelry always makes a good gift.  It’s extra special when it comes to a student. 
Four || Apron
I love giving and getting aprons as a gift.  I always like to wear an apron while I’m cooking or cleaning in the kitchen, but it’s not something that I would buy for myself.  That’s why it’s the perfect gift. 
Five || Teacher definition makeup bag
While I was looking for a cute makeup bag, I stumbled upon this adorable teacher definition makeup bag.  This would make a great teacher gift and you could even fill it with some goodies and gift cards to go along with the gift. 
Six || Kate Spade travel coffee mug
Teachers love their morning coffee and usually, we have to be to work so early that we don’t always have time to make a stop for coffee.  That’s why a travel mug makes such a great teacher gift. 
Seven || Coach ID lanyard
I love these Coach lanyards.  They are perfect to wear every day with your work ID.  They are pretty popular with the teachers at my school.  If you happen to notice that your child’s teacher is wearing her work ID in a boring plastic lanyard, then this would make a perfect gift for them!
Eight || Knock Knock notepads
I personally love these little knock knock notepads.  They come in all different colors and sayings.  They help keep you on track.  I use them to keep me organized with work and blogging too. All teacher’s appreciate help with organization. 

Nine || Kate Spade lunch box
A lunch box is a perfect teacher gift.  Teacher’s often have short lunch breaks and we prefer to pack our lunch.  No one likes a boring lunch bag though.  That’s why a teacher would appreciate a Kate Spade lunch box like this one. 
Those are my favorite teacher gifts for this year.  Hopefully you can spoil your child’s teacher this year!

Happy Shopping!!

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