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GiftingMap saves the season with a list of great gifts under $100

Everyone's favorite insulated cups get a natural makeover.

Photo courtesy of Corkcicle

Let's face it: the holidays are an expensive time. Chances are good that you also have a lot of people to shop for, so finding a deal is the icing on the fruitcake.

Luckily, GiftingMap's offerings span a wide range of prices, with something affordable for everyone on your nice list. If you've already shopped for most of the men and women in your life but are still looking to pick up something under $100, we've got a couple options at the ready.

And if you're hoping that whoever's out there shopping for you is picking the right items, help make sure by taking a GiftingMap quiz and sending them your preferences. From now through December 25, exchange gift guide quizzes with three friends and you'll be entered to win a shopping spree worth up to $500 for yourself and $100 each for your trio.

Bird Dog Bay sock sets
Put your best festive foot forward with playful pima cotton socks featuring Santa hat-wearing sock monkeys, "candy canines," and good ol' Rudolph. For something he can wear year-round, check out the Don't Mess With Texas set, which includes the Texas flag, longhorns, and the Texas star.

Corkcicle walnut wood collection
Now your favorite insulated cups have a warm woodgrain pattern with a sleek, matte finish. Crafted from stainless steel with proprietary triple insulation, the vacuum-sealed tumblers, stemless wine glasses, and canteens keeps beverages cold for more than nine hours and hot for three.

Leslie de la Mora earrings
Handmade out of Houston and brand-new to the site, these gold vermeil earrings are a find for fashionistas. The extremely lightweight jewelry — seriously, you'll forget you're wearing them — is wrapped with a single deerhide tassel and adorned with a labradorite charm.

Native Maps
Show your city pride with a hand-pulled screen print on 100-percent recycled, acid-free, 100-pound paper from French Paper Company. Gold foil prints of Austin, Dallas, and Houston are 16" x 20" and standard prints are 18"x 24", and each has the option to be framed in a reclaimed wood frame.

Niven Morgan Destination candles
From Aspen to Marrakech to Cape Town, Niven Morgan has traveled the world to capture the essence of exotic locales. If you're already a fan of his #hashtag candles, you'll know that his candles last an impressive 60 hours.

Purple Lily boho scarf
Perfect for that friend who's always cold. A blend of polyester and viscose makes this extra-long scarf supremely soft, while the tassels add a touch of whimsy.

shopping promoted luxury holidays

What A Deal

Nordstrom Rack stocks up for grand opening of 3rd San Antonio store

Nordstrom Rack model in shirt and sunglasses

Nordstrom Rack/Facebook

Nordstrom Rack is opening its third San Antonio store on September 7.

Not everyone can be convinced to shop consignment. Sometimes you just need a new pair of sneakers — like, new-new — or a few sizes to choose from. Sometimes you just need a wall of formerly $300 sunglasses.

Residents in the northern areas of San Antonio seem to relate to this, keeping two Nordstrom Rack locations afloat in Alamo Heights and the Northwest Side.

But it just wasn't enough for these deal-hungry shoppers. A third location will be opening at Northwoods Shopping Center on September 7. A grand opening that day will introduce shoppers to the new store with snacks, coffee, gift cards, "and more," according to a press release. Sad news for southern San Antonians: the Nordstrom Rack score is now 0-3.

Like an outlet (but technically an off-price division), Nordstrom Rack sells much of the same merchandise as the luxury department store — in fact, 90 percent of the brands cross over, per the release.

Think of it as a big clearance rack for Nordstrom products, although these stores also buy some items directly that never even touch Nordstrom's shelves. (Nordstrom Rack also has its own clearance section, which is usually basic but fun for chaotic shoppers who love calculating percentages and cackling maniacally.)

This all means huge savings across the 35,000-square-foot store on a regular basis. Shoppers may see up to 70 percent off some price tags, and if they've exhausted their options during one visit, there will always be more conquests within the next week's delivery.

Some of the brands carried at Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack include:

Levi’s
Madewell
Topshop
Dr. Martens
On Running
New Balance
Sam Edelman

There is some good news for shoppers who don't live close to this new location: Nordstrom Rack has a huge online collection (12,481 women's clothing items at the time of writing). Shoppers can even order online and return in-store, which is a great way to find a consolation prize.

Nordstrom Rack partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas, and will invite some "Littles" in for spring season shopping on a gift card in advance of the opening. The long-term partnership has generated $1.5 million in support of the nonprofit, which sets up mentor relationships for personal, academic, and even career success.

The new store at located will open at at 18134 San Pedro Ave. on September 7 at 9 am.

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