The best gifts under $50 that are guaranteed to arrive by Christmas

Stanley has released a new cup just in time for Christmas. It might not look all too different from their tried-and-true tumbler, but there’s one noticeable difference: This one’s actually leakproof. That’s right, the lid has a built-in flip straw — just flip up the straw when you want to take a swig, then snap it shut to prevent spills. 

They already know and love Taco Goat Cheese Pizza, so why don’t you add this Christmas-themed version to their game night rotation? The rules are the same, but players embrace the spirit of the season by saying “Santa,” “Cookie,” “Elf,” “Candy” and “Snowman” instead. Best of all: It’s perfect for ages 8 and up, so the whole family can get in on the festive fun.

There’s a time and a place for cold lunches, but why should they settle for the same old salad when they could chow down on an extra helping of last night’s main? This electric lunch box makes heating food on the go easy — just plug it in and warm up a single serving of soup, chili or the leftovers du jour without making a trip to the microwave. “I recently used it during a 10-hour class and my chili was piping hot within an hour,” one five-star fan gushed. “I’ve experienced zero leaks with it and it doesn’t require much space.”

Think of this viral eye mask as a mini weighted blanket. It’s full of microbeads, which equally distribute weight on pressure points to provide soothing, slumberous relief. “Not too heavy, not too light, you can position it wherever you need it,” one five-star fan raved, adding that “it drapes down over your ears so it can also help block out sound from noisy partners.”

Use this little guy to prune trees, trim back branches or cut “small saplings like a hot knife through butter” (one Amazon shopper’s words). Another reviewer boasted that “this little thing is a workhorse,” adding that it’s “easy to use, has a safety button and is fairly lightweight for the amount of power it has.”

Even if he’s read every history book under the sun, this monthly subscription will encourage him to delve even deeper into America’s past. Each month, he’ll get a realistic replication of an important document, letter or police report from the last 100-plus years or so. Sign him up for a six-month subscription for $42 or get a whole year for just $36 more.

He can take the jams with him by clipping this waterproof speaker to his backpack, beach bag or, heck, even his belt loop. Stream up to 10 hours of music from a phone, tablet or Bluetooth-enabled device on a single charge. Don’t let the size of this speaker fool you: “This little speaker brings a big sound! Audio is clear and volume can get loud enough to bring music to any size party,” one Walmart shopper wrote. 

This isn’t the flashiest gift by any means, but it’s something that’ll actually save him time, money and stress in the long run. This nitfy organizer divides batteries by size and type to make the search a whole lot easier. Plus, it comes with a tester, so he can double-check that he’s holding onto the good ones. 

If you’re set on giving her a candle, might I offer a (friendly) suggestion? Pair it with this chic lamp, which actually warms the wax so she can enjoy the candle’s aroma without any smoke, soot or flame. Candle warmer lamps made Google’s Holiday 100 in 2023, but the trend is clearly here to stay given that the top ones keep selling out again and again. Snag Amazon’s No. 1 bestseller while you still can. 

Senior Beauty Editor Jennifer Romolini waxed poetic about these “super-soft, ultra-insulated” sweats. She wrote that they have “gotten me through more than one East Coast polar vortex, a snow squall and even a dark, freezing month in Iceland.” 

She’s not alone: One Amazon shopper said they were like “wearing a heated blanket,” while another called them her “No. 1 cold-weather pants.” There are eight colors to choose from, but you’ll want to go for the bolder hues like pink, yellow and red to guarantee delivery by Christmas. 

Get two Kate Spade bracelets for the price of one. Stack these dainty dazzlers for a double dose of color or wear one bracelet on its own for a more understated look. A bonus: You won’t have to sneak her wrist measurement because she can simply adjust the slide closure until it fits just right. 

Paid for by Walmart

Treat the hostess with the mostest to a spread of your most treasured treats — homemade cookies, chocolates or whatever creations you have cooking up this season. Lay ’em all out on this snowflake-shaped board, which they can use long after the festivities wrap. It’s a guaranteed statement piece — and a serious steal for just $10! 

Let budding artists turn basic doodles into 3D creations with this kit, complete with a pen, charging cable and three colors of plastic filament. They can crank up the speed to fill something in or dial it back when working on more intricate details. More than 70,000 Amazon shoppers picked it up last month, with one customer raving that the “possibilities are endless” and “you get so much for the price.”

Set this astronaut’s sights on the skies (er, your kid’s bedroom ceiling) and be immersed in a galaxy of stars. Use the remote to switch between eight different light shows, all of which can be customized with different brightness levels and rotation speeds. One five-star fan gushed that this “little moon man makes an ordinary room extraordinary.” Pick one up and see the magic for yourself. 

Sol de Janeiro’s award-winning Bum Bum Cream is the epitome of luxury — and the price tag is a reflection of that. Instead of wrapping up a single tub (it’s a whopping $48), opt for this three-piece set, which also includes travel-friendly versions of the perfume mist and body wash in the same sweet scent.

Because everyone should be able to see life through a child’s eyes. Little ones can capture their silliest, sweetest moments in the years ahead with this instant camera, which lets them customize each snap with 16 different stickers and comes with three rolls of printing paper (that’s enough to print 372 photos!). 

“It prints arcade-style black-and-white small prints,” one satisfied shopper wrote. “The good part is each picture is stored on the microSD card so you can print color later on a real printer.”