Gift Guide #10: The Hard-to-Shop-For Crowd (Teens, In-Laws, You Know Who You Are)
Readers have been asking for another hard-to-shop-for guide — think: teenagers, in-laws, and teachers — so we were happy to put one together. Here are tons of ideas, most of which are under $30…
TEENS AND TWEENS:
Preteen and teens are notoriously hard to shop for, so a few ideas: First off, a crushed ice tray for those who would give their left arm for a cold can of Dr. Pepper. The Believer’s special sports issue — including a close read of Steph Curry’s legendary Olympics performance and an interview with open-water swimmer Amy Appelhans Gubser — would be fun to pore over together, and gift cards to Zara or local cafés are always a hit. Cord earbuds are back in style (who knew?), and Anton and I just started Jason Reynolds’s track book series — omg, his books are such page turners! Twelve-year-old Anton also asked for a Bop It Extreme/my personal hell; and getting to choose between 10 mini cereal boxes is one of my core childhood memories (you, too???).
TEACHERS:
Teachers make the world go ’round, so how can we express our gratitude? Warm socks are always nice — “I was introduced to Le Bon Shoppe socks by a student’s family years back,” says a reader named Kristina — as are gift cards to local cafés, lunch spots, or department stores. Share specific reasons you adore them, says Kristyn: “I pin thank-you notes behind my desk to cheer me on tough days.” And “emailing our bosses to share an anecdote about something we did is THE BEST,” adds Whitney. Keep in mind, “teachers have allllll the mugs,” says Katie, but kids themselves can do no wrong, says Sarah: “A leaf your child found will bring me to tears every time.”
IN-LAWS/GRANDPARENTS:
For the in-laws or grandparents, make them feel seen with a book about their passions — say, travel, painting, or quilting. For breakfast lovers, you could give a photo mug of the grandkids or a handy cooker for making the perfect jammy eggs. Send wintery beers from Athletic Brewing — no alcohol, all delicious; and ensure they have a cozy winter with taper candles and pretty matches.
Thoughts? What would you add? Who are the stumpers in your life?
P.S. Last year’s hard-to-shop-for guide, and the complete 2025 Cup of Jo gift guide!
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Tags: 2025 holiday gift guide, gift guide, gifts
Comments
209 commentsFor my 15 year old son I got a gift card to his fav local vintage store (he & his friends love thrifting), a vintage Shaq poster from the 90’s for his bedroom (loves basketball), cozy pj pants, and random tiny foods from World Market + a local coffee shop gift card for his stocking. Would love ideas for my brother’s wife’s mom. Some random things about her: She’s hilarious and very sharp and witty, she’s from Ireland, she’s single, lives in a small apartment and is alone a lot, and is in very poor health. In the past a few things that went over well were a very cozy and soft throw blanket, and a collection of British tea time items (teas, biscuits jams, etc).
“Bop It Extreme/my personal hell” I feel that in my bones. Hope you’re putting ear plugs in your stocking!
I’m a triplet and one of the funniest Christmas gifts I ever received was the year I was 15, turning 16. My uncle got the three of us custom license plates for a car – like the kind that go on the front of the car – and he cackled while we opened them. He then told my dad that he needed to be prepared for 3 cars for all 3 license plates. We did not receive 3 cars, but it was a funny gift and one that we all still appreciated :) My license plate went on my bedroom wall.
Zara is a big NO for anyone who cares about Palestine or justice in general. More info here: https://bdsmovement.net/news/boycott-zara-dressing-apartheid-and-genocide
Yes, thought exactly this when I saw them mentioned.
Yup, I haven’t shopped at Zara for years, ever since Perilman outed herself as a racist.
thank you, I had no idea!
Gonna add to the teacher list: InkJoy pens! The colors….they may even surpass my love of Bic Flair pens! ( It’s a teacher thing…..)
