For the Budget Shopper: 17 Quirky, Cute Gifts Under $40
A cheap holiday gift doesn’t have to mean clearance-rack detritus or forgettable dollar-bin tchotchkes. Here, we’ve gathered 17 cute, unique, and even functional finds for those on a tight gifting budget this year. Click ahead to find out where to get $12 opera tickets, penny books, design-blogger pushpins, and more.
*This article appears in the November 24, 2014 issue of New York Magazine.
Lena Dunham Fan-Girl Matchbox Designed, for a fictional caviar bar, by the artist who did the illustrations for Dunham’s Not That Kind of Girl.
A Pound of Red Starbursts Let someone else hand-pluck their favorite flavor.
Sustainable Condoms Fair-trade (not to be used multiple times) rubber condoms, conceived (sorry) by the founder of Seventh Generation sustainable...
Sustainable Condoms Fair-trade (not to be used multiple times) rubber condoms, conceived (sorry) by the founder of Seventh Generation sustainable cleaning products and … his daughter.
Penny Books Turns out that some of the most authentically dog-eared bookshelf candy lurks under the one-cent tab on Amazon, in its used-books sec...
Penny Books Turns out that some of the most authentically dog-eared bookshelf candy lurks under the one-cent tab on Amazon, in its used-books section. For those who appreciate a little Gorey-illustrated Conrad.
Italian Pushpins For the “pinner” who likes actual pins: Popular among design bloggers, these will add some Skittle vibes to your corkboard.
A Wishbone Free (plus the cost of a turkey). Soak it in white vinegar for two to three days, and it’ll turn into a bendable, rubbery keepsake.
OCD Calendar Punch and rip your way through the year, one perforated square at a time. Satisfaction comparable to popping bubble wrap.
Fifty Billion German Marks Your favorite Teutophile will appreciate a German Reichsbanknote from the height of the Weimar Republic. This 50 ...
Fifty Billion German Marks Your favorite Teutophile will appreciate a German Reichsbanknote from the height of the Weimar Republic. This 50 billion-mark note, back then, was the equivalent of about two cents.
A (Very Cheap) Night at the Opera You won’t be able to see the stage, but for the cost of a Chipotle burrito with guacamole, you can buy “score-d...
A (Very Cheap) Night at the Opera You won’t be able to see the stage, but for the cost of a Chipotle burrito with guacamole, you can buy “score-desk seats” to the Metropolitan Opera. The nose-bleeders come equipped with a little desk and reading light, so you can follow along with a copy of the score.
Scented Tissues These three-ply facial tissues are pleasantly strawberry-ice-cream scented.
Yoga Joes Dan Abramson’s Kickstarter campaign was all about making a violent toy peaceful. These uniformed bros come in downward dog, cobra, medi...
Yoga Joes Dan Abramson’s Kickstarter campaign was all about making a violent toy peaceful. These uniformed bros come in downward dog, cobra, meditation, headstand, and warrior two.
A Good Night’s Sleep Free. Take a handful of your prescription Ambien—or any other low-stakes Z-drug—throw them into a cute bottle, stick a red r...
A Good Night’s Sleep Free. Take a handful of your prescription Ambien—or any other low-stakes Z-drug—throw them into a cute bottle, stick a red ribbon on top, and boom: office Secret Santa, solved.
Couture Thimble A gold-plated brass thimble from France—made for couture houses—has tiny little seeds etched into its surface.
A Stolen Odeon Pen Free, plus an extra $5 tip to assuage your guilt (the Odeon, 145 W. Broadway, at Thomas St.; 212-233-0507).
Iridescent Pouch Shiny enough to attract a magpie, cheap enough to leave at a bar.
Evil-Eye Key Chain With a rabbit-fur lash and a brass pupil set in a leather eyeball, this is a particularly upscale guard against evil spirits.
Nubby Pencil Case A purple school-supply case for Muppets. Just the right size for mascara and lipstick too; from Yoobi.
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