Gifts, gifts, gifts. Does the art of gift-giving drag you down each time you need to find ‘something special for someone special’? Well, you’re not alone. Searching for the perfect gift idea is a strenuous task, and if you have a long list of friends, family members, colleagues, and acquaintances that you regularly buy gifts for, you’ll know how hard it is to zero in on the right one for the right person. That's why we're here to help! Just think of us as Santa's little helpers extending our services to the larger gift-giving population!
Of course, many times you can get away with very generic gifts like cash or an Amazon gift card. But how often before they get bored of getting the same old, same old? It’s time to put on your Santa hat (what, it’s March!) and figure out what to get each one this year. Yup, it’s never too early for Christmas shopping! But jokes apart, gifts aren’t merely reserved for major holidays. Even if they were, there’s one coming right around the corner - Easter 2021! But there are birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions that keep popping up through the year.
2021 presents a particularly sticky challenge because the dawn of a new decade calls for innovative gifts that are still affordable considering the state of the economy. Don’t let those stimulus dollars dwindle down to nothing. Every dollar matters. So what if you have to give gifts on a tight budget? It’s the thought that counts, right?
And that brings us to the spirit of gifting. Don’t worry that you don’t have a ton of cash to spend on gifts this year. Everyone knows that money is tight and there are far more important things to spend your money on. All it takes is a little innovation: make it useful, make it practical, and make it unexpected. We’ve provided some outlines of gift ideas you can consider, but use those just as ideas to get your own creative juices flowing. For instance, instead of the Bamboo Bathtub Tray listed below, you can probably get a set of his and hers bath towels or bathrobes. Work within your budget to find the most creative yet useful gifts possible, and don’t worry about how they’ll be received.
14 Best Gift Ideas for Your Friends or Besties
Mantra Cuff Bracelet: This fully adjustable and lightweight stainless steel bracelet can spell elegance and help your BFFs or besties up their style game. It can be bent to fit almost any wrist size. The gift will remind your friend of you every day as it bears the engraving: “You’re My Person”.
Macramé Photo Display: It’s time to replace the old photo frame with this eco-friendly piece of wall décor. You can put up postcards, photographs, artwork or even memos to display your most memorable moments with a macramé photo display.
Women’s Libations Cocktail Book: If your best friend likes to stir things up, pun intended, a Women’s Libation Cocktail Book could be the perfect gift to raise a toast to. The book has an illustration of every conceivable boozy drink, and each comes with a historical event, figure or social movement to which the beverage is connected.
Crescent Moonstone Earrings: You can hardly go wrong with jewelry. A pair of delicate yet edgy moonstone earrings can add a touch of glamor to any outfit.
Bamboo Bath Tray / Bathtub Holder: If your friend loves to soak in a home spa bath, an eco-friendly bamboo bath tray can be a great gift idea. The adjustable reading stands typically come with a rear cover that protects your books, tablet or kindle, while a detachable recessed tray can hold a glass of wine, mobile phones or aromatic oil diffusers or anything else she prefers to bring to the bath.
Wine Markers: This set of 6 gold silicone stretchable band wine markers come in cursive script and are packed in a transparent bag with a header card.
Travel Wallet: if your friend travels a lot, a travel wallet can help her organize her carry-on essentials like tickets, boarding pass, passport, ID, credit cards, keys, money, smartphone, and pen.
Jewelry Stand: This resin dish has 3 copper posts of variable height to organize and display your bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces, and so on. The jewelry stand comes with double wiring, making it easy to display studded earrings, while the concrete base serves as a dish to hold broaches, rings, and a host of other accessories.
Retro Bucket Bag: A functional and roomy bucket bag with an adjustable shoulder strap is a perfect gift for those looking for a combination of classic and vintage styles to match their attire. It can be used as a simple shoulder bag or a cross-body carrier.
Aromatherapy Oil Diffuser: This humidifier can help your friend relax after a hard day’s work. The aromatherapy oil diffuser comes with a vibrating sound and built-in LED lights that act as a mood enhancer.
Wine Gems / Chillers: If you do not wish to dilute your favorite white with ice cubes, these stainless steel pearls can chill your drink without forcing you to compromise on taste. These wine gems typically come in a set of four.
Automatic Handbag Illuminator: If your friend believes in stuffing a huge amount of things in her handbag, chances are she spends a lot of time fishing out what she needs and figuring out what she should throw away. This automatic handbag illuminator may be exactly what she needs to find anything, anytime, without the embarrassment of dumping the contents on a table to find something.