My friend is a high school art teacher and I gave her loop ear plugs for spin class. The she gave her sleep deprived wife a set for sleeping, then she found out they had special ones designed for teachers so she gave a pair to her sister because she’s an elementary school teacher. Long story short, the elementary school teacher loved the earplugs so much that she suggested them to other teachers and I think those might be a great choice for teachers but they’re over $30.
All the comments here are so thoughtful and really got me thinking about the gifts for the grandparents. What is lacking in our culture is an honoring of those who are older, so making a book or video of each family member saying one or a few things they’re learned from this older person in the vein of the book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten but instead All I Really Need to Know I Learned From ____. (Insert Person’s Name). This is a treasure they could enjoy throughout the year, and it doesn’t have to cost much if a book is handmade or a video is recorded.
Incredibly great idea!
Last Christmas, I gave my teen niece a dozen homemade frozen hamburger patties shaped into hearts. She is omnivorous and celiac, while her sister is vegetarian, and her family tends toward vegetarian. My kids would be carnivores if we let them, and she loves having dinner with the cousins to eat meat on occasion. With my sister’s blessing, I made up my “family famous” hamburgers without the wheat-based breadcrumbs, and gifted them so she could make her own “real “ burger to go with the tofu and beans focused menus at their house. That said, they make the best rice and beans anywhere, and we all go to their house for that!
This is so sweet!
Any other suggestions for teenagers of either gender for our adopt a family? The girl is 13, and the boy is 12. Their wants were clothing. This should be a need, not want. Wanting to buy at least 3 gifts each. Spend $100-$150 total for each of them. I’m stumped.
ooh yes! we “adopted” four preteen/teen old boys this year, and anton helped me choose the gifts. we got zip-up hoodies, razor scooters (surprisingly inexpensive — like $25-30??) and helmets, soccer balls, and (for one boy, since he asked) a very cool remote control car (plus two AA batteries!). we also added candy and yo-yos, just for fun. hope this helps!! xo
So… my same-age nephew is not at all in need and also just want clothes. I think it’s actually what kids that age are into? Not saying you can’t also throw in a fun extra. The Ross (dress for less) near me often has name brand hoodies–I recently saw Nike & Adidas ones for around $20.
Bought socks for my kid’s teacher. Thanks for the idea! what about menstrual cups or discs teen girls? Too weird? I’ve been using a cup for years, but just discovered discs were a thing (why has everyone been holding out – they auto-dump, mind blown). I would have loved to have known about these products as a teen.
I think your intentions are good, but receiving anything menstruation-related on Christmas would be absolutely mortifying for a teenage girl.
I agree with Laura! This is a great conversation to have and a thing to pass along, but definitely at another time.
Unless they have discussed wanting them, definitely NO! It is a cool conversation to have 1 on 1 on though, so don’t feel discouraged.
Agree I wouldn’t give these to a teen unless I KNEW she wanted them, but–I *absolutely* gave all my closest girlfriends the Flex Disc for the holidays last year, and it was very well received.
strongly recommend a photo puzzle as a gift to the older people in your life. you can do pics of the grandkids or a favorite place — a vacation spot, their old house? i’d love to do an old b&w photo of my grandmother for my dad and kids so he can tell them about her while they piece it together. shutterfly has tons of options. we recently made one with a bunch of vacation pics and found the 520 piece a nice size for the whole family to work on together over the course of a few days during a visit with the in-laws. it was a huge hit and gave everyone something to do instead of staring at phones.
Adult coloring books, water color pads and pens, starter kit scrapbooks are popular with my elders.
This is a great idea! We vacation with the same group of families, all with teens, every year. One of the families makes a puzzle for the teens to work on featuring a picture of the summer the year before. It’s a huge hit!
strongly recommend a photo puzzle as a gift to the older people in your life. you can do pics of the grandkids or a favorite place — a vacation spot, their old house? i’d love to do an old b&w photo of my grandmother for my dad and kids so he can tell them about her while they piece it together. shutterfly has tons of options. we recently made one with a bunch of vacation pics and found the 520 piece a nice size for the whole family to work on together over the course of a few days during a visit with the in-laws. it was a huge hit and gave everyone something to do instead of staring at their phones while sitting next to each other.
