Hey! While we’re doing our best to make sure the products we feature will arrive in time for Christmas, shipping times are especially tricky this year and can vary depending on where you live, which product you purchase, and more. Shop early and be sure to double check the retailers’ websites for shipping information to ensure that your gift will arrive in time for the 25th!
1.
A Book of the Month subscription that’ll send them a hardcover book of their choice every month. It takes the scary guesswork out of offering book recs and gets more great titles on their shelves for less $$$.
I received a three-month Book of the Month subscription for Christmas one year, and it was the best surprise! I really underestimated how much I would enjoy having books picked out for me. It’s like never having to choose where to eat ever again. A dream come true! Also, two great things will happen when you have a BOTM subscription: 1) You’re going to discover new, amazing authors (ily, Sally Rooney). 2) You’re going to become the friend who already read that amazing book before it got popular. Who woulda thought a book subscription could up your cool-factor so much?
The giftee will receive a current, best-selling book of their choice (from a rotating selection of five titles from different genres) every month for three, six, or twelve months.
I received a three-month Book of the Month subscription for Christmas one year, and it was the best surprise! I really underestimated how much I would enjoy having books picked out for me. It’s like never having to choose where to eat ever again. A dream come true! Also, two great things will happen when you have a BOTM subscription: 1) You’re going to discover new, amazing authors (ily, Sally Rooney). 2) You’re going to become the friend who already read that amazing book before it got popular. Who woulda thought a book subscription could up your cool-factor so much?
The giftee will receive a current, best-selling book of their choice (from a rotating selection of five titles from different genres) every month for three, six, or twelve months.
In Azul, players (two to four in total) earn points by arranging colorful tiles on their board. While the objective is pretty straightforward, there’s also room for strategy as any unplaced tiles = negative points and once you really get a hang of things, you can begin to mastermind who ends up with what.
Promising review: “What can I say? It’s basically a perfect game. Easy to learn but has a lot of depth as you get more acquainted. And it passed the wife test ( my wife admittedly hates games- but she will play this one with me every time). I gifted it two times for Christmas 2019. Both parties loved it. This is a must for your collection. Get it!” —Pop Tarts?! ROFL
In Azul, players (two to four in total) earn points by arranging colorful tiles on their board. While the objective is pretty straightforward, there’s also room for strategy as any unplaced tiles = negative points and once you really get a hang of things, you can begin to mastermind who ends up with what.
Promising review: “What can I say? It’s basically a perfect game. Easy to learn but has a lot of depth as you get more acquainted. And it passed the wife test ( my wife admittedly hates games- but she will play this one with me every time). I gifted it two times for Christmas 2019. Both parties loved it. This is a must for your collection. Get it!” —Pop Tarts?! ROFL
A bottle of Truff Hot Sauce they can add to essentially any meal to make it feel like a gourmet affair — even if they’re just sitting in front of the TV.
I got a bottle of this liquid gold for Christmas last year and WHOO BOY do I love it. Calling it hot sauce isn’t totally correct. It is a sauce that is hot, but the consistency is substantially thicker than what you might expect from your standard Tabasco. Regardless, if they like spice and truffle this is a fun condiment to add to their assortment!
Promising review: “Purchased this because it was Oprah’s favorite things. As a truffle and sriracha lover, this is what you get when truffle and sriracha had a baby but 10x better. I highly recommend, because it helps my food taste better for my boring diets.” —Linzy nguyen
A secret stash bottle for the person who *insists* on not carrying a bag but asks if you can hold onto their credit card, ID, and keys when you go out. Alternatively, it’s also great for those paranoid about pickpockets (idk about you, but this is something my high school study abroad chaperones really tried to drill into me).
The insulated bottle can keep their choice of beverage hot for 12 hours or cold for 24 hours. But now, for the exciting part: A secret 3.25 x 3-inch storage compartment at the bottom can hold various credit cards, keys, cash, and even AirPods.
Promising review: “Amazingly clever and well-made! I love this thing!!! Fully fits a credit card, car key, little lump of stuff in the bottom. Screws on invisibly. Well-shaped, well-made, keeps temperature. Solid 5 stars. If anything changes, I’ll update, but I’ve been using it for a few days and right now I’m in love.” —Lindsey Loon
The insulated bottle can keep their choice of beverage hot for 12 hours or cold for 24 hours. But now, for the exciting part: A secret 3.25 x 3-inch storage compartment at the bottom can hold various credit cards, keys, cash, and even AirPods.
Promising review: “Amazingly clever and well-made! I love this thing!!! Fully fits a credit card, car key, little lump of stuff in the bottom. Screws on invisibly. Well-shaped, well-made, keeps temperature. Solid 5 stars. If anything changes, I’ll update, but I’ve been using it for a few days and right now I’m in love.” —Lindsey Loon
A Framebridge gift card so they can finally frame that print they bought two years ago. And we’re not talking any old frame, no — they’ll get to pick *exactly* what they want and then it’ll be handcrafted before being shipped back to them.
Framebridge
Get it from Framebridge for $25+ (e-gift cards and physical gift cards are available).
6.
A handmade match striker for the candle-obsessed friend who has collected enough scents to open their own shop. The ceramic pot is way more aesthetically pleasing than a lighter and doubles as decor in its own right.
PS: This ready-to-use gift comes with one bottle of Strike Anywhere matches.
Promising review: “Great little functional piece of pottery that was the perfect addition to the floating shelves I built for the water closet in my master bathroom. Comes with a starter set of Strike Anywhere matches. The seller was fantastic, when I reached out to her about a shipping issue (the postal carrier’s mistake as it turned out) she was quick to reply and offer solutions. It is a small piece, so don’t be surprised by that, but it’s meant to hold matches, how big could it possibly be? It came packaged in a cute little cloth bag that would be suitable for gifting and the matches even came in a little glass jar that can be reused. Super pleased.” —Abbey Ater
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in four colors).
PS: This ready-to-use gift comes with one bottle of Strike Anywhere matches.
Promising review: “Great little functional piece of pottery that was the perfect addition to the floating shelves I built for the water closet in my master bathroom. Comes with a starter set of Strike Anywhere matches. The seller was fantastic, when I reached out to her about a shipping issue (the postal carrier’s mistake as it turned out) she was quick to reply and offer solutions. It is a small piece, so don’t be surprised by that, but it’s meant to hold matches, how big could it possibly be? It came packaged in a cute little cloth bag that would be suitable for gifting and the matches even came in a little glass jar that can be reused. Super pleased.” —Abbey Ater
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in four colors).
7.
Or, if they’ve tried and failed (multiple times) to make their own loop-de-loop candlestick with the aid of TikTok tutorials, you can gift them the OG from Lex Pott.
Nordstrom
Get it from Nordstrom for $40 (available in two colors).
Nordstrom
Get it from Nordstrom for $40 (available in two colors).
8.
A house-shaped tissue box cover because the best gifts solve mundane problems, like transforming their unsightly tissue box into enviable decor.
Promising review: “Got this as a gift for someone that pretty much has everything and unfortunately that includes terrible allergies. Hard person to shop for so I thought why not give this person something cute and functional. Something that takes up very little space and may even be a conversation piece in their home while they are grabbing for Kleenex. Hope this person likes it and if they do not I’ll gladly keep it because I like it…” —K S
Get it from Amazon for $6.50+ (available in four colors).
Promising review: “Got this as a gift for someone that pretty much has everything and unfortunately that includes terrible allergies. Hard person to shop for so I thought why not give this person something cute and functional. Something that takes up very little space and may even be a conversation piece in their home while they are grabbing for Kleenex. Hope this person likes it and if they do not I’ll gladly keep it because I like it…” —K S
Get it from Amazon for $6.50+ (available in four colors).
9.
A year-long subscription to Stitcher Premium for the friend who is always giving you podcast suggestions (solicited or not). Membership will get them exclusive access to bonus episodes, archived audio, and — most excitingly — ad-free listening.
Stitcher Premium
Stitcher Premium has more than 60,000+ hours of bonus content from popular networks like Wondery, Earwolf, and Witness Docs.
A potted plant that won’t poison their furry friends and arrives pre-potted in a stylish ceramic pot. A fun fact to share with the giftee: this plant self-propagates, and the sprouts are called “pups” 🥺.
A Sips-by-subscription box filled with premium teas, personalized to match their taste preferences. Every month, they’ll get sent everything they need to steep and sip their way to serenity.