Leather Bracelet: If boho chic is your friend’s style mantra, a double-strand bracelet made of leather can be worn as a standalone piece of jewelry or serve as a style statement with casual and semi-formal attire. These bracelets come with a lobster clasp, raw brass end-caps, and a hand-painted color block pattern.
Oven Mitt: If your friend treats you to the most delectable cakes and cookies every time you meet, a pair of oven mitts will bring a smile to her lips whenever she’s achin’ for some good ole bakin’.
21 Romantic Gift Ideas for your Wife or Fiancée
Calligraphed Wedding Vows: You can use calligraphed and framed wedding vows as a unique wall hanging as well as a token of your love. It will be a constant reminder of your wedding day and the vows you made to each other that day. If you’re engaged to be married, this is a wonderful gift idea to begin your life’s adventure with.
Silk Pajama Set: A luxurious silk pajama set can go a long way to show that you care about her comfort.
French Coffee Press: If your wife needs a steaming cup of coffee to start her day on the right note, a French coffee press might be the best gift idea for her.
Statement Earrings: You can impress her with your choice of accessories by gifting her a pair of statement earrings that can be worn every day.
A Weekend Bag: A sophisticated and sleek leather duffle bag or a straw tote can make her look forward to those romantic weekend getaways.
Stackable Diamond Band: A stackable diamond ring set in 14k yellow gold separately as a ring or attached to a wedding or engagement ring is a great gift idea if your better half loves jewelry and pampering. Who doesn’t?!
Textured Waffle Robe: A lightweight Turkish cotton robe is extremely soft on the skin and will give her the experience of being pampered at a spa.
Everyday Sneakers / Women’s Wool Runners: A comfortable pair of runners or sneakers can help her get through those long hours of her daily commute to work, enjoy her stroll in the neighborhood park on weekends, or even run errands.
Silk Pillowcase: Cotton pillowcases are known to cause premature wrinkling and damage hair. You can earn quite a few brownie points with a silk pillowcase; it will make her feel like royalty, take care of her hair and skin, and give her a good night’s sleep.
Monogrammed Wooden Cutting Board: A classic chopping board will be a value-addition to your kitchen as well as serve as a thoughtful gift on your part.
Echo Dot: Your wife will thank you every time she uses the Echo Dot. The voice-controlled Echo Dot uses Alexa to cater to your wife’s music requests, set alarms, answer phone calls and surf the Internet.
Personalized Necklace: If your wife loves meaningful yet subtle pieces of jewelry, you can get a necklace with both your initials carved or engraved on it.
Bar Cart: A sturdy bar cart will hold all your cocktail accouterments and save her a number of trips to the kitchen every time you entertain guests or have friends over for drinks.
Leggings: With a trendy and colorful pair of leggings, she can choose to lounge around the house in comfort or make a quick trip for groceries.
Monthly Book Subscription: If your wife is a voracious reader, gift her a monthly book subscription so she can choose what she wants to read.
Futuristic / Supersonic Hairdryer: No more bad hair days for her! This supersonic hairdryer can help her get ready in a jiffy and step out in style.
Zodiac Pendant / Zodiac Constellation Necklace: If your wife religiously reads weekly or daily horoscopes, she will fall in love with this statement piece. The zodiac pendant or constellation necklace can be teamed as a layer with other pieces of jewelry or worn as a signature piece.
Monogrammed Champagne Flutes: Now, you can celebrate an engagement or anniversary like a celebrity. Monogrammed champagne flutes lend an understated touch of elegance and make popping the bubbly for the right moment a memorable experience.
Bracelet with Phone Charger: This customizable bracelet with a phone charger built-in adds a touch of beauty to practical functionality. This unique gift will make her fall in love with you all over again.
Cheese Knives: Let your wife play the perfect hostess with the perfect tools for those wine-and-cheese nights.
Milk Frother: No more sipping on a bland cup of coffee; a milk frother can transform flat coffee into a lip-smacking and velvety smooth one in the span of a minute.
24 of the Best Gift Ideas for your Husband
Whiskey Decanter: This globe-shaped lead-free whiskey decanter can be a conversation piece as well as a decorative and stylish accessory addition to your husband’s personal bar.
Luxe Comforter: Nothing says “a good night’s rest” like a comforter made with soothing eucalyptus fabric that will let him sleep like a baby.
Bourbon Maple Syrup: If you don’t want to gift a bottle of booze but at the same time don’t want to appear too conservative, a bottle of bourbon maple syrup can be the perfect gift for him. The syrup is aged in barrels of Pappy Van Winkle, one of the most expensive and sought after brands of whiskey. You can liberally douse it over your flapjacks or pancakes to add a fillip to an otherwise boring breakfast platter.