One reason to have kids? In-law and dad gifts become SO much easier, haha. It may go against some of our impulses’ to come up with new, creative gifts each year, but I’ve found that grandparents really never tire of grandkid photos. And you can very up the format – framed, magnets, ornaments. One thing that could be a good option for people who feel they’ve overdone photo gifts – we got each grandparent a desk calendar from Artifact Uprising, and now each year we get them a calendar refill pack with new photos from the past year. It’s nice to start out the season knowing we have at least one fail-safe gift for a crucial bunch!
oh I’m going to look into that calendar. I’ve done all the photo gifts, including calendars, but I do love artifact uprising products
I do the calendar for my mom too and she loves it! I love that it’s easy to knock out too
The ONE thing my parents genuinely want is the family photo calendar! I collect photos from my sibling’s family, too, so alllllll the kids and grandkids are there every month.
Experience gifts! But them a membership to the museum, aquarium, etc. Get them a gift card to the best restaurant in town, or florist, or tiny specialty shop, or bookstore. Or spa if you know them and know they’d enjoy it.
This comment was probably better suited for the neurodivergent guide, but it kind of fits here too…I have a friend with a child who is I think 13-14 but has a genetic disorder that affects him so he is still very childlike in his tastes. We usually get him some “surprise” gifts like Doorables etc., and he still loves those but I was hoping for something different this year but I really don’t know where to start. His mom is no help as she doesn’t want us to feel obligated to get him anything but we truly love doing it. She said he still loves the surprise style gifts but there are SO many out there I do not know where to begin. We would like to keep it to the $20-25 range as that is what we spent on his brother. Any thoughts? It’s hard because he’s bigger than me and his voice is already changing but his emotional age is much younger and it makes it kind of hard to buy for him as this is not something I’ve got a lot of experience with. I would love to find something perfect for him this year.
Would he like a Bitzee? It’s similar to a tamagochi and a lot of fun. I gave one to my kid and nieces ranging in age from 7-10, and it was a hit with all of them!
How about kinetic sand? A Duncan butterfly yo-yo? A Squishmallow?
What about the Marvin’s 25 amazing magic pens? It feels like it’s for a wide age range. It costs $20.
What about the Marvin 25 amazing magic pens? I feel that it’s for a wide age range. It costs $20.
snake in a can? everyone should have one….
I have an adult brother with a developmental delay. Frequent gifts for him are models, paint by numbers, nice supplies for coloring. He also loves his Kindle.
A silly fleece onesie! (They are still popular with his peers, too.) There are a lot of adult size options.
That wall climbing lizard might go over well. Appealing to both kids and adults, so might help bridge the age gap.
Oh my gosh, so many great ideas! Thank you guys so much! He does love Squishmallows, but I am intrigued by the magic pens, I appreciate you all so much!
Ugh. Not to be the Debbie Downer here, but fast fashion? And especially Zara, which is flagged by the BDS movement and has a particularly poor record on environmental impact and human rights? We should be modeling more sustainable and ethical choices for young people. Buy less, buy better and take care of what you have. Educate and inspire them as they are launching into the world. Feeling festive and enjoying the holidays does not need to mean buying so much stuff!
Hear, hear!
Exactly. Zara are AWFUL.
Good points made here. At least in my area, I see tweens and teens at the thrifts all the time. In my day it was something to cover up, so I love that it’s a “flex” now! I’d give someone that age a thrift store gift card.
My teens and 20-somethings love to thrift. You could check stores in the area to see if they offer gift cards of some sort. Or make it an experience where you go with, or drop them to shop, give them a budget, and then take them to lunch!