Sips by
In every box, they’ll get four premium teas, enough to make 15+ cups (45+ if they re-steep), steeping guidelines, exclusive discounts, and recipes created by tea experts!
At checkout, you’ll have the option to choose between downloading a printable card or scheduling an email delivery.
A canister of chai that tastes JUST as good as their favorite coffee shop cup. If they already have a stove top espresso pot, they can even make it ~dirty.~
Not gonna lie, I went on a serious reconnaissance mission at my local joint just to figure out what kind of chai they were using and low and behold it was this bad boy! All you have to do is add water or milk (and ice if you want it cold) and BAM, you’ve got a chai that could go for $5+.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes).
Not gonna lie, I went on a serious reconnaissance mission at my local joint just to figure out what kind of chai they were using and low and behold it was this bad boy! All you have to do is add water or milk (and ice if you want it cold) and BAM, you’ve got a chai that could go for $5+.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes).
13.
A jerky sampler box for the curious taste tester so they can mark a few new types of meat off their “I’ve tried that” list. Ostrich meat? Check.
Man Crates
For the meat lover in your life, Man Crates presents a selection of the most delicious and exotic meats you can (legally) buy including Wild Boar Honey Bourbon Jerky, Buffalo Jerky, Elk Hickory Smoked Jerky, Ostrich Jerky, Duck Maple Jerky, and Pheasant Jerky.
Promising review: “My guy is hard to buy for because if he wants something he just goes and gets it. I sent this to his work and he thought it was cool. Big hit!” —Nancy
Get it from Man Crates for $39.99 or from Amazon for $44.99.
Man Crates
For the meat lover in your life, Man Crates presents a selection of the most delicious and exotic meats you can (legally) buy including Wild Boar Honey Bourbon Jerky, Buffalo Jerky, Elk Hickory Smoked Jerky, Ostrich Jerky, Duck Maple Jerky, and Pheasant Jerky.
Promising review: “My guy is hard to buy for because if he wants something he just goes and gets it. I sent this to his work and he thought it was cool. Big hit!” —Nancy
Get it from Man Crates for $39.99 or from Amazon for $44.99.
14.
A fluffy sherpa purse that will complete their signature all-sherpa-everything look. Or, if faux fur is more their thing, that’s also an option!
Promising review: “I ordered this as a gift and she loves it! She says she gets so many compliments!” —Paul Wells
Get it from Amazon for $39.90 (available in three colors/styles).
15.
A zero waste starter kit for the burgeoning environmentalist who doesn’t quite know where to start. This kit includes everything they need to kick off their journey to less waste with portable plastic alternatives they can incorporate into their daily routine!
Package Free
This kit includes a set of bamboo utensils with storage pouch, a stainless-steel straw, a bamboo toothbrush, and your choice of a 16-oz Tumbler with straw or an 18-oz water bottle — all packaged in a drawstring produce bag for easy carrying.
Promising review: “I got this is a birthday present and I love it! The cup is and straw are great, never spills even when I drop it!” —Mary
Get it from Package Free Shop for $35.90 (originally $47).
16.
A custom photo album so they can flip through their cherished memories whenever the mood strikes, or show guests that their kids really are cute when they’re not throwing a tantrum. Everything down to the layouts and fonts is customizable, making for a truly personal keepsake.
Shutterfly
Whatever theme you choose is just a framework. All layouts, embellishments, text, and elements are fully customizable.
Get it from Shutterfly for $13.98+ (available in six sizes, three binding options, and soft or hardcover).
Shutterfly
Whatever theme you choose is just a framework. All layouts, embellishments, text, and elements are fully customizable.
Get it from Shutterfly for $13.98+ (available in six sizes, three binding options, and soft or hardcover).
17.
A wine topper serving set that will take their already iconic charcuterie boards to the next level. As soon as large gatherings are back on the table, so is this three-piece bad boy.
Uncommon Goods
The mid-century-style boards each have holes punched in the end so they can be fitted over any standard wine bottles to create a table.
Promising review: “I bought as a gift for my girlfriend who loves to entertain, loves wine and loves serving. It was perfect, she loves it!” —Austin Yogi
A symbolic wildlife adoption for your favorite do-gooder and animal-lover. Opt for just the photo and adoption certificate or include a plushie version of the adopted animal they can snuggle up with.
Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute
Get it from Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute for $75+ (available in ten species).
19.
An elegantly-packaged apéritif with a festive spiced cherry flavor that’ll endlessly upgrade their at-home cocktail game. Sip, sip, hurray!
Haus
Promising review: “Tasty as heck! This reminded me of an adult Cherry Dr. Pepper (and I mean that as the sincerest compliment). A great option for this season!” —Juliet J.
A blueberry breakfast gift basket for the friend who misses going out to brunch. Send this along with some champagne and OJ for bonus points! Either way, they’ll have everything they need to cook up a delicious breakfast.
Amazon
This five-piece set includes Wild Maine Blueberry Jam, Wild Maine Blueberry Syrup, Blueberry Pancake and Waffle Mix, Blueberry Rhubarb Jam, and a Blueberry print towel.
Promising review: “A Mother’s Day gift for my mother-in-law. She is positively giddy about it! Lovely high-quality basket with delicious goodies and a pretty towel. As always, Stonewall Kitchen did not disappoint.” —Laura
A luxe pour-over coffee stand befitting of even the most discerning coffee connoisseurs. They’ll be clearing counter space to display this functional piece of art 24/7.
The Coffee Registry / Etsy
A Colorado-based small biz, The Coffee Registry delivers on its name selling a tight assortment of standout pourover stands like this one!
Promising review: “This is a beautiful piece of art! I got it very quickly and it has been put to use ever since! Thank you!” —Lizmoore0321
A modern canvas that hides a pretty cool secret: Every chronological color strip is from a scene in their favorite movie. Below, we have Good Will Hunting from start to finish!
Frome has more than 1,200+ cinematic canvasses from popular franchises and animated Disney films to more niche picks like Mr. Bean’s Holiday (lol).
Get it from Frome for $89.95+ (originally $224.95; available in four sizes and two finishes)
23.
A cacao turmeric blend for the wellness-obsessed that’ll make incorporating the health benefits of turmeric a delicious treat and not a chore!
Amazon
Golde is a woman- and Black-owned business creating vegan wellness and beauty essentials with the goal of making it easy for anyone to enjoy the benefits of these powerful superfoods.
Promising review: “I used this product to help minimize my caffeine intake in the mornings (coffee was increasing my anxiety). The powder blends really easily and doesn’t clump. You just need to mix with hot water and it tastes creamy. I really look forward to starting my morning with this blend. Easy way to incorporate turmeric into my diet and the different spices actually taste really good.” —Dean Fuerth
Golde is a woman- and Black-owned business creating vegan wellness and beauty essentials with the goal of making it easy for anyone to enjoy the benefits of these powerful superfoods.
Promising review: “I used this product to help minimize my caffeine intake in the mornings (coffee was increasing my anxiety). The powder blends really easily and doesn’t clump. You just need to mix with hot water and it tastes creamy. I really look forward to starting my morning with this blend. Easy way to incorporate turmeric into my diet and the different spices actually taste really good.” —Dean Fuerth
A variety pack of Reese’s candies sure to please the peanut butter lover among you. The 30-pack comes with the classics (see: Reese’s Pieces, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Reese’s Big Cups) and a few we didn’t even know existed (hiya 👋🏻 Reese’s Sticks, Reese’s White Peanut Butter Cups, and Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cups). 🥜
Amazon
Promising review: “The doorbell rings and as you open it to see who is bothering you at your home you notice the familiar height and tone of a child holding a fundraiser box of candy. You know the box I’m talking about. It elicits an internal joy almost immediately. This is basically ‘found’ candy. You didn’t go out and buy it at a store yourself so it’s practically calorie-free. Here it is showing up at your door unannounced but totally welcome. You want to buy the entire box, but you can’t. That’s too needy. Too over the top. However, the vision of sitting on your couch watching a Sunday full of Netflix with that box of happiness next to you is all you can see. Well, now you don’t need to panic over the social stigma of being the house that purchased an entire box of candy for themselves. Let Amazon deliver this dream-maker to your home in secure discreet packaging and let your life begin.” —Hupka
A wall-mounted grow-light-frame combo that looks like it crawled out of the pages of their favorite interior design mag. If you’ve already gifted them a succulent or two, this is the natural next step.
