Ever do a gift exchange with your family? How about Secret Santa with your co-workers? Or even watched in anticipation at a friends or child’s birthday party? The excitement builds and everyone can’t wait to see what unique holiday gift ideas the rest have gotten, and you just know that this year is going to be different. Finally the time to open the gifts has arrived, and you watch as all the gifts are opened and to everyone’s disappointment, the presents are the same old ones from last year, and the year before, and even before that one.

It appears that there is no uniqueness to anyone’s gifts anymore. Ties, socks, even underwear has become second nature to some gift-givers. To others, you receive watches, earrings and other jewelry, and even kitchen utensils. And for those who were in a hurry and could not make up their mind, a simple card that said they thought of you on this special day.

So this year you want to be different. You swear that the person who receives your next gift will not have to suffer with a boring gift that took very little thought to purchase. You sit down and start to brainstorm what unique holiday gift ideas you can come up with to really surprise the entirety of the celebration party.

To start with, there is your female co-worker, Jane. What unique holiday gift idea can you come up with for the woman who loves gardening and especially loves to receive roses? Well, to start, a glass crystal rose would be a perfect compliment to her cubicle’s décor, or even her own windowsill at home. Yet another unique holiday gift idea would be a Chia-plant herb garden. This way she can show off her green thumb, while also using fresh herbs in her cooking.

Next comes Ted, your boss. He always appears to be in a bad mood and very rarely smiles. Ted is always given ties and accessories for the ties he receives, and every year he takes the gifts cordially but never wears the ties he’s been given. This year, as a unique holiday gift idea, you decide you’re going to give Ted something he can really use and be proud to display. You notice that he always has a cell phone, the new PDA he just acquired, and his iPod that he loves to use to unwind during slow times of the business. So you decide a multiple electronic charging station is just the unique holiday gift idea you’ve been looking for.

So, you’ve taken care of the office, but what about your spouse? What unique holiday gift idea can you give your wife or husband. You scramble to think of the best, most unique gift for your spouse when it comes to you like a brilliant spark. For those of us who have wives, the perfect unique holiday gift idea is a digital picture frame that can show multiple family photos all in one location. However, for those of us who have husbands, a wonderful idea is a portable propane grill that attaches to the hitch of the truck for true tailgating occasions. Both spouses will love showing these items off, as well as using them quite often.

Finally, you have the grandparents. They brought you into this world and reared you up right. A unique holiday gift idea for them is only natural to want. So with a lot of love an consideration, you figure a nice new pair of slippers that have a pair a bright lights built into them would make walking to the bathroom at night, or even to the kitchen for a late snack, much more safe for them.

You sit back and think how you are going to be the envy of all due to your creative genius and the creative holiday gift ideas you were able to give.

In our fast-paced world full of high-speed everything, one thing that seems to be a prevailing factor in our lives is how so many things require so much of our well-earned money. From paying for the necessities, such as rent or mortgage, car payment, insurance, utility bills, as well as food and clothing, most of our checks seem to fly out the door. Then there are entertainment expenses as well, including cable or satellite TV and even our Internet access. So when it’s time to figure out what holiday gift ideas we are going to give out this year, the decision becomes harder and harder on what makes a good gift to give.

In the past it was not uncommon for someone to receive expensive jewelry, watches, handmade clocks and other such prestigious items. Unfortunately for most of us, those days are gone, but we still want our holiday gift idea to make the person feel like a million dollars. The question thus becomes how to achieve this seemingly impossible feat.

Holiday gift ideas that cost under twenty-five dollars have the unfortunate stigma that they are somehow cheap and gaudy, not at all what someone should be giving away for the special occasion. This could not be any more untrue. The fact of the matter is that being frugal in this day and age often times makes sure that most, if not all, of those on your gifting list actually receive something that they can cherish and enjoy from you. And truth be told the price oftentimes does not equal the true value of the heartfelt gift.

Take for instance most books. To the wise shopper, many of the popular titles, including even the new Harry Potter novel, can be purchased for less than $25. And for those who would rather listen to the book than actually read it, there are still bargains to be had. Literature in all its forms are wonderful holiday gift ideas, for even in fiction there are lessons to be learned and fantastical lands to escape into.

Another popular inexpensive gift to give is music and video. CD’s are still a popular holiday gift idea, but is more and more going into gift cards for iTunes and Rhapsody services. On the other spectrum is DVD’s and the movies, television programs and other such videos that the smart shopper can find still under the $25 range. For the adventurous shopper, with careful inspection and research they may even find DVD, CD and MP3 players for under this range as well, which many would be blessed to own.

Of course as a last resort for a good holiday gift idea, anywhere from five to twenty-five dollars in a gift card (or even a combination of gift cards) will always work. When your recipient gets the card, they will feel grateful for the thought you put into it because it shows them how much you care. How does it do this? Quite simple actually: You show that you have listened to their wants and that you have gotten to know their desires over the time spent together, and thus you buy the cards for their favorite places. What’s not to love with this holiday gift idea?

So there you have three wonderful holiday gift ideas, all under twenty-five bucks. Just remember that if you use your imagination, you will find there is so much more opportunity with this seemingly small amount if you but just look for it! Happy bargain hunting and may your gifts be received with gratitude and love!