YEP, came here to note Zara is on the BDS list and love the idea of a thrift store gift card! Buffalo Exchange could be a good one since it has lots of locations nationwide.
Super niche class gift for Pre-School Teacher help!!! I am a room rep at a school where part of the pedagogy is that gifts should be simple and handmade. The kids are 4-5 years old and there are 11 of them. I’d love to put together a teacher gift as a group from the class but i am scratching my head trying to come up with something that is handmade, or at least nature-based, that the teacher will actually want to keep. Ideas?! I’m already prepping quilts for the end of the year but I have to turn this one around fast. Or do I just calm down and not try to make a group gesture happen?
11 madison park granola in cute jars. The recipe is on the nytimes and it is like crack. It is like dessert. Or if you want actual dessert, magic bars are super easy to make with kids and easy and store forever.
One year I got an apron with a handprint of each kiddo in my class- with their names below their handprints and the year, school, and my name at the top in puffy paint. I still wear it when we get paint out!
This may be too much, but I remember my brother’s 1st grade class sang the song “L-O-V-E” to their teacher when she had to move. They did little hand letters with it, and Ive taught my daughter the same (she is 4) I also personally love any sweatshirt or plate with little hand or foot prints! There are a lot of ideas that aren’t holiday-specific. My favorite that I have is “mistle-toes” with my kids’ tiny feet on them, but Ive seen some very cute finger print snowmen! I think adding a message of appreciation and love will mean so much to their teacher, especially when it’s hand made with the kids. As a former kids art teacher, I LOVED anything hand made by the children.
What about if you prep (or buy) a grapevine wreath, and then the kids can pick something (pinecones, branches of red berries, evergreen sprigs) – either from outside or from a box you provide for them to choose from – to add to the wreath? Then it’s a bit handmade, a bit natural, and it can be kept or composted according to whatever feels good for the teacher.
Kid handprints on a reusable canvas grocery bag or apron! Easy and always a hit.
Have the kids paint a flower pot and then put a nice plant inside. Have every child bring in one flower to make a bouquet from the group. Or one fruit or treat for a food basket. Or just ask each family to do a handmade card.
Second the handprint apron. Handprints can also be turned into reindeer if you’d like to lean holiday. Alternatively, THANK YOU MS.X is 11 letters and could be adorably spelled out by contortionist little bodies then photographed for her wall. But really, just an oversized card with their names and doodles is a lovely gift as well.
As a retired Preschool Teacher I love the apron and granola ideas! Both are winners!
Have everyone contribute a couple favorite recipes and make a photo book with pics of the kids or maybe pictures the kids drew and the recipes. Lots of places print these books, and I personally think it would be so fun to get a book of favorite recipes from 4-5 year olds!
would ornaments for a class tree or the teacher be appropriate? Friends and I also had a blast decorating pine cones last year with googly eyes and used sticks as legs so we had some that were skiing or skating or just hanging out lol.
as a former teacher, I say: please for the love of god, something consumable. :-) if the families bake holiday cookies, let each kid bring one and put them in a nice bag with a nice card. Let them choose a nice tea each and put the teas into a nice tea-box. The granola sounds fantastic (if the teachers like granola)…no mugs, and no kid art (most teachers have their own kids and will want to put up their art. And it feels so ungrateful not to display the nice gifts, but space…) We’ve made Christmas crunch for my kids’ teachers this year, and they get to decorate the paper bags that we put it in..
When my daughter’s 2nd grade teacher was leaving we printed out a one pager for each kid to fill in and then put them in a binder. The page asked favorite memory, best advice for teacher and questions like that, plus space for each to draw a picture. We put their class photo on the front and it was awesome! Gave space for each of their little personalities to come out :)
Maybe a garland? I was given a homemade pom pom garland years ago, and we love bringing it out to decorate with every Christmas. There’s always a spot to hang something like that, and each kid could make a pom to add to it!
