The Best Christmas Gifts For Everyone on Your List

Giving and receiving gifts at Christmas is a time-honored tradition; some historians, not all, say it could date back to a certain baby’s birth in a manager and a fourth-century certain saint named “Nikolaos,” but you don’t need to be a wise man (or woman) to come up with good gifting ideas. All it takes is some thoughtfulness, research, creativity, and inspiration. If that fails, my guide below will help you. All items are based on my experience and recommendations from friends and family. I love giving gifts any time of year, but the mad dash of Christmas can make anyone feel like Scrooge.

Thankfully, I was given the excellent task of hunting down some of the best gifts of the season. There is something for kids, parents, colleagues, friends, and everyone else who made your “nice” list this holiday season. There may be a countdown to December 25, 2024, happening right now, but you still have some time to carpe diem and finish your Christmas shopping.

Best Christmas gifts for parents

Hanna Andersson Flannel Pajamas

These are my favorite Christmas pajamas for adults and kids. My kids love them because they are soft and cute, but I love them because they’re OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified, which means there are no harsh chemicals. Your parents will love them, too.

Price on publish: $29.00.

Welly First Aid Kit

I constantly look for bandages and other first-aid items scattered around the house. Then, last year, someone dropped a mini Welly kit stocked with colorful bandaids and antibiotic ointment in my stocking. I’m gifting this 130-piece Welly kit to parents with toddlers and young kids to help them keep it together when things fall apart.

Price on publish: $28.79

Classic Diaper Bags

This is one for all parents. Its exterior and interior pockets, magnetic closure, zipper, dog clip, four bottom feet, and other features make it useful. Its preppy classical design makes it possible to use it as a small travel bag when your baby is out of diapers.

Price on publication: $94.99.

Best Christmas beauty gifts

Dyson Airwrap

Make waves (curls or straight looks) with the Dyson Airwap designed to make your hair beautiful. Comes with six attachments and three accessories—all for under $500.

Price on publish: $489.99

Conair InfinitiPRO DigitalAire Wand Dryer

Perfect for creating luscious hair on the go or at home, with three airflow settings and four temperature ranges.

Price on publish: $149.99.

T3 Air 360

This ceramic hairstyling system creates curls and waves without damaging or overheating your hair. It comes with an oval brush, drying concentrator, and curler, all in a pink vegan carrying case.

Price on publish: $299.99.

T3 AirLuxe Dryer

A professional tool designed to rapidly dry your hair without drying it out. By using a wide ion-rich airflow, your hair will dry faster and look fantastic in less time than some other brands. Includes a brush set, too.

Price on publish: $199.99.

After Sun by Vacation Fragrance from Vacation Inc.

This fragrance smells like summer holidays in winter (or your winter holidays spent in the sun). Key notes are aloe vera essence, Green Tea Verjus, and Melon de Cavaillon (top), Cardamom Absolute, Aqua di Colonia, Ozone, Tonic Water, and Minibar Gin (middle), and base notes of Resort Towel Plush and Open Weave Linen.

Price on publish: $60 for one fluid ounce.

Vacation by Vacation Fragrance from Vacation Inc.

Do you love the smell of coconut, pineapple, bergamot, and sea salt? This may be a great gift to give to yourself or someone who loves the tropics, sunshine, and the water. Key notes: Petitgrain essence, coconut water, and coconut milk (top); bergamot, solar musk, banana, and pineapple (middle notes, and base notes of pool water, swimsuit lycra, and sea salt).

Price on publish: $60 for one fluid ounce.

T3 Curling Irons

If you want to gift a curling iron to someone who loves creating beautiful curls, any of these options would be a welcome package to unwrap this holiday season.

Price on publish: varies.

Best Christmas gifts for candle lovers

Quince Balsam Fir Candle

Bring the smell of Christmas into your host’s home with this clean-burning soy candle with just the right amount of wintery pine scent.

Price on publish: $24.

Voluspa Wildberry Candle

With notes of fallen leaves, wild blackberry, cassis berry, and golden amber, this clean-burning (coconut wax blend) luxury candle hand-poured in California is a nice change of pace from all the peppermint smells at Christmas.

Price on publish: $34.

Vacation Inc. Candles

Vacation is known for its best-selling (and smelling!) scents with vacation-themed smells and names, like Partial Ocean View Suite and Ball Boy. If you want a more winter-themed scent, pick up its new Royal Pine Deluxe Candle (top notes include Balsam Pine, Norwegian Spruce, and Siberian Pine Needle), just in time for the holidays.

Price on publish: $34.

Best Christmas gifts for dads

Feathersnap Scout WiFi Solar-Powered Smart Bird Feeder

My son’s friend received a similar gift last Christmas, and it’s an experience for the whole family to enjoy. Thanks to its Wi-Fi connection, you can watch the birds come and go from anywhere. Snap photos, make videos and become a birder in the new year.

