Budget-Friendly Christmas Gifts for Writers

Looking for a great, budget-friendly gift for the writer in your life? Get the scoop on the best writing gifts from an author who hopes to receive them all this holiday season. These four fool-proof gifts will make you a holiday hero for $40 or less.

The Buzz Lumbar Massage Pillow: This little beauty is a real life saver, or should I say back saver? One of the biggest pains (pun intended) of writing is sitting for hours and hours in a desk chair. When I stand up after a work binge, one of the places that always feels it the most is my lower back. Enter the Buzz Lumbar Massage Pillow, a compact, battery-operated pillow that produces a vibrating massage when pressure it put against it. All you have to do is lean back on the Buzz Pillow to feel instant relief from the stiff and sore feeling that means you've gotten a great day of writing in. Trust me, the author in your life will thank you every day for this great little gizmo. $25 at Brookstone.

Engraved Pen: A pen is the definitive tool of the writing trade and there is no better way to say a warm "Happy Holidays" to the writer you know than to give them a personalized pen. The Reflections Premier Silver Plated Ballpoint pen at Things Remembered is a classic model of an author's best friend and is on sale now for only $18.75. Engrave the pen with the writer's name for an additional $6 and you have a Christmas present that, for under $30, will make them feel like a million bucks.

Comfy Slippers: One of the best birthday presents I got this year was a set of comfortable slippers. The friend who gave them to me said, "I was trying to imagine what I would want if I was home writing all day, and I realized I would want some comfortable footwear." I have smart friends, because she was absolutely right! Treat your favorite writer to a pair of warm and inspirational slippers from L.L. Bean - try the Hearthside Slippers for women at $34.95 and the Suede Handsewn Slippers for men at $29.95.

Tea Subscription: Tea and writing are as inseparable as peanut butter and jelly - if you know an author who claims they don't like to sip tea while they write then they are just closet tea-drinkers. It is a universal truism that all writers enjoy a steaming cup of tea to get their words flowing, so why not give your author a subscription to the Tea of the Month Club? (yes there is such a thing, and it's fabulous!). You can grab a three months subscription in any one of their "five different flavors" of membership, including Black, Green, Decaf, Mixed, and Herbal and Fruit, for under $30. Personal, thoughtful, and a gift that will keep on giving - what could be better than this?