As a preschool teacher, totes are the new mugs. We get a LOT of them. This year we’re rolling beeswax tapers as a family gift and that could be easily switched to give the other way – each student gets a sheet and wick to roll up. You can also use tiny cookie cutters to cut out shapes on extra sheets to stick to the tapers.
Film each kid with a simple interview question: “if [teacher] was an animal, what animal would they be], or “what is your favourite thing to do with [teacher]”. Compile into a video (there are apps for this!) with a song.
Lots of cute ideas here, just chiming in to say – best to keep gifts non-denominational (aka not Christmas specific) if you don’t know the teacher’s beliefs.
I agree with Kati here… I love your kids, but I also have my own so I have lots of kid art already. I love the email to principal or sweet little note that can be displayed… One thing I’d love is lunch (or even a few days of lunch)! Between the breakfast, lunch packing and get-to-school grind, I rarely have anything that isn’t a bar or some fruit or a bagged salad so even just a really nice sandwich and cut up fruit (Kids could help!) would be such an appreciated gesture! Extra points for a fun drink!
Oh no, I hope I haven’t posted twice… I was going to comment that I agree with Kati. As a teacher with my own kids, I will absolutely love your kids’ artwork, but I am swimming in my own kids’ creations… An email or note would be incredible… One great idea is lunch! Getting out the door in the morning is tough, and I don’t know many teachers who take the time to pack a nice lunch for themselves. A really gorgeous sandwich, some cut fruit and a fizzy water would make me feel like royalty, and the kids could help with some prep or decorate the bag or write a little note. Yum and so very appreciated!
Handkerchiefs or cloth napkins decorated with fabric markers.
Love the flower pot idea. Remember crafting tulips out of painted cardboard egg containers and pipe cleaners.
Love the flower pot idea. Remembering crafting tulips out of painted cardboard egg containers and pipe cleaners.
Curious about Rachel’s lunch comment – is it common or even permissible to give food as gifts in schools? Like would a homemade sandwich be ok? Or are you referring to a gift card to Panera or other sandwich shop?
Our preschool used to assemble a yearbook with a photo of each kid and a few interview questions. You could do a scaled-down version (maybe a poster or booklet?) with a photo of each kid and one or two questions. The funniest question was “What is the most important rule?” … I still treasure the book from the year my now-teenage son answered “Always flush when you go poop.” Or, you could assemble a biography of the teacher based on kids’ answers to questions about her. How old is she? What is her favorite song? What does she think is the most important rule? If you come up with 11 questions and ask each kid at least a few of them, you can cherry-pick the funniest answers and give one response from each kid in the final product.
Have the families chip in and get lunch from a local place, bagels, or donuts.
Last year for the preschool/daycare teachers at my daughter’s preschool, I teamed up with another mom to bring in two brunch boxes from a local bagel store. They loved it! It had a wide selection of stuff like bagels, egg sandwiches, muffins, etc and I think the teachers appreciated it because it wasn’t just more sweets and they could eat it for breakfast or lunch. (I got this at Brueggers if you’re in MA but I think lots of places might do this).
One of the best gifts I got was a gift certificate for a restaurant. It was like giving my husband and I a date night. Even if it’s not enough to cover the whole cost – it got us out of the house and time together.
Yeah about the homemade sandwich lunch thing. Don’t we ALL have trouble getting out the door ? I am in the minority here I know, but teacher gifts seem unnecessary to me. As nurses we rarely even get a break, at least in the height of my career we didn’t, and never in a millions years would I accept a gift. A personal note to the teacher if they were exceptional,yeah, but these gifts, gift cards, lunch, ridiculous.
PNW GRATEFUL – I think the idea behind teacher gifts is that teachers are very underpaid, and often have to spend their own money for things like basic classroom supplies. So it’s a little bit giving back. I think in the current US climate, teachers are also treated pretty poorly (by parents, the pres administration, etc), so a little appreciation can go a long way. (note: my comment is not saying any of this in comparison to nursing, as I’m sure you feel some of that too! just commenting on why I think there has been a rise in teacher gifts–I’m not a teacher or nurse, and I appreciate what both professions do!)