Phone Docking Station: This will help him stay organized, with his keys, wallet, mobile phone, glasses, pens, and other accessories in one place. The phone docking station will ensure that he does not have to call a search party every time he needs to locate his items of daily use.
Versatile Backpack: A spacious backpack can be a useful and practical gift for those spur-of-the-moment camping trips with his buddies or weekend getaways. Make sure it’s roomy enough to carry all his essential items and save him the trouble of carrying multiple pieces of luggage.
Leather Passport Holder: If your husband needs to travel frequently for business or grabs the first opportunity to go on a holiday, a durable leather passport holder with multiple card slots would be the ideal gift for him.
Sports Merchandise: If your partner is a sports enthusiast and spends his holidays watching sports on TV or heads straight for the local stadium to root for his favorite team in action, a cap, hoodie, or sweater bearing the name of his favorite club can help him got some team spirit.
Tobacco-Scented Candle: These uniquely-scented candles give out a lingering and heady fragrance of bourbon vanilla and tobacco leaves.
Travel Shave Kit: If work keeps him away for days on end or he needs to travel frequently, a travel kit with shaving accessories will be a much-appreciated gift. A typical travel shaving kit comes with a razor, shaving gel, a blade cover, a body wash, and a post-shave balm.
Custom Puzzle: If your husband gets his adrenaline rush every time he successfully cracks a puzzle, a customized 400-piece jigsaw puzzle will give him several hours of sheer joy.
Sunglasses: If he likes to look stylish, a cool pair of aviators could be the right gift for him when he heads out to the golf course or simply takes the family out for lunch or a long drive on his day-off.
Personalized or Engraved Pen Set: If your spouse makes meticulous to-do lists or enjoys doodling, a personalized pen set with his name engraved on it could be a cherished gift.
Cookbook: If he loves to unwind in the kitchen or cook up surprisingly delicious food on holidays, an easy-to-follow cookbook with your favorite lip-smacking recipes will surely win his heart – and your taste buds, hopefully!
Men’s Moccasin Slippers: A sturdy pair of sheepskin, durable, hard-sole moccasin slippers will take care of his feet as he potters around the house and the garage looking for projects to do on his days off.
Telescope: If your guy loves gazing at the stars for hours or wants to cultivate his hobby, a telescope could be a functional yet creative gift idea for him.
Portable Speaker: If your hubby loves playing the perfect host, tailgating, or just crooning in the shower, a pocket-sized portable Bluetooth speaker with a built-in microphone could be the ideal gift for him. Look for speakers that are both dust and water-resistant.
Google Stadia Premiere Edition: If your partner is an avid gamer, the Google Stadia Premiere Edition could be the right gift to keep him glued to his virtual world while you go on your shopping spree. He can play games on his laptop, desktop, or smart TV without plugging into a console or having to purchase games right away.
Wireless Over-Ear Headphones: If your spouse loves to spend his leisure time tuned in to his favorite music, a pair of Bluetooth, wireless, noise-canceling headphones might be a great gift idea.
Retro Turntable: If your husband owns a vinyl collection but is also a tech enthusiast, how about a portable Bluetooth-compatible turntable that will bring his records back to life?
Vintage Board Game: Both of you can enjoy a vintage board game on a lazy afternoon and spend some quality time together. It could be a conversation starter when you have guests or friends over and you’re bored with the usual activities.
Champagne Sword / Saber: A champagne saber adds to the “wow” factor of any special occasion, no doubt. And if he’s into that sort of thing, this is one of the coolest gift ideas for your husband.
Personalized Beer Caddy with Opener: A customized wooden beer caddy could be a useful accessory for your man when he is in the mood to carry his own booze for camping trips or parties, or transporting a mix of his favorite craft brews from the local liquor store.
Indoor Putting Green: If your better half is not in the mood to make the trip to the golf course or had to call off his game due to inclement weather more than once, cheer him up with this thoughtful gift idea for golfing enthusiasts. An indoor putting green with ball return will let him perfect his putting from the comfort of home.
Monogrammed Accessories Box: This gift idea could help him keep his ever-increasing collection of accessories in one place so he can find them when he actually needs them. He can use the monogrammed accessories box to keep his cufflinks, watches, keys, and much more.
12 Perfect Gift Ideas for your Parents
Memory Foam Seat Cushion: Whether your parents watch their favorite shows on the television or spend time reading or knitting, a memory foam seat cushion will be one of those gift ideas that comes as a blessing to aching back and joints.