Food52
The LED frame works with just about any plant from ferns and orchids to aloe and English ivy.
What’s included: Laser cut steel frame, two 32 LED panels pre- programmed timer with multiple on/off settings, a 6.5-inch power cord, and instructions.
Get it from Food52 for $189 (available in four colors).
26.
A pack of pimple patches because the hard-to-gift person who has it all probably has acne too! Even skincare novices will love these easy-to-use treatments. Just stick ’em on a burgeoning zit and let the ~magic~ happen!
Promising review: “ACNE CONTROL, FINALLY! These hydraulic stick-on patches have completely cleared my chronic acne. I have tried almost every skincare regime with thousands of dollars wasted. Mighty Original Patch reduces the appearance of chronic acne. Easy to you use and affordable!!! It’s my 1# beauty secret that I love to tell all of my friends!” —Jessica Eve Morgan
Promising review: “ACNE CONTROL, FINALLY! These hydraulic stick-on patches have completely cleared my chronic acne. I have tried almost every skincare regime with thousands of dollars wasted. Mighty Original Patch reduces the appearance of chronic acne. Easy to you use and affordable!!! It’s my 1# beauty secret that I love to tell all of my friends!” —Jessica Eve Morgan
A Criterion Channel subscription so they can catch up on Hollywood classics that are hard to find elsewhere. Film buffs will also appreciate that they can filter by director, exclusive Criterion editions, and more.
The Criterion Channel
The streaming library offers access to more than 1,000 films from classic Hollywood hits to under-the-radar international and art-house picks.
A spray hand and surface sanitizer aptly named “Germaphobe” that has a festive pine scent and actually leaves hands feeling moisturized instead of woefully dry and sticky — like the goopy sanitizers they’re probably toting around now.
Every Humans
Germaphobe has none of the nasty chemicals found in a lot of traditional sanitizers but it’s just as effective, killing 99.9% of germs and exceeding CDC sanitizer guidelines.
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth Lilly swears by this hand sanitizer. In her own words:
“A lot can be said about 2020, but one positive thing is that I’ve found a new favorite hand sanitizer. This beaut from Everyday Humans is small enough to fit in my purse, leaves my hands feeling sanitized *and* moisturized, and has a nice black tea smell that has me sniffing my hand throughout the day (totally normal!). It’s fully converted me to spray hand sanitizer. No more gloopy liquid for me. Quite frankly, I should just go ahead and buy a case.”
A membership will get them a fresh pair of underwear every month in their preferred style. They’ll choose the size and fit preference. Boxer briefs, trunks, boxers, or briefs in men’s sizes S–4XL are available. Hipsters, cheeky briefs, bikinis, boy shorts, or thongs in women’s sizes XS–4XL are available. When it comes to color/pattern, you can go for adventurous (prints), bold (solid, bright colors), or classic (solid, neutral colors).
A set of multi-colored ramekins for the friend who always asks you to go halfsies on a molten chocolate lava cake. Now, they can experiment in their own kitchen and feel free to eat the entire thing (as they always should)!
The 12-ounce ramekins are safe for use in the dishwasher, microwave, oven, and freezer so they’ll get a whole lot of use.
Promising review: “Beautiful colors (I got the cool assorted colors), seems sturdy, stacks nicely which is important for someone who loves to organize like me. I bought them to learn how to make souffles. I can’t wait! Even if my cooking talents do not extend to souffles, they will be perfect for sauces, individual pies, parfaits, endless possibilities with these new compliments to my kitchen.” —Christa
A deck of monochrome playing cards so they can ace their next game night, or make their next round of solitaire extra *aesthetic*.
Amazon
Promising review: “These cards are awesome and came in perfect condition! I got them for a friend, and they love the design of them.” —Brandon
Get it from Amazon for $10+ (available in three colors).
33.
A hook and ring board so they can practice their favorite bar game from home. The second their go-to watering hole opens up again, they’ll immediately earn their place as the ring toss champ.
Amazon
Promising review: “Thought this would be a perfect little gift for my husband, and I was right! He was able to install it easily. He and my kids love this game! We will probably order a second one soon!” —Malorie Sitar
Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in four styles).
You whipping out the perfect gift like a Christmas magician:
HBO
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
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