your guide to not breaking the bank this holiday season

By: Bell West

The Holidays are iconic. Traditions, the food, the nostalgia coupled with an overwhelming sense of joy make this time of year different from any other. But the fuzzy feelings that come with the holiday season aren't the only ones stronger this time of year.

Stress and anxiety tag along annually as the clock counts down toward the holidays. For many consumers, it’s a race against time and with seemingly unbeatable inflation, making purchases becomes more and more difficult.

But not to fear, not all gifts this season leave a dent in your wallet. Here are some of the top gifts to spread some holiday cheer this season, without spending a fortune:​

1. Baked Goods: cookies, gingerbread, cakes, etc.                                                                           Baked goods are an easy and affordable way to give gifts to the ones you love this season. Whether its christmas cookies, peppermint bark, or even a yule log, baked goods are cost-friendly and thoughtful gifts to give to friends and family. Additionally, baked goods can be made in bulk, minimizing the number of individual items to buy at stores. Baking ingredients also typically decrease in price around the holidays due to the popularity of Holiday baking. Need some ideas for what to make? Check out The Shield’s Holiday Recipe Book for interesting and yummy recipes to try!www.ghsshield.org/holiday-edition1/2023-holiday-recipie-book
2. Travel cosmetics: Cosmetics and Self-Care items blew up in popularity over the pandemic, and so did their prices. If you want to give or get some of that cosmetic cheer this season, consider purchasing the product in a travel size. Although you will end up getting less product, buying travel sized cosmetics can really make  difference. A full size mascara at Sephora can start at a whopping $27. Simply buying it in travel size knocks the price down to a mere $15. That’s a 44% price decrease. Don’t sleep on the travel sizes, they may just be your wallet’s saving grace.
3. Stationary: Stationary makes a great holiday gift every year without draining your wallet. Pens, Markers, Highlighters, Stickers and so much more can be bought in bulk for less than $10 on sites like Amazon, Staples, and even Five Below. You can even find items that are holiday themed! Stationary supplies also makes a great addition to holiday goodie-bags for christmas parties and even as gifts for your friends! 
4.  Bracelets/clay rings/jewelry: TikTok Shop has become hugely popular as the app has grown, with one of it’s best-selling items being clay rings, bracelets, and other pieces of jewelry. Clay rings and other small pieces of jewelry are great gifts to give this holiday. Not only are the rings adorable, but they are extremely consumer friendly starting at $9 for a pack of 9 rings. Don’t feel like buying them? That’s ok, clay rings are super easy to make at home too!
5. Photo albums/collages: There’s nothing quite like reminiscing through photos, so give the gift of nostalgia this holiday season with photo albums! Photo albums and collages make great holiday gifts and are very affordable to make. You can find empty photo albums at Walmart for under $15 dollars and photos can be printed for s low as 32¢! Photo albums are also great options if you want to give personalized gifts too. Friends and family love to sit and look back on fun times together, so give them the perfect gift this holiday and take a stroll down memory lane with them!
6. Mugs: Mugs make great holiday gifts and are very consumer friendly! You can find mugs almost everywhere for less than $10 and they come in so many fun colors and designs, they make perfect gifts for anyone on your list! You can even spice up your gift by filling the mug with small candies, hot chocolate mixes, or candy canes! You can also decorate the mug yourself and customize it for an extra special affect! Give a gift that can easily be used everyday and save your wallet some stress while you’re at it.