Mixtape or custom playlist + music subscription — around $10
Music can elicit strong memories or feelings, but as we age and get busy, we tend to listen to the same few artists over and over.
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Streaming service subscription
If you frequently stream shows with your friend, family member, or loved one, consider getting them a one to three-month subscription to a service they don’t have.
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Magazine subscription
Call me old-fashioned, but it’s nice to take a break from screens and just relax with a magazine.
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Comic books or graphic novels
Comic books and graphic novels fall into a “Goldilocks zone” of engagement, requiring less mental effort than reading but better immersion than watching TV.
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Gaming subscription
Whether your loved one picked up gaming as a result of the pandemic or has always been a fan, consider giving them a subscription to Xbox Game Pass or Nintendo Switch Online.
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Gift card to local bookstore
Books are tricky gifts; the recipient may not want to invest hours into the book you gave them, so it just becomes clutter or a doorstop. .
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Desktop models or figurines
Is your colleague, friend, or loved one constantly going on about a certain car, book, or TV show? Show them you listen (or at least tolerate) their obsession by giving them a little model for their desk!
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Board game
Board games are an easy and fun way to help your family, or your friends, bond. You can’t go wrong with childhood staples like Jenga, Trouble, Hungry Hungry Hippos, or Sorry. For competitive thinkers, consider a strategy game like Risk.
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Meaningful, framed poster
A bare wall in your friend’s home gives you a golden opportunity for an awesome gift. Grab a $10 poster of their favorite band, or even just a world map for them to plan their next global adventure. You can slide it into a simple black frame from Target for $10 or so.
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Kitchen tools
Sometimes the best gift ideas aren’t things people want, but what they need!If your friend cooks a lot and still uses the same cheap tools they bought in college, they might really appreciate a high-quality, long-lasting kitchen tool.
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Scented candles
Scented candles make great gifts for a few reasons. First, they’re affordable: Even the Mercedes of scented candles, Yankee Candle, sells big ones for under $20. Second, you can still make a scented candle persona.
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Resilient desktop plant
Desktop plants can provide aesthetic appeal and a trickle of mental health. I’m a big fan of aloe vera since it’s visually unexpected, practical for healing kitchen burns or sunburns, and only needs watering twice a month.
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Personalized Christmas ornaments
Obviously, this is one you’ll want to give earlier in December, but I love ornaments as gifts because nobody expects to receive one and they can bring joy for decades.
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A special cookbook
Cookbooks have a reputation for being a contrived gift and many end up becoming paperweights. But like all gifts, this only happens when the giver hasn’t made it personal enough.
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Gardening tools, big and small
A gardening tool is a perfect gift for a new homeowner. Even if they don’t garden as a hobby (yet), yard work tools are essential for keeping a property healthy and increasing its value. For example, a $10 set of pruning shears can help your friend keep her trees healthy and prevent an $800 limb removal later!
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A personalized cutting board
Even non–chefs use cutting boards to cut pizza, chop veggies, and more, so having a high-quality one can make a big difference.
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Nice stationery set
Handwritten letters hold magnitudes more power than emails or DMs. Therefore, surprising someone with a nice set of stationery can help them build or rebuild meaningful connections with dozens of people.
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Framed photograph
Among the most emotionally charged (and affordable) gifts you can give is a photo of you and the recipient that evokes a positive memory.
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Homemade coupon book
The ultimate in personalized (and affordable) gifts, you can create a “coupon book” for a loved one and write in things like “one home-cooked meal” or “any movie of your choice.” Get creative!
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Journal or notebook with a personal foreword
The practice of keeping a journal can boost mindfulness, focus, reflectiveness, gratitude, and overall joy.
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Jar of handwritten message capsules
This is my #1 favorite gift to give a loved one due to its impact on the giver and the receiver.
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Hat, scarf, or mittens
Sometimes, the best gift is the one the recipient didn’t even realize they needed.
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Socks
Socks have pulled a 180 from their former reputation as “the worst Christmas gift.”Today’s socks are warm, fuzzy, and adorable; get your loved one some socks featuring their favorite cute critter.
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Artsy tote bag
Thankfully, bringing your own reusable tote bag to the grocery store has become an enduring trend. Therefore, a cool, artistic tote bag represents the perfect combination of personal and practical.
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Travel pillow
Anyone who travels frequently knows the value of products that help them travel in comfort. If your loved one loves to travel, or has a trip coming up soon, consider gifting them a comfortable travel pillow.
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Creative keychains and leather key pouches
If someone on your Christmas list has a key ring the size of a janitor’s, they may appreciate a fun addition to their collection in the form of their favorite movie character.
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Leather wallet
Guys are stubborn, and we tend to only replace things when they fall apart in our hands.Therefore, if you’re shopping for the guy in your life, consider getting him a nice leather wallet. His old one is probably in tatters.
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Leather belt
A nice new leather belt is almost always appreciated. Many of us tend to keep our old belts for way too long, and a new one feels nice and looks sharp!
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Loaf of homemade bread
If you’ve never baked bread before, invest in a homemade bread maker and surprise everyone on your Christmas list with your new hobby!
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Pour-over coffee starter kit
Coffee connoisseurs love pour-over coffee because while slow, it’s the most essential and pure way to make a cup of joe.
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High-quality bartending supplies
If you and your friends are past the days of trash can punch and PBR, consider giving your resident bartender some classy mixing ingredients like bitters or bourbon cherries.
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Personalized mug
I know what you’re thinking: Everyone has way too many mugs. And that may be true, but if you see someone using the same bland mugs every day, they probably don’t have a favorite mug yet!
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Box of chocolate
What’s the one gift that never, ever gets returned to the store?Chocolate.
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Custom six-pack of craft beer
Whether they’re just graduating from Natty Light or have already consumed more craft beer than a Trappist monk, your friend who drinks beer will always appreciate a six-pack of something interesting.
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Fancy olive oil
I personally have a weak sense of taste and even I can tell when a meal has been made with high-quality olive oil. Therefore, for anyone on your list who cooks, a nice bottle of olive oil is a great way to affirm their hobby while greatly enhancing the taste of their meals!
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Hot chocolate gift set
A hot chocolate gift set makes a perfect White Elephant/Dirty Santa gift because it’s so evocative. You see it and you immediately picture huddling by a fire sipping sugary decadence with a loved one.
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Pancake mix
If hot chocolate by the fire makes for a perfect winter evening, homemade pancakes in pajamas defines the ideal winter morning.
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Good bottle of wine
This is the ideal gift for someone you don’t know very well, and have about two minutes to spend on their gift.
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Travel-sized hot sauce
You probably know someone who puts hot sauce on everything. I’m that person in my bubble; I pour it on everything from eggs to ham sandwiches, and I’m super bummed when it’s unavailable for me to spice up a meal.
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Winter skincare kit
If someone on your list has just moved from south to north, they may not yet realize the devastating impact the cold, dry winter will have on their skin.
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Epsom salts
The idea behind Epsom salts (which come from Epsom, England) is that they break down into magnesium and sulfate in warm bathwater, which in theory get absorbed into your skin for extra relaxation.
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Subscription to Birchbox
Luckily, there’s Birchbox, a subscription service that sends boxes of makeup samples for your loved one to try each month. After a month of sampling they’ll hopefully find their next favorite product!
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Quality sleep mask
Sometimes you stumble upon a product under $20 that changes your life. For me, that was the perfect sleep mask.
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Men’s personal grooming kit
After Movember, your man is probably looking a little extra scruffy.Why not send a kind and subtle message by giving him a nice personal grooming kit this Christmas?
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Dog and cat toys
Be careful with cheap plastic toys, since they can be easily destroyed and pieces can be swallowed. Instead, I recommend giving rope-based toys, since dogs can play tug-of-war with their owners or safely gnaw on them on their own time.
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Light-up dog collar
With the days becoming shorter, more dog owners will be walking their dogs at dusk or later. To help keep you and your pup safe on the roads, it wouldn’t hurt to give Kanye Westie a little extra visibility at night with a light-up collar.
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Pet toy box subscription
Maybe your friend recently adopted a dog or cat, and it’s not yet clear what kind of toy the critter likes.To help your friend find out, buy them a short subscription to a pet toy box delivery service. There’s KitNipBox for cats and Barkbox for dogs..
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Musical gifts
In this family gift-exchange, the music adds to the mystery.People bring wrapped gifts, but instead of picking up their gifts, they pass on the gifts to others as the song plays. When the song stops, the person holding that particular gift keeps it.
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Ornament exchange
Christmas is incomplete without an ornament-laden Christmas tree. You may, therefore, try exploring the ornament exchange idea within your family. You can gift each other interesting, unique, personalized, fun, or quirky ornaments.