Duffel Bag with a Padded Shoulder Strap: You can replace your parents’ old duffel bag with a new one with a padded shoulder strap so that they don’t have to come back from a trip suffering from shoulder pain.
Mug Warmer: Most of us make a cup of tea or coffee, put it down on the kitchen counter, and forget about it till it cools down completely. No more drinking lukewarm or cold cups of beverage. This mug warmer can be a real value-addition to the kitchen, especially if you have aging parents who love to drink their beverage at their own pace and still have it hot till the last drop.
Instant Pot: This instant pot is a six-in-one kitchen appliance that saves money as well as storage space. It works as a slow cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, warmer, rice cooker, and a vessel for sautéing. It’s a great gift for older parents but it also makes a perfect graduation gift for children moving out to go to college or start their first job in a faraway town. Cool!
Mini Food Processor: After the kids have left the nest, there’s hardly any need for your parents to cook large meals. A mini food processor comes with a host of features, including a blade sheath and a reversible shredding or slicing disc.
LED Strip Lights: Not only does it work as mood lighting but it also prevents eye strain. These LED strip lights can be fixed to the back of your computer monitor or television and allow your parents to indulge in binge-watching their favorite shows without fearing excessive eye strain.
Apron with Built-in Oven Mitts: Your mom won’t have to jog her memory to try and remember where she left her oven mitts any more. These are conveniently stitched right into the apron and make life easier for her.
Handheld Knife Sharpener: This can be an extremely useful tool in the kitchen. No more sharpening your knives on the chopping boards or countertops; a handheld knife sharpener can put life back into a dulled blade in seconds.
Ice Roller: No more feeling the cold seeping through your fingers and cleaning up a watery mess with a traditional ice pack. An ice roller can minimize fine lines and wrinkles, shrink open pores, relieve headaches and sore muscles, and work on under-eye puffiness.
Car Seat Gap filler: How many times have you seen food or your mobile phone slip into the black hole between your car seats? No need to worry about it anymore! A car seat gap filler fits into every curve of your seat and feels like an extension of the seat itself and preventing small items from being lost in a bottomless pit.
Massage Roller: Your parents can enjoy their favorite Netflix series while massaging their feet with a massage roller that uses acupressure to relax the muscles and improve overall health.
PhoneSoap UV Sanitizer: A mobile PhoneSoap UV Sanitizer is a sound investment. It cleans your phone by removing the dirt and grime on the screen. All your parents need to do is simply toss their phones into the sanitizer for 10 minutes. They can even charge their phone while it’s being cleaned.
16 Sweet and Smart Gift Ideas for Kids
Play Tent Pop-Up Ball Pit: You can keep your toddler or pre-walkers busy at home with a play tent pop-up ball pit. Kids can explore the tunnels and enjoy playing with the ball pit. You can choose a size and price that fits your home and budget.
Indoor Bowling Set: The ball and pins do not make a crashing sound because they are made of rubber. Your kid can enjoy a bowling game every now and then without you having to put up with the cacophony that usually accompanies it. The set comes with a pin set-up template and a transparent plastic backpack for storage or transportation.
Alphabet Robots: Alpha-Bots can make learning to spell and read a fun experience for 3-5-year-old kids. The large upper-case alphabets made of plastic turn into action-figure robots with a few simple twists and turns.
Dragon’s Revenge Thrill Rollercoaster: Kids aged 9 years and above can unleash the little engineer in them and build their own rollercoaster – complete with a light-up coaster car, a drawbridge entrance, and a dragon that flaps its wings.
Digital Hot Wheels: The new ID Line from Hot Wheels allows kids to scan and race their cars via the Hot Wheels ID Digital app. The app can be used to track a car’s performance and adjust the track’s design.
Amazon Fire Tablet for Kids: The Fire 8 Kids Edition is easy to use and comes with a plethora of videos, pre-installed apps, and Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, giving your child access to over 13,000 games, apps, books, and videos carefully curated to be age-appropriate.
Boxer Interactive AI Robot Toy: You do not need to download any app to let your kid play with the interactive AI robot. It interacts with your hand motions and responds to movements.
VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch: A Smartwatch for kids allows them to learn to tell time as well as take selfies and videos.
Sphero SPRK+: Children aged 5 years and above can use the Sphero SPRK+ to complete activities, learn to program, and even share their robot with friends and family members.
FurReal Cubby: You can keep your kid engaged for hours with this interactive bear that springs to life and comes with more than 100 combinations of sound-and-motion actions.
smART Pixelator: Your child can pixelate every conceivable design and build 2D and 3D images and projects via Bluetooth connectivity. The gadget comes with various creative tools and easy-to-follow lights.
