Christmas gifts under £20: 21 presents from John Lewis, M&S and LEGO

With Christmas Day seven weeks away, a £20 limit per present is a sensible way to keep a long gift list under control. We went through the gift pages at John Lewis, M&S and LEGO and picked out presents that cost less than £20 when we checked on 1 November. None of these prices had an end date shown, and shops can change them at any time, so check before you buy.

At a glance

• Tech: Belkin 10K 3-port power bank, £19.99 at John Lewis.
• Building sets: LEGO Creator Retro Gaming Console 31380, £17.99, and Flying Ford Anglia 76424, £12.99.
• Cosy: M&S Pure Cotton Polka Dot Pyjama Set, £12.50.
• Reduced: John Lewis Organic Mulberry Silk Eye Mask, £14.40, shown as was £18.
• Returns: M&S takes back full-price items bought from 22 October until 17 January 2027.

For teenagers and adults

• Belkin 10K 3-Port Portable Power Bank: £19.99 at John Lewis.
• Gamely Six Second Scribbles game: £14.99 at John Lewis.
• Big Potato P is for Pizza word game: £13 at John Lewis.
• Kikkerland Mini Boules Set: £17.50 at John Lewis.
• Edinburgh Preserves Hot & Spicy Sauce Box: £18 at John Lewis.
• Golden Myrrh 100ml Eau de Parfum: £18 at M&S.
• Eau de Toilette Trio 30ml: £18 at M&S.

Cosy and pampering

• Pure Cotton Polka Dot Pyjama Set: £12.50 at M&S, in several colours.
• Faux Fur Slider Slipper: £15 at M&S.
• Percy Pig Fluffy Microwave Hottie: £13 at M&S.
• John Lewis Faux Fur Mini Hot Water Bottle: £15.
• John Lewis Organic Mulberry Silk Eye Mask: £14.40, shown as was £18.
• Shower Gel Quad Gift Set, 4 x 100ml: £12 at M&S.
• Set of 3 Mini Diffusers Gift Set: £12 at M&S, shown as was £15.
• Lily-flame Merry Christmas Tin Scented Candle, 250g: £11 at John Lewis.

For children and LEGO fans

• LEGO Creator 31380 Retro Gaming Console 3-in-1: £17.99 at John Lewis.
• LEGO Creative Suitcase 10713: £17.99 at LEGO.
• LEGO Exotic Parrot 31136: £19.99 at LEGO.
• LEGO Flying Ford Anglia 76424: £12.99 at LEGO.
• LEGO Botanicals Lucky Bamboo 10344: £17 at John Lewis, shown as was £20.
• Buttonbag Friendship Bracelet Kit: £12.99 at John Lewis.

Many LEGO sets are sold by both LEGO and John Lewis, so compare the two before you buy.

A worked example

Say you're buying for six people with a £20 cap each, so up to £120 in total. One mix from the list above:

• Power bank for a teenager: £19.99
• LEGO Creator Retro Gaming Console for a 9-year-old: £17.99
• Pyjama set for a sister: £12.50
• Six Second Scribbles for the family: £14.99
• Silk eye mask for a friend: £14.40
• Hot & Spicy Sauce Box for a dad: £18

That's £97.87, or £22.13 under the £120 budget. Delivery charges can eat into that, so it's worth checking whether combining orders at one shop, or using click and collect, makes the postage cheaper.

What to do now

1. Write your list with a limit next to each name, and keep a running total.
2. Check the price again on the day you buy, as prices can go up as well as down.
3. Ask for a gift receipt. It lets the person you're buying for swap the present without seeing the price.
4. Check the Christmas returns date. M&S takes back full-price items bought on or after 22 October 2026 until 17 January 2027.
5. Don't wait too long for Black Friday on 27 November if you've already found a fair price. Stock of popular gifts can run out.

Questions

Will these be cheaper on Black Friday?

Some may be, but plenty won't. Which? found most items it tracked around Black Friday were the same price or cheaper at other times of the year.

Can I return a gift bought online?

Usually yes. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations you have 14 days from delivery to cancel most online orders, and shops' Christmas returns policies often give longer.

What does "was" mean in the prices above?

It's the earlier price the shop shows. It should be a price it genuinely charged before.

Sources: John Lewis: stocking fillers, M&S: gifts under £20, LEGO: sets for ages 6+, M&S: returns and refunds, Which?: Black Friday price research, Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013

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