When I was Class mom. I bought a pack of blank business cards. Kids then drew or wrote a message for teacher on it. I then used pretty wrapping paper as backing and stuck cards on it and had it all framed. The teacher loved it
Our preschool has a very similar vibe: Some hits have been the handprint/paint by kiddos idea, but with a more practical twist. We handprinted a cool vintage jean jacket for one teacher who loves that kind of style, and did a garden hat for another. Totes are great, but consider if there’s some item they might use/wear more?
I’m still stuck on teen nephews but for my Dad a digital photo frame (he loves photography and tech so match made in heaven) and Alison Roman new cookbook with ingredients for one of the recipes because he wants to cook more now he is without my mum who passed away in 2020. He wants cooking to be enjoyable x
For my teen nephew I give him something small and silly ( crickets covered in chocolate, silly socks, a fidget toy) and then cash!
Vat19 mystery box for teens!
My favourite random gift tip is to pick anything small and buy the most expensive version of it. A box of matches that should cost $1 but costs $30 with some local artist’s incredible work on it? Yes! A single artisanal chocolate that looks celestial and too good to eat, a great hairclip, garlic crusher, gardening gloves, anything. No one ever justifies buying this stuff for themselves so to have tiny joy in the mundane is a long-lasting gift.
This is my general concept too – when in doubt, get the absolute nicest version of something someone uses regularly. Your carpool-parent friend gets the nicest keychain; your sandwich obsessed dad gets artisanal mayo (Ayoh!, if you’re interested!), your always-in-the-kitchen sister gets some really amazing kitchen hand soap/lotion to keep by the sink, your games-obsessed kid gets the coolest artist-illustrated playing cards, etc etc…
My sister loved a small (6 jars) box/bundle of assorted herbs/spices/blends from Burlap & Barrel. Discounts going on now. Plenty of deliciousness to pick from. https://www.burlapandbarrel.com
This is the best advice ever. One of my all time favorites was quality measuring cups and spoons from a fancy cooking store!
Are cord earbuds really back? I never gave mine up and I am so pleased to hear this lol.
Lol same!!
Teacher here — one of my favorite gifts a student gave me last year was a Christmas-themed scratch off lotto ticket. Didn’t win anything but it was really fun.
Everyone who comes to our house gravitates towards the squishy fidget toy my son has (Nee Doh Nice Cube) so I’m buying plenty to give as gifts, plus a few more for us so I can stop borrowing it. Very soothing sitting in front of the TV kneading it.
I second this! Just picked up the small ones for stockings and an under $10 white elephant exchange my son was invited to. I’m positive the 12 year old boys will all be fighting over it!
If you’re a little too stressed, you might squeeze your Nee Doh cube too hard while on a work call, and it might explode goo all over your hands and your work keyboard and your desk, and you might have to step away from the call to clean the goo off your surfaces and yourself. Hypothetically, of course.
Portable radio / flashlight combo. This is what I will be getting my toddler and my emergency-focused mother-in-law.
Teacher gifts: this year my 12 year old made a cartoon drawing for her teacher of their entire class. She carefully designed each character, to reflect the student’s personality or interests. It took weeks. We framed it. Her teacher burst into tears when opening it, and said it would hang on her class wall for the remainder of her teaching career.
This is amazing, your 12 yo sounds awesome! My 5 yo is always drawing and bringing pictures to her classmates and teacher so I could see her doing something like this. I am always in awe of children’s creativity, especially because I am super right brained and never had much of it!
awwww!
One of my students (also 12 y/o) gave me a ceramic plant pot that he picked out specifically because its design kinda looked like the Colosseum. We were studying Rome, and he was so proud to find something on-theme to give me. The “kids can do no wrong” thing is very true when it comