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10 great holiday gift ideas for under $50

Save time and money with these items that are just a mouse click or phone call away. Real Simple magazine's Elizabeth Mayhew shares these top picks.
/ Source: TODAY

Instead of those last-minute trips to the crowded mall, everything on the list is just a mouse click or a phone call away, so you don't even have to leave the house.  But the best part is all of these items are under $50! Elizabeth Mayhew of Real Simple Magazine was invited on the "Today" show to share her to choices.

Silhouette Notepads
($45 for two, petiteprints.com)
Personalized gifts always mean more and these notepads are sure to be sentimental favorites.  Just send in a photo of a friend's loved ones in profile, and their silhouettes will be printed on 100-page pads.  Printing takes up to 14 days but overnight shipping is available, so order them now! 

Candle
($16,  Design Ranch, 800-311-4696)
Here's a gift they haven't seen before ... a paraffin candle with a built-in matchbox. It's functional, minimalist design keeps matches within easy reach and is sure to please modernists and traditionalists alike.  Don't worry — the wick runs out before it reaches the matches, so you won't burn the house down. 

MP3 Speaker
($40, Zelco.com)
Perfect for the iPod junkie on your list, here's a travel speaker system with enough volume to fill a hotel room or small office. The TriPod, which folds up into a near weightless four-by-one-inch cylinder let's you listen to music anywhere. It's also compatible with any audio device with a 3.5mm mini output (iPod, MP3 players, CD players, desktop computer, digital cameras). Uses one "AAA" battery for 10 hours of use. 

Personalized Paperweight
($35, Shopiomoi.com)
Upgrade her desktop with this French crystal paperweight, which you can personalize with a monogram, a full name, or anything else that can be said in 32 characters or less. Available in 35 designs — stripes, polka dots, cupcakes and starfish. Monogramming can take up to 7 days.

Mom Agenda
($45, Momagenda.com)
A practical gift that a mom will appreciate, this day planner leaves room to record her weekly schedule alongside those of up to four kids. Also included is an address book, space for medical information or party planning and more. 

Earrings
($12, Jools.us)
The young lady on your list will love these dangling earrings and so will your wallet. Peridot hearts on sterling-silver wires, emerald-quartz teardrops on 14-karat-gold-filled wires, and ruby-jade rondelles on silver. 

Piggy Bank
($35, Sfmoma.org)
What man doesn't empty the change out of his pant pockets at the end of the day? The Coink porcelain piggy accepts coins by the fistful and lets him retrieve them when it's time to cash it all in. 

The Book Of Cool
($45, Zippergifts.com)A book and a DVD. Learn from stop-action photos the wisdom of 35 of the world's most talented sportsmen and performers as they teach you to master over 250 of their coolest tricks, skills and moves.  It includes slick moves from the world's best pen twirler, bartender, freestyle soccer player, etc. 

Alarm Clock
($20, Karmakiss.com)
Let the Talking Animal Alarm Clock rouse your little one with their favorite pet sound each morning. Perfect for girls and boys, you can choose from dog, cat, monkey, pig, rooster, cow, frog, duck and butterfly. The kids will love it so much, they may actually wake up for school on Mondays. 

Pop Bottle Science
($15, Amazon.com)
Kids are famous for asking odd questions you can't answer. Satisfy their curiosity with this kit, which provides nearly everything they need to perform 79 easy, hands-on experiments that probe the worlds of chemistry, physics, biology, geology, weather, the human body and even astronomy.  Each experiment begins with a challenge and ends with an explanation of the scientific principles involved.   From testing the laws of gravity to making a volcano that erupts (in the plastic bottle it comes in), adults just might learn something, too. Reading level, ages 9 through 10.