The festive season can wreak havoc on your finances—you want to be a gift-giving legend but you also need to be able to put food on the table come January. So what on earth do you can you buy for your people that's gorgeous, fun and meaningful without breaking the bank?
As it turns out, there are a whole lot of Christmas gifts out there that tick all of these boxes (many of which are made here in Aotearoa). We've put together a handy lil' Urban List Christmas gift edit so you can snag top-tier gifts for a fiddy dollar note or less plus the occasional splurge-worthy offering too.
Here are the best local(ish) Christmas gift ideas for $50 or less.
Christmas Gifts For $50 Or Less
Sunny Studs
SOPHIE | $42
Image credit: SOPHIE | Instagram
If your bestie’s a ray of sunshine, there’s only one thing to do—adorn their lobes with these joyful sunny studs.
Karangahape Tee
Studio Kalee Jackson | $50
Everyone has a friend who’s forever waxing lyrical about Karangahape Road (it’s us) so a tee emblazoned with the road’s own signature drag and burlesque-inspired bouffont typeface from Studio Kalee Jackson will be just the thing. Get more fashion gift ideas here. | $50
Everyday Conversation Cards
Everyday Solitude | $34
Image credit: Everyday Solitude | Instagram
If you’ve had it up to here with surface chat and you’re keen to delve deep into the more meaningful stuff, pop a pack of Everyday Conversation cards underneath the Christmas tree.
Brightening Sheet Mask 5-Pack
Lemon & Beaker | $40
Packed with hyaluronic acid and ceramides, Lemon & Beaker's brightening sheet masks feel fantastic and leave skin hyper-hydrated. An essential pick-me-up following an accidental rager. Get more beauty realm gift ideas here.
Infusion Jar
Tippl. | $39
Image credit: Tippl. | Instagram
Speaking of sunshine, Tippl. does a super cute cocktail-in-a-jar range. Think: strawberry mojito, rosé sangria, hibiscus marg, rosebud, summer spritz, plum shrub and apéro to name a few.
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Hot Gay Handmade Candles
sybs | $30
Gift many atmospheric moments with a hot gay handmade candle by sybs in the deliciously intoxicating pine scent of x, glazed cherry, or gingerbread-reminiscent festive season.
ATMS Bangers
Adulttoymegastore | $16.95 each
Image credit: Adult Toy Mega Store | supplied
Forget naughty or nice, this year it's playful, kinky, peachy, dark horse, playful, desirable or chatty that counts. Crank up the spice in your Secret Santa with a couple of ATMS bangers or splash some cash to get the complete set for $79.99.
Matcha Maacha まっちゃ Hat
Thea Matcha | $30
Image credit: Thea Matcha | supplied
Matcha-fuelled mates will love throwing one of these matcha maacha まっちゃ hats from Thea on their noggins. They might even shout you a cup to say thanks.
Take Me Out Voucher
Restaurant Association | From $25
Share the love this Christmas, supporting your local hospo scene while gifting a loved one a meal at one of Aotearoa's best restaurants or their favourite coffee they may have had to ditch due to the cost of living crisis. Enter: Take Me Out vouchers. Load with $20 to $2000 (imagine!) and gift.
Treat Box
Real Rad Food | $37
Image credit: Real Rad Food | website
A mixed slice box of treats from Real Rad Food will go down a… treat (sorry not sorry).
Tiramisu And Panna Cotta Jar Duo
Pistackio | $30
Image credit: Pistackio | supplied
Pistackio is, hands down, one of Tāmaki's best gelato shops. But did you know they also do incredible jars of Tiramisu and nutella PannaCotta to go? Swipe a jar of each and gift a little Italian goodness to everyone you know.
The Floor Is Lava
Running Grid | Whatever You Like
We fell head over heels for Running Grid this year and we reckon it’s perfect for the person who’s allergic to tangible things. After all, what could be better than running around like a mad thing with your mates over a floor made up of brightly lit squares? Answer: absolutely nothing.
Balletcore Grip Socks
SO Fitness | $25
Image credit: SO Fitness | website
Pilates girlies will swoon over a pair of these balletcore bow crew grip socks from SO Fitness.
Kawakawa Balm
Aotea | $18-32
Aotea’s kawakawa balm contains manuka oil proven to be 1000x more effective than manuka honey and 30x more powerful than tea tree oil. Gift a tube to the adventurers and the over-achievers who could do with a little TLC.
La Pillow
Latibule | $39.90
Image credit: Latibule | Instagram
You’ve seen Latibule’s candles’ graceful curved vessels online but have you met their scrumptious little ‘La pillow’ scent sachets? She’s cute, she’s dainty and she’d make a charming Christmas gift.
Spring Skincare Bundle
Everkind | $45
NZ-made skincare in home compostable packaging? Sign us up, along with every one of your earth-lovin' friends.
Seoul Tonic
Seoul Tonic | $8.99 each
Image credit: Seoul Tonic | Instagram
Most things are better festive but a gnarly hangover isn’t one of them. Gift the lush lovelies in your life a get-out-of-jail-free card with a pack (or 12) of Seoul Tonic, a sublime hangover preventer made with Korean pear extract.
Mānuka OUCH Balm
goodbye | $15-38
If someone you love is bush baby incarnate, they'll definitely appreciate the portable first aid pot that is Mānuka OUCH Balm. A potion of apricot oil, beeswax, avodao oil, jojoba, raspberry seed, tea tree, eucalyptus, mānuka, frankincense and geranium, it's a go-to soother for bites, scracthes, stings, dry skin and chapped lips.
Make It Make Sense
Unity Books | $37
Image credit: Lucy Blakiston | Instagram
Make It Make Sense by Lucy Blakiston and Bel Hawkins (creators of Shit You Should Care About) ought to top any bookworm’s summer reading list.
Festive Blend
Ozone Coffee | $30
Dip into the Scandinavian tradition of choosing a Julkaffe (aka the coffee of Christmas) and add a little joyful vibe to your caffeinated pal's morning routine with Ozone's festive duo—a blend that's giving chocolate coins, toffee sweets and shortbread and a single origin with apricot, plum, floral and blackcurrant notes.
Rubbish Socks
Untouched World | $39
Image credit: Untouched World | supplied
Made from knit waste blended with 50% virgin merino fibre in an earth-friendly recycling process, these rubbish socks are so legit they took out the Circular Business Innovation Award in the Mindful Fashion Circular Design Awards earlier this year. Pop a pair on an earth-loving friend, stat. | $39
Snow Fairy
Lush | Varies
In case you missed it, LUSH rolls out an iconic Snow Fairy limited-edition collection every Christmas and it's froth-worthy. This year's edit includes their tried-and-true shower gel (think cotton candy pink), an adorable Groovy Snow Fairy bath bomb and a fun snow fairy wand which would low-key make a stellar gift for any little fairies you may know too, just sayin'.
Embroidered Darlings
Sahana | $40-ish
Image credit: Sahana | Instagram
If only something cute will do, make it a hand-embroidered Miffy, mango or chilli keyring by Sahana. These treasures are available only at markets but luckily for us there’s a bunch coming up through November and December.
Twice As Lippy
Ashley & Co | $25
Make somebody's pout pop twice over with a slick of Tint Me Beet and Tint Me Red Radish lip punch all rolled into this Twice As Lippy bundle.
Giant Scrunchy
Crushes | $45
Image credit: Crushes | website
It’s no secret we’ll forever be crushing on Karangahape Road icon, Crushes. Accessorise a ponytail near you with one of their hand-made giant I Was A Silk Robe scrunchy in blue or navy | $45
24 Days Chilli Lovers Advent Calendar
The Warehouse | $15
Sporting the tagline "Hot As Hell, Tasty As Well" this 24 Days Of Hot Sauce advent calendar is sure to spice up the Silly Szn. Check out our full advent calendar edit here.
Ur Cute Magnet
Hemy Pottery | $25
Image credit: Hemy Pottery | website
These Ur Cute magnets from Hemy Pottery make us swoon every time. Surreptitiously leave one on your crush’s fridge for a bit of loved-up festive mystery. | $25
Dumb Questions To Ask Your Friends
Paper Plus | $49.99
It’s a commonly agreed upon flat that you can judge how cool a flat is by their games collection and no collection would be complete without Dumb Questions To Ask Your Friends. | $49.99
Baklava A La Mode Home Pack
Zelati x Levant Sweets | $40
Image credit: Zelati | website
Looking to curry favour with the nieces and nephews (or anyone, for that matter)? This immaculate baklava a la mode home pack collab between Wellington legends Zelati and Levant Sweets will put you in good stead.
Tile Coaster Set
Artefact | $45
Adorn somebody special’s table with these oh so chic tile coasters from sustainable local brand, Artefact.
A Solid Dose Of The Arts
Basement Theatre | $43
Image credit: Basement Theatre | supplied
Got a friend who practically lives at Basement Theatre (great taste, that one)? Make their love official with this rad Basement Pin and shout their next gig while you’re at it.
Good Glitter
Body FX | $17.50
A pack of Good Glitter is essential for summer festivals and unlike regular glitter it’s 100% biodegradable so the earth wins too. How good.
Earrings And Adjacent
Fluff | Varies
Image credit: Fluff | Instagram
We’ve been agonising over which pair of Fluff’s earrings we should hype. Like, how can we choose between glorious glittering monsteras, jovial KIA ORA or black and red tangata whenua bars? And that’s even before we spotted the striking Not Today Coloniser black triangles. We can’t, and that should be proof enough that whoever you gift these to will be overjoyed. ‘Nuff said.
Serious Beach Cred
Daeda | $28
Throw this all-natural, zero-waste, reef-safe, UV-blocking zinc stick in any beach babe’s bag and they’ll be pretty stoked. Available in Egyptian blue or tinted light.
A Bottle Of The Good Stuff
Roses Dining Room | $32
Image credit: Roses Dining Room | Michael White
Fill your loved one’s cup (literally) with a generous pour from Roses Dining Room’s own limited edition orange wine release.
Ngutu Pā
Curio Noir | $50
A quick spritz of a gorgeous scent can turn a bad day on its head. We’re obsessed with Curio Noir’s pocket parfum and their Ngutu Pā lips that touch scent is the moment of romance we’ll be swooning over for days to come.
A Mighty Fine Mug
Williams Eatery | $35
Image credit: Williams Eatery | website
Incept your brunch buddy with a mug from Williams which will not only function as an excellent vessel for toasty drinks, it’ll also double as a reminder to catch up over top-tier kai at one of Tāmaki’s finest cafes. Everybody wins.| $35
The Best Christmas Gifts To Splurge On
Sometimes we have good intentions—read: sticking to budget—and then we spy something and it all goes out the window (we’re only human, after all). So here are five gifts that will take multiple $50s to wrangle but they’re worth every cent.
A Foodie Feast
We Love Local | From $55
Image credit: We Love Local | website
Friends are lovely until they get hangry. Keep the hanger at bay by rustling up a We Love Local Gift Box (or, hell, do it for yourself). We can personally attest that these gift boxes are packed with a panacea of locally-produced culinary delights. Also, plz send us the brittle, thanks.
Shark Beauty Copper FlexStyle
Shark Beauty | $549.99
Image credit: Shark Beauty | supplied
While we’d all love a personal stylist, Shark is dishing the next best thing. Swipe a Shark Beauty Copper FlexStyle air styling and drying system in the limited edition bronze edit for yourself (because, self-care).
Mini Chilly
Napoleon | $159
Image credit: Napoleon | website
Sunset drinks with a loved one? Napoleon’s brand new cherry twin stripe mini chilly’s exactly what you need.
Ninja CREAMi
Ninja | $399.99
Image credit: Ninja | supplied
It’s set to be an ice cream summer and you can manifest the vibes (and, like, actual ice cream) with the Ninja CREAMi. Order one for the flat now and cement your status as the favourite flatmate. | $499.99
HOVERAIR X1 Drone
Noel Leeming | $749
Image credit: HOVERAIR x1 Drone | supplied
Content girlies will froth the HOVERAIR X1 Drone, the first ever palm-sized drone that doesn’t need a controller or an app. Is it the death of the Instagram boyfriend? Maybe. Is it a bangin’ Christmas present? Absolutely. | $749
Let's Hit Each Other With Fake Swords
Paper Plus | $69.99
Image credit: Paper Plus | website
This game’s called Let’s Hit Each Other With Fake Swords. Name a crew who wouldn’t be stoked with that. We’ll wait. | $69.99
Ready to hard-commit to your festive era? Check out:
- Tāmaki's Most Glorious Christmas Markets
- 12 Christmas Party Ideas That Don't Suck
- The Most Bangin' Music Festivals You Need To Experience In NZ This Summer
Main image credit: Everyday Solitude | Instagram.
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