10 Stocking Stuffers Under $25

Princess International

Just because you're on a budget this holiday season doesn't mean Santa's stocking has to be light -- or that you have to shortchange yourself on fun.

Let us stuff your stocking with a selection of ten gifts for the entire family, each for $25 or less.

1. The Flying Alarm Clock
Price: Less than $15

It's the perfect gift for stubborn sleepyheads (or their parents). When the alarm goes off, a propeller flies into the air. The only way to silence the truly obnoxious sound is to get out of bed, find the propeller and replace it on the clock base. (Jabbing a pen or other object into the unit won't work. Trust us. We tried-and so did our kids.)

The Flying Alarm Clock is available at Amazon.com and a variety of other online retailers, generally for less than $15, plus shipping.

2. Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse
Price: $19.99

Having a laptop is convenient, but manipulating its track pad often isn't. A conventional mouse is easier to use, but its cord clutters your computing space. Microsoft's Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 is a low-cost alternative. Its petite receiver plugs in to your laptop's USB port, and the mouse runs for up to six months on a single AA battery. When not in use, the receiver conveniently snaps into the bottom of the mouse.

It is listed at $29.95, but we found it new at Amazon.com for $19.99.

Lockjawpliers.com

3. LockJaw Self-Adjusting Pliers
Price: $15

The problem with traditional locking pliers is turning that screw on the handle to adjust the gap in the jaws. If you're not precise, you can wind up with too loose a grip -- or, worse, you'll crush what you're trying to hold. The LockJaw pliers let you set the gripping force from light to heavy; then the tool automatically adjusts to hold any size with equal pressure.

The 10-inch size is listed at $25, but we found it for $10 less on Amazon.com -- or you might possibly fit both the 10-inch and 6-inch models into your $25 budget.

4. Kuhn Rikon Magic Cover
Price: $20 and up

Don't you just hate it when you can't find the lid to a saucepan? Or run out of plastic wrap? Or misplace the top of a Tupperware container? For $20, you can solve all of those problems with a silicon lid that fits every pan and container smaller than its circumference. Plus, it withstands temperature extremes in the oven, the freezer or the microwave. Place it over a dish, press the button in the center of the lid and you get an airtight seal.

The 11-inch size runs $20 at Sur La Table and $24 at Amazon.com.

iStockphoto

5. Flock of Chicks From Heifer International
Price: $20

A $20 donation at Heifer.org buys 50 chickens, which can lay up to 200 eggs a year -- nourishment for a family in countries from Rwanda to Peru.

And when your chicks grow up and hatch more chicks, they're passed on to another family in need -- better even than six geese a-laying.

6. Gund Sesame Street Plush
Price: $14 to $16 each

Thankfully, these stuffed dolls don't giggle, sing or do the chicken dance. But they're super soft and always up for a good old-fashioned snuggle. At 12 to 14 inches in height, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and others are the perfect size for little ones to tote around, and they'll quickly become a toddler's best pal. Bonus: Their fur doesn't shed.

Available at Amazon.com and local retailers.

7. Slide-Show DVD
Price: $20

Here's a gift that's big on the "wow" factor yet easy on your pocketbook. For $20, you can load up to 400 digital images into a slide show on DVD through Shutterfly.com. Add music, special effects and captions for a truly personalized creation.

8. ShareBuilder Gift Certificate
Price: $20

Tired of boring gift cards and cash? Consider the Investor Starter Kit from online broker ShareBuilder. It costs $20 at Costco.com, but it comes with a $55 gift certificate to buy the stock of your choice (and your money will certainly go farther than it did last holiday season).

The kit also includes a copy of The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach, and a CD-ROM that explains how to invest online.

Amazon.com

9. 4GB Memory Card
Price: Less than $20

Memory cards may be about as glamorous as socks or a fruitcake, but they sure are useful. Flash memory is the preferred storage medium for most consumer-tech gizmos, including digital cameras, camcorders, cell phones and MP3 players. And more memory is always better, particularly now that it's cheap.

Most 4-gigabyte (4GB) memory cards sell for less than $25 at Amazon.com, and they can store up to 1600 digital photos at a very impressive 10-megapixel resolution. Just make sure the product you buy is compatible with the device that will use it.

10. The Pursuit of Happyness
Price: $13.50 for the widescreen edition at Amazon.com

With his son Jaden, Will Smith stars in this sweet tear-jerker. It's based on the true story of a desperate father who aspires to become a stockbroker so that he and his son can live the American Dream.

The story touches on many levels, from the philosophical (the meaning of happiness) to the practical (paying your taxes). And it's a nice reminder, especially now, that no matter how tough life can be, the human spirit can conquer and prosper.