Price on publish: $163.19.

Higonokami Folding Knife, Aogami

A beautifully crafted, blue-steel folding knife is a high-end stocking stuffer or useful Christmas gift for dads that goes beyond a common pocket knife.

Price on publish: $45.

Camber Top Portable Tool Box

I bought the red one for my husband last year and he loves it. It’s handsome and holds anything from art supplies to socket wrenches.

Price on publish: $44.

Best Christmas gifts for moms

Bouqs Flower Subscription Box

The best gifts for moms keep on giving! With this subscription kit, you can send mom fresh flowers or a plant each month. You can also simply send one bouquet of blooms if you prefer. It makes a great hostess gift, too.

Price on publish: varies; most three-month subscriptions start at $149.

Herbal Medicine Bath Soak, 3 Pack

Drop these in her stocking and then allow her time to soak in a mixture of medicinal herbs designed to create comfort while you soak.

Price on publish: $15

Vuori Joggers

My best friends and I call these luxury sweatpants because they feel amazing. The cut and fabric are so well designed that we feel less schlumpy when we wear them, unlike normal sweats. These are go-to Christmas gifts for girlfriends in our circle.

Price on publish: $56 to $59.

Cricut Maker 3

Give her the gift of creativity this year with this easy-to-use smart cutting machine that can handle the expected craft materials (paper for scrapbooking, vinyl for iron-ons, cardstock for cardmaking), but also the unexpected. Depending on the blade attachments, she could deboss leather, cut through thin wood, engrave metal, and so much more—and that’s only scratching the surface of the capabilities of this machine.

Cricut EasyPress Mini™, Raspberry + Everything Iron-On Bundle

If she already has a Cricut, expand her creative possibilities with a petite heatpress that’s just the right size for detailed creations. This bundle comes with a Cricut EasyPress Mat, Tote, two tool sets, and seven iron-on materials so she can start working on next year’s Christmas gifts.

Price on publish: $149.99.

Best Christmas gifts for teens and tweens

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Camera

My kids got a version of this as a joint Christmas present last year and loved it. This version (I tried it out) is easy to use and lightweight, and we love that it can produce clear, instant mini photos (two inches by three inches) in minutes. Bonus: It has a built-in selfie mirror.

Price on publish: $69.0

Nintendo - Joy-Con - Neon Red

This is on my tween’s wishlist so he can share his Switch games with a friend using an extra controller. I love that it’s under $50, and I know it will get good use.

Price on publish: $39.99

TokyoTreat, Japanese snack box subscription

Shhh…I ordered this for my nephew, who's interested in trying new things. This snack box can be a one-off gift or a recurring delicious treat. I was once gifted a box and found the number of offerings of Japanese snacks and sweets generous and unique. This may end up under our tree, too.

Price on publish: Plans start at $37.50 (one month) and go up to a year’s subscription.

Best Christmas gifts for kids

furReal JJ My Jumping Pug

According to my son, this is a hot commodity among the great gifts for kids, and I can’t even promise it;ll still be online when you read this—but this nine-inch interactive toy is perfect for kids who want a pet without all the hard work.

Price on publish: $20.00 (originally $49.99)

Mattel Disney Moana’s Canoe Crew Playset

Moana’s sequel is in the theaters now, which means a lot of Moana merchandise, like this five-piece set, will be on wish lists.

Price on publish: $19.99.

Best Christmas gifts for tech lovers

SHOKZ OpenSwim

If you need a tech gift for someone who loves to swim, these headphones produce crisp and clear sound, have a comfortable fit, and can be enjoyed in the water or on land. They also made our Best Waterproof Headphones list.

Price on publish: $104.95

reMarkable 2

This gift is for the artist or writer in your life who wants a tablet that does it all. It will also transcribe all your handwritten notes into text—my favorite feature. Learn more about it in our review.

Price on publish: starting at $79.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal Gaming Headset

It's not cheap, but if you need a gift for an Xbox gamer, this portal is a well-designed option with incredible noise cancellation, so you can immerse yourself in your games. It's a luxury they’ll be happy to find underneath the tree.

Price on publish: $179.95.

Best Christmas gifts for food lovers

Farm Steady DIY kits

My son and I were gifted one for Christmas and I plan to gift some of these to our friends. The FarmSteady DIY kits (from baking to cheese making) contain all the essential ingredients to make delicious treats (in our case, we made cinnamon rolls) from scratch. The instructions were clear and simple enough for my 12-year-old to execute mainly himself. Price on publish: $28.

Hotel Chocolat The Ultimate Bundle

If you can afford it, this is the ultimate gift of chocolate that should last through the new year. This bundle contains everything a chocolate lover would want to receive, including a Velvetiser hot chocolate maker. Enjoy hot chocolate made of melting flakes in a variety of flavors, milk and dark chocolate batons, holiday chocolate varieties, dark chocolate caramelized almonds, and cute chocolate penguins, among other chocolate creations.

Price on publish: $400.

Fishwife The Ultimate Tinned Fish Gift Pack

This woman-founded company sells ethically-sourced, delicious tinned fish. It offers a full gift pack stuffed to the gills with its popular seafood, like smoked trout and sardines in preserved lemons. I have tried and loved most of the items in the gift pack, and I can’t get enough of the beautifully designed packaging.

Price on publish: $120.

Best Christmas gifts for wine and spirit lovers

Williams Sonoma Mulling Spice Gift Crate

I love mulled wine and spiked hot cider in winter and to pass along my enthusiasm for this drink, I plan to gift this crate of mulling spices, like grade-A cinnamon sticks, Madagascar cloves, and dried orange peel, plus two cute glass mugs and a strainer, to my family.

Price on publish: $99.

Avaline The Sparkling Collection

I was lucky enough to try a couple of these sustainable wines made from organic grapes with friends earlier this year. They were so good and didn’t give me a headache, which happens sometimes with bubbles. I was happy to learn you can ship its sparkling collection this holiday season to those you love.

Price on publish: $279.

El Guapo Bitters of the Month

For the budding bitter lover or mixologist in your life—sign them up to receive a monthly dose of bitters and a recipe for using them in a cocktail or mocktail straight from seasoned mixologists in New Orleans.

Price on publish: $90.

Best Christmas gifts for a host or hostess

16 Pcs Fruit Dish Scrubber Non-Scratch Dish Washing Scrubbers

My friend was eyeing similar ones this weekend, so I'm adding them to my cart now for her. The 16 cute, non-scratch scrubbers are great, but go the extra mile this holiday season when you gift these and offer to do the dishes. I think these would look cute in a basket rather than wrapped.

Price on publish: $24.99.

Shark StainStriker Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner

This is the gift I would have brought my inlaws when my crazy kids were little—–along with a bottle of wine. A colleague recommended this, and while it may sound weird as a hostess gift, what better way to say thank you than a product to clean up any messes or odors you or your family (or even your pet) make or leave behind after a holiday visit?

Price on publish: $119.99.

Best Christmas gifts for travel

Cotopaxi The All-New Allpa 35L

Made from 100% deadstock fabrics in a colorful design, this is my go-to company for travel gifts. Mesh padded straps, plus a pass-through strap if you want to add to a rolling suitcase and all the room you need for a short trip when you want to carry it all onboard.

Price on publish:$215.

Keiko Furoshiki

This item does double duty when you travel. I recently received one and loved it. This gorgeous reusable gift wrap made from recycled polyester material is pretty enough to give on its own. There are 16 patterns to choose from, and directions on how to use them are included.

Price on publish: $20.

Jet Set & SPF! Travel Set

My go-to Supergoop face and body creams with SPF in a handy travel-sized set—sign me up. I hope someone drops this in my stocking.

Price on publish: $32.

Bombas Women's Travel Compression Sock 3-pack

I flew on a 12-hour overseas flight this summer wearing a pair of these from Bombas. They were comfortable and kept my legs from swelling. I wear them on hikes, runs, and now, any time I travel. Pricey, but worth it.

Price on publish: $84.

Best Christmas gifts for experiences

Giftory

Giftory offers experiences in 35 states, plus virtual ones, from escape rooms to sushi-making classes. There are experiences for couples, singles, and families.

Price on publish: varies.

G Adventures

If you relish the idea of family travel that you don’t have to organize and plan, G Adventures, along with National Geographic, has trips for all ages to choose from, like treks through rainforests or European city tours.

Price on publish: varies; expensive but may be worth it.

Babbel

Give the gift of fluency in another language. Babbel offers immersive online classes in 13 languages, including Turkish and Indonesian.

Price on publish: varies.

Best Christmas gifts for your pet

BarkBox Subscription

My dog is a super chewer who loves toys—we’re excited to give her a three-month subscription to BarkBox. I’ve heard from friends that the treats and toys hold up. If you don’t want to commit, you can gift a single box.

Price on publish: starts at $35 for one box.

Furbo 360° Cat Camera

It’s a nanny cam for cat parents—this is a number one best-seller on Amazon. I don’t have a cat, but I would consider this if I did. You also have to purchase a plan, so it can get a little pricey, but peace of mind might be worth it.

Price on publish: varies by plan.

The Foggy Dog

If I could get my 90-pound dog into this sweater, I would do it. Cute, warm, and packed with winter vibes, this sweater is a winner for dogs—plus, part of every order goes to feed shelter dogs. Lots to love here.

Price on publish: $40