Small Christmas Gifts and Goodie Bag Ideas: 18 Picks, Most Under $35
The best small Christmas gifts are useful, edible or a little bit luxe: a short group video from friends, a Mast sea salt chocolate bar, Glossier Balm Dotcom, a Rifle Paper Co. notebook set, See's Peppermint Krispys and a 14 oz Stanley Quencher. Sixteen of the 18 picks cost $35 or less (eight are under $20) as of October 2026, and several split into Christmas goodie bags for a party table.
A note before the list: we make Tribute, the group video maker, and Storybook, and they're the first two picks. The other 16 come from other brands.
| Gift | Best for | Price (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Tribute group video | A small gift with a big reaction | From $35, split by the group |
| Storybook video book, 5-inch | A pocket-size keepsake | $49 |
| Mast Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt | Goodie bags | $8 |
| Rifle Paper Co. pocket notebooks | Writers and list makers | $12 |
| Milk Bar Confetti Cake Mix | Bakers | $13.99 |
| GODIVA Holiday Masterpiece Bag | Splitting into favors | $15 |
| Glossier Balm Dotcom | Winter lips | $16 |
| See's Peppermint Krispys | Mint lovers | $17 |
| GODIVA Holiday Star Ornament | Place settings | $18 |
| Rifle Paper Co. stitched notebook set | Three gifts in one | $19 |
| GODIVA Holiday Stars 9pc | Hosts | $20 |
| Stonewall Kitchen Holiday Breakfast Grab & Go | Overnight hosts | $24.95 |
| Stanley Quencher 14 oz | Daily sippers | $25 |
| Fly By Jing Mini Sampler Set | Spice lovers | $25 |
| Milk Bar Assorted Cookie Tin | Sweet tooths | $28 |
| Hickory Farms Snow Mints | Three small gifts at once | $29.99 |
| Wolferman's Holiday Wishes Gift Box | Sending by mail | $29.99 |
| Stanley Stay-Hot Camp Mug | Coffee outdoors | $30 |
What are the best small Christmas gifts?
Small gifts work when they're specific. A $12 notebook for the friend who writes everything down beats a $40 candle for anyone. Price matters less than people think: in a study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, givers expected pricier gifts to be appreciated more, but recipients' appreciation didn't depend on price.
That's good news for big lists. Small Christmas present ideas let you remember the neighbor, the host, the book club and the cousin you see once a year, without a big bill.
1. Tribute group video (our pick, we make this)
The smallest gift on this list to wrap, and often the one people talk about longest. Gather 10 friends to record one short message each for the friend who hosted every game night this year. Tribute stitches it together. Tribute is a group video maker that turns messages from friends and family into one surprise video.
It works by inviting everyone to record a short clip from their phone; Tribute compiles the clips, music and photos into a finished video you share or play together. Over 8 million videos have been sent on Tribute, and it holds 4.9 stars from 7,000+ reviews.
- Look for: Short prompts ("one thing you love about her, in under a minute") and a deadline a few days before Christmas
- Price: Free to start a draft; from $35 when you publish, which 10 friends can split for a few dollars each (as of October 2026)
Best for: Friend groups and families who want one gift from all of them.
Why it works: Unlike another candle, it can't be regifted.
2. Storybook video book (our pick, we make this)
For one person who matters a lot, the smallest Storybook is the size of a paperback. Storybook is a square hardcover video book by Tribute with a screen inside where a page would be. You upload videos and photos, put them in order and pick a song in the online builder; we load the film, print the book and ship it, and it plays when they open the cover.
- Look for: The 5-inch size for a small, personal gift
- Price: 5-inch $49, 7-inch $88, 10-inch $129, free US shipping (as of October 2026)
Best for: A best friend or a sibling.
Why it works: Compared to a photo frame, it plays a year of moments.
Which small Christmas presents cost under $15?
Little Christmas gifts under $15 are perfect for neighbors, hosts and the extra stocking. These four are easy wins, and each one fits in a stocking or a goodie bag.