Wireless Echo Buds: If your kid is a music buff, wireless echo buds will be a much-appreciated gift idea.
GoPro Hero5 Waterproof Digital Action Camera: This durable and easy-to-operate gadget can be used just about anywhere. If you have a teenager who loves the outdoors or is passionate about swimming, biking, and hiking, the GoPro Hero5 Waterproof Digital Action Camera could be a useful gift to capture those special moments and create memories forever.
Gift Cards: If you’re really stuck for gift ideas for your teens or tweens, chances are that you won’t go wrong with gift cards. Whether they’re Uber rides, Spotify Gift Cards for their daily music fix, Amazon Cards to buy fashionable clothes or other items, or Sephora Gift Cards to satisfy their beauty needs, gift cards will definitely help you win their hearts and their appreciation.
Color Changing Cinema Lightbox: Children can write their names or any inspirational quotes or messages that come to mind by switching out the letters.
Skateboard: If your kid loves being outdoors, a lightweight skateboard can keep your child active and fit. Make sure you also get the safety gear they need, like knee and elbow pads, a helmet, etc.
4 Cool Gifting Tips for your Boss, a.k.a Honey, My Promotion’s in the Bag!
Wireless Digital Picture Frames: As gift ideas go, this one’s a modern classic, to use a fitting oxymoron. This wireless digital picture frame allows you to take and share pictures immediately. A person can send pictures from his or her mobile phone to the digital frame via a mobile app using WiFi or an Internet connection from any location. Your boss or business associate can send photos to their family or friends instantly as the picture pops up immediately on the frame.
PopSocket: No more worrying about your expensive smartphone or tablet slipping out of your hands. This gadget allows hands-free chatting and viewing because a pop socket can hold your smartphone in place and also works as a photo grip or cord wrap.
The Tile: If your boss keeps forgetting where he kept his keys, wallet, or phone, this gift idea is sure to earn you a place on his good side. The tile uses an intuitive app and a Bluetooth tracker to help the owner find the items they keep misplacing. The tracker has a variety of options to suit different lifestyles.
Floating Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: This is likely to make the receiver’s ‘favorite gifts’ list as a practical entertainment device when in the shower or lounging in a pool. The floating waterproof Bluetooth speaker is not only splashproof but also dustproof.
10 Gifting Solutions for a Boyfriend or Girlfriend
Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug: This will keep your man’s morning Joe piping hot. If he is racing against time every morning, he can enjoy his shot of caffeine on the go with this stainless steel vacuum insulated mug.
Personalized Gunmetal Cufflinks: These will add bling to any party outfit or dress shirt and get him in the mood and ready to hit the dance floor. Also, these personalized gunmetal cufflinks are more durable than the ones made from fabric.
Beam Soundbar: All your guy needs to do is hook up the Beam soundbar to his smartphone or television and enjoy the amplified sound experience with his party buddies. Alexa voice control is built into the soundbar.
Kindle: If your girlfriend redefines the meaning of bookworm, a kindle could be the ideal gift for her. Pick one where a single charge makes it work for weeks at a stretch. The glare-free Kindle will ensure that she can spend hours exploring a range of ebooks, audiobooks, newspapers and more, all without battery anxiety or excessive eye strain.
Grill and Barbecue Set: If your guy enjoys grilling and barbecuing, a complete grilling set will be one of those amazing gift ideas that churns out perfectly grilled burgers and hot dogs. A complete set should include a spatula, basting brush, corn holders, stainless steel tongs, and so on.
Lip Mask: This gift of paraben-free hydrating cute lip mask will ensure that your girl always has smooth, soft, and moisturized pouters.
Micro Orchids: If your girlfriend has a green corner in her house, she will cherish a set of micro orchids from you. These last longer than flowers and instantly brighten up any corner of the house.
Fondue Set: If you’re both foodies and love a good fondue, a candlelit fondue set can make you look forward to date nights to enjoy that sinful melted chocolate or those cheesy delights right at home.
Oil Painting from Photo Portrait: Gift your girlfriend an oil painting of her. All you have to do is upload your favorite picture of her and leave the rest to the experts. The photos are hand-painted with oil colors on paper or linen canvas. You can also add text like her name or important dates.
Jewelry Box: If buying jewelry is straining your wallet or you don’t want to repeat the same gift ideas, a jewelry box could be exactly what she needs to keep that ever-growing collection in place.
Are we at 101 gift ideas yet?
Well, here’s a bonus: THE BIG GIFT IDEA EVERYONE WILL LOVE.
