Thoughtful Gift Ideas Under $50

One of my favorite parts about the holidays is the act of giving: be it to friends, family, or someone in need. I love the hunt of finding creative, thoughtful ways to give. For me, it's not how much you spend it's about knowing what each particular person loves, whether it costs $5 or $50. One person who quickly came to mind this season was my mom, she pretty much taught me everything I know when it comes to shopping and gifting. Plus, she has a bit of a T.J.Maxx, HomeGoods and Marshalls obsession so I stuck to her favorites and grabbed a few gifts that I felt would not only be 'essential' but also have some meaning.

Since she's visiting this week, Christmas is coming a little early. I snagged a few cozy, chunky sweaters in her favorite colors to bundle up while we check all of the holiday decorations around the the city.

Of course, no trip is complete without matching pajamas and monogrammed mugs to cozy up next to each other on the couch with and watch our favorite movies together - it's pretty much one big slumber party when she's in town, so keeping it festive is a must.

Instead of gift wrap, I opted to go a more personalized route. Since we're basket fanatics in our house, I thought this basket would be a great fit even after all the paper from "Christmas morning" is gone. Add a big bow and voila!

Using picture frames in place of gift tags, I added a couple to the basket. In one frame, I placed an old photo of my dad and I when I was younger, and a snapshot of her and I, here on her current trip, in the other. They're not huge, extravagant gifts but they're special and I know she'll love them.

Just in case you're still on the hunt for some awesome gifts, I've put together some similar {they have a ton, and they keep coming in} gift options from T.J.Maxx.com under $50!