In case this helps anyone, I'm going to share my list of what I've bought for family so far...it took me all day to figure out what to get everyone and stay within a reasonable budget.
PLEASE add stuff you've bought for family, I'd love to get more ideas for my brother's family as well as the family white elephant party.
In-laws (budget-$50)-Madeline Peyroux cd, A History of the World in 100 Objects book, Into the Great Pyramid/Egypt: Quest for Eternity double dvd
Dad/Stepmom (budget-$50)-The Litigators book for Dad, The Best of Me book for Stepmom, Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark bar for each, Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix
SIL/BIL&neice/nephew (budget $100)-The Night Circus for SIL, Texans shirt for BIL, Pink Frosted Layer Cake shower gel and Vanilla Cake lip gloss for neice, $25 American Eagle gc for nephew
Brother/SIL&2 nephews (budget $50)-No idea. We usually only get gifts for the kids. I may get a couple of board games or Just Dance for them.
4 White Elephant family gifts (budget $60)-No idea. This is where I'll be looking for your posts b/c the gifts need to be suitable for men and women. I may just get books or B&BW stuff.
Re: Christmas gifts for family...what I've bought so far for $25 or under per person.
FIL- 2 Polo Shirts ( Dillards Clearance plus black friday sale) and electric razor (free with coupon
)$64 total. 1 shirt alone cost more than that!
MIL- 1 Short sleeve night gown, 1 long sleeve night gown , short sleeve top and capri length pajama set. (Dillards clearance plus black friday sale) $60. Elaine West stuff is expensive!! 1 night gown not on sale cost that and more.
2 SIL's- China Gaze nail polish ( buy 2 get 1 free at ulta), nail files( $1 at Target), bath and body works hand cream and body splash(buy 3 get 2 free sale plus coupon), and UofH fleece pullover(finish line sale plus coupon)..$40 each total.
I have almost finished nieces and nephews..I have 9 to buy for.
SIL- Not sure what I am getting her.
My parents- not sure, probably money or a gift card
I have bought little back and/or foot massagers for white elephant gifts before, and they have been stolen numerous times. (wasn't sure if you meant $50 for each gift, or in total for everything). Another hot item on our WEs are GCs (to Target, Starbucks or restaurants) or Cash "framed" in a pretty (or you could also do gender neutral) picture frame.
Other good WE gifts I've seen - appliances (crock pot, panini makers, griddles, etc) - stuff guys and girls would both want; a couple of camping canvas chairs (we have a lot of family that have ranches or do tailgating outside), a fancy wine opener (Rabbits or Sharper Image), etc.
Also - I saved this link from last year listing some good gifts at around $25
http://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/44857107.aspx
JandK--WOW 9 neices and nephews! That's a lot of kiddos to buy for
CareBear--Love the framed gift card idea! I like giving gift cards b/c that's what I want
I'll add mine, although they're not very exciting
ILs: I'm having Charlotte paint them a "masterpiece" on canvas with acrylic paints
I also got them some coffee beans from our church's alternative gift market....everything at the market is something that you can either "buy" that helps someone in Africa, The Philippines, etc (like a sewing machine for women to make their crafts, a cow to help feed a family, stuff like that) or actual stuff made in the country (like fair trade coffee, chocolate, hand made wooden spoons). No idea other than that.
Mom: a Cuisinart hand blender, a silhouette of Charlotte done by The Silhouette Man, and a painting by Charlotte.
Secret Santa for all the kids in Chris's family (SIL): a $25 Target giftcard
Nephew: a Crayola dry erase activity center, some shirts, a Cars CD, a Disney bedtime story book (most of this stuff was either free with giftcards I had or on sale)
Niece: a princess doll with tactile stuff she can touch (buttons, zippers, etc), and a Disney soft bedtime story book
My parents: etsy made Dallas Cowboys Christmas wreath. They are die hard fans and love it. I gave it to them early. 40.00.
MIL: sterling silver grandma charm bracelet. Regular 200, got it for 50.00 from Macys!
FIL: keurig flavors set and personalized mug with Audric's pics on it (kodak for 12.00).
BIL/SIL: dont know yet (budget 40.00)
My sis: I won owl earrings and an owl necklace (silver). She is crazy about owls (Free)
her husband (BIL): probably a pack of white tshirts (budget 10.00)
My brother: I will get him socks and manly body spray (budget 20.00)
His wife (SIL): I have mary kay face wash for her (I won), and will get her some body spray (budget 10.00)
niece 1: I will get her a jacket (budget 50.00)
niece 2: I will get her a coloring book and paints/colors (budget 25.00)
My hubby: digital scrap book 50% off with kodak, 25% off leather journal from Barnes and Noble, and I will get him a body fat percentage analyzer on sale on Amazon
My uncle that lives with my parents: I will get him a shirt (budget 25.00)
Audric: Seseme Street rock Elmo, Fisher Price iphone case toy, 2 Mellissa and Doug puzzles, Elmo guitar. Everything on sale with Amazon. everything for $100.00
Yes it is! I have to start months in advance to afford all of them..LOL!
And her sister is a classmate of mine from HIGH School!! LOL
We currently 17 nieces and nephews, with another on the way. We buy gifts for the 3, soon to be 4, on my side of the family. The remaining 14, on my DH's side, draw names. It was something they instituted before we were married, so we don't buy Christmas gifts. I do put together treat bags for them every year, with cookies, candy and something small.
both of our parents: ipads and i'm looking into what "health" band to also get them all since my dad has bp/heart issues and beau's dad is in remission from kidney cancer
bil/sil: we donate to a rescue in their names b/c they live overseas and it's hard to ship stuff to them.
my grandma: coach wristlet
my other grandma: a pretty lamp shade
Family gifts (aunts/uncles/grown cousins): we give a variety of the baked goods from williams sonoma (i.e. peppermint bark, cookies, etc)
This is the BEST!