Dec 19, 2015 3 min read

The holidays can be full of difficult decisions, such as trying to figure out how many cookies it is physically possible to eat without feeling ill. Another difficult task is stretching $5 far enough to purchase a grab bag gift. Many student activities ask everyone to bring a $5 grab bag gift, but sometimes it’s hard to find decent, inexpensive gifts.

Here are a few gifts most would enjoy:

• Gift cards: Fast food restaurants, such as Chick-fil-A and Dairy Queen offer $5 gift cards. iTunes sells a three-pack of $5 gift cards for $15, which comes in handy when buying gifts for multiple people or grab-bag activities.

• Candy: The best way to buy candy for different tastes is to buy five 98-cent boxes of different brands at Walmart. Another option is to purchase two packs of candy for less than $2.50 each, such as M&M’s milk chocolate filled candy canes, Ghirardelli peppermint bark or Trident gum three-pack. To keep the guesswork to a minimum, Five Below offers “Mega Candy Tubes” for $5 each.

• Phone accessories: Five Below sells speakers, phone cases and earbuds for $5 each.

• Games: Various Hasbro games, such as Words with Friends and Taboo Buzz’d, can be purchased for $5 at Five Below. The store also offers a selection of $5 Wii games.

Remember, Five Below is an easy place to shop for grab bag gifts when “gift-giver’s block” hits.

For guy recipients, gift ideas could include:

• Outdoor items: Although not gender-specific, some guys may appreciate a LED flashlight – Rayovac Value Bright two-pack sells for $4.97 at Walmart – or a multi-tool – Walmart sells several multi-tools for under $5. It is important to be mindful of safety, however, because a multi-tool may not be appropriate in all settings.

• After polling several guys, it seemed that most of them would be happy to receive candy, food – such as Jack Link’s beef jerky, $3.98 – a gift card or a phone case.

Here are a few gift ideas with girls in mind:

• Makeup and skin care items: This can be a difficult aisle to wander because it is hard to know what color shades to select. For this reason, nail polish and lipstick are generally safer purchases than eyeshadow. Pure Ice, Sally Hansen Hard as Nails and Sinful Colors have nail polish for less than $2. Combine one bottle of nail polish with a $3 tube of E.L.F. matte lip color for a simple $5 gift. For a different combination, swap the lip color out for two different scents of Bath and Body Works PocketBac sanitizing hand gel – $1.75 each – or Eos lip balm – $2.96. Tip: try Sweet Mint lip balm for a holiday feel.

• Clothing: Old Navy sells cozy socks and patterned convertible mittens for as low as $3.50 and Tech-Tip sweater-knit gloves for as low as $3.

Perhaps these ideas will help stretch your $5 a little further and give you more time to sit back and enjoy the fruit cake and cookies.

By Grace Scofield

Sophomore, Homeschooled