3. Mast Organic Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt
A 2.5 oz bar of 70% organic dark chocolate with sea salt harvested off the coast of Maine. The Mast Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt is vegan and kosher.
- Look for: A case of 10 bars for $75 if you're filling goodie bags
- Price: $8 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Goodie bags and dark chocolate fans.
Why it works: The paper wrapper looks like a gift already.
4. Rifle Paper Co. Pocket Notebook Set, Holiday Argyle
Two pocket notebooks with gold foil accents and 32 unlined pages each. The Pocket Notebook Set in Holiday Argyle slides into a card.
- Look for: The holiday pattern for a seasonal feel
- Price: $12 (as of October 2026)
Best for: List makers and journal keepers.
Why it works: It's pretty enough to keep and useful enough to fill.
5. Milk Bar Confetti Cake Mix
Milk Bar's rainbow-sprinkle vanilla cake mix, which makes one 8 x 8 cake and comes with a frosting recipe. The Confetti Cake Mix needs only oil, milk and eggs.
- Look for: A tub of sprinkles to tie on top
- Price: $13.99 (as of October 2026)
Best for: The baker in the group.
Why it works: It's a party in a box for January, when nobody is celebrating.
6. GODIVA Assorted Chocolate Holiday Masterpiece Bag
A holiday bag of wrapped Masterpiece chocolates: milk and dark ganache and dark chocolate caramel. The Holiday Masterpiece Bag divides into several favors.
- Look for: Wrapped pieces you can split among bags
- Price: $15 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Christmas party goodie bag ideas on a budget.
Why it works: A known name makes a small gift feel bigger.
What are good small gifts under $20?
This is the sweet spot for small Christmas presents: grab-bag swaps, hosts and friends.
7. Glossier Balm Dotcom
A lip balm with castor seed oil, beeswax and lanolin, in flavors from Original to Birthday. Glossier Balm Dotcom fits in any stocking or goodie bag.
- Look for: Seasonal flavors when they're in stock
- Price: $16 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Friends with dry winter lips.
Why it works: It's the small luxury people re-buy for themselves.
8. See's Peppermint Krispys
Thin mint wafers in See's dark chocolate, about 30 wrapped pieces per box. See's Peppermint Krispys taste like December.
- Look for: Wrapped pieces for splitting
- Price: $17 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Mint lovers.
Why it works: They disappear from the coffee table within an hour.
9. GODIVA Assorted Masterpiece Holiday Star Ornament
A green-and-gold star ornament holding seven wrapped chocolates. The Masterpiece Holiday Star Ornament doubles as decoration.
- Look for: One at each place setting
- Price: $18 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Christmas dinner favors.
Why it works: Guests eat the chocolate and hang the star.
10. Rifle Paper Co. Stitched Notebook Set, Garden Party
Three notebooks with stitched binding and 64 ruled pages each. The Stitched Notebook Set in Garden Party splits into three small gifts.
- Look for: Three recipients for one purchase
- Price: $19 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Book clubs and study groups.
Why it works: About $6 a gift, with no compromise on looks.
11. GODIVA Assorted Holiday Stars Gift Box, 9pc
Nine star-shaped chocolates, including white chocolate raspberry, in a snowflake box. The Holiday Stars Gift Box is a ready-made host gift.
- Look for: A green or black lid; the pieces can vary
- Price: $20 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Hosts of holiday parties.
Why it works: It looks like you spent more.
Which small gifts cost $20 to $35?
A step up for close friends and the people who host you.
12. Stonewall Kitchen Holiday Breakfast Grab & Go Gift
Holiday syrup, pancake and waffle mix and a red spatula. The Holiday Breakfast Grab & Go Gift is built for visiting.
- Look for: A note offering to make the pancakes
- Price: $24.95 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Hosts who put you up for the night.
Why it works: It's tomorrow's breakfast, handled.
13. Stanley The Quencher H2.O FlowState Tumbler, 14 oz
Stanley's smallest Quencher, with a handle, a straw and a rotating three-position lid. The Quencher 14 oz fits a car cup holder.
- Look for: A color they'd pick themselves
- Price: $25 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Teens and adults who carry water everywhere.
Why it works: The trend in a size that fits everyday life.
14. Fly By Jing Mini Sampler Set
Four 2 oz jars of Sichuan chili crisp and sauce, all vegan. The Mini Sampler Set splits into goodie bags.
- Look for: One jar per bag for four friends
- Price: $25 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Friends who put chili crisp on everything.
Why it works: Small jars, big flavor.
15. Milk Bar Assorted Cookie Tin, 6 Count
One each of six Milk Bar cookies, from Compost to Confetti, in a tin. The Assorted Cookie Tin ships wrapped.
- Look for: The Triple PB cookie contains peanuts
- Price: $28 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Sweet tooths.
Why it works: The tin gets reused all year.
16. Hickory Farms Snow Mints
Three 10 oz bags of crushed-peppermint mints that melt in your mouth. Hickory Farms Snow Mints come three to an order.
- Look for: Three bags for three hosts
- Price: $29.99 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Thanksgiving goodie bags for adults or Christmas party favors.
Why it works: About $10 a gift for a holiday classic.
17. Wolferman's Holiday Wishes Gift Box
Super-thick English muffins and a jar of strawberry preserves, sealed with a Happy Holidays sticker. The Holiday Wishes Gift Box ships ready to give.
- Look for: Direct shipping to someone you can't visit
- Price: $29.99 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Friends far away.
Why it works: A real breakfast arrives, not just a card.
18. Stanley The Stay-Hot Camp Mug, 24 oz
A stainless steel camp mug with double-wall insulation and a drink-through lid. The Stay-Hot Camp Mug holds 24 oz.
- Look for: Colors in stock; a few sold out in October
- Price: $30 (as of October 2026)
Best for: Early risers and campers.
Why it works: Coffee stays hot through the whole morning walk.
What are good Christmas goodie bag ideas?
Christmas goodie bags for adults should hold three to five small things: something sweet, something useful and something festive. Keep the cost per bag low; in a Pew Research Center survey, 22% of Americans named the high expense of the season as what they like least about it.
- The sweet: a Mast bar, a few GODIVA pieces or a handful of See's Krispys
- The useful: a pocket notebook, a lip balm or a mini jar of chili crisp
- The festive: a candy cane, a mini ornament or a printed card with a QR code to a party video
For small Christmas party ideas and small Christmas gathering ideas, set the bags out by the door so guests take one on the way out. The same formula works for Thanksgiving goodie bags: swap peppermint for maple and pumpkin. More ideas for stockings are in our stocking stuffers under $25, with bigger gifts in our Christmas gift ideas.
What is Little Christmas?
Little Christmas is January 6, also called Epiphany or Women's Christmas in Ireland. Little Christmas traditions include taking down the tree, a last small gift and a quiet meal. A small gift fits that day well; our Christmas ideas guide covers the season from Thanksgiving to then.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good small Christmas gift?
Something specific to the person: a notebook for a writer, chili crisp for a cook, a good chocolate bar for anyone. Most small gifts on this list cost under $20 as of October 2026.
How much should you spend on a small Christmas gift?
Between $5 and $25 covers neighbors, hosts and friends. Research suggests people don't value gifts more because they cost more.
What do you put in a Christmas goodie bag for adults?
Three to five items: a chocolate bar, a lip balm or notebook, and something festive like a mini ornament. Keep each bag under about $15.
What are good small Christmas gifts for a group?
Buy multipacks, like a three-notebook set or a case of chocolate bars, and split them. Or have the group make one video together for a friend.
What small gift can I mail?
Wolferman's Holiday Wishes box, a Milk Bar cookie tin or a lip balm in a card all mail well. A video link costs nothing to send once it's made.
What are Thanksgiving goodie bag ideas?
Fill bags with maple candy, a small pie-spice jar, a notebook for a gratitude list and a chocolate bar. Set them out at the end of the meal.
👉 Start a Tribute and give a small gift that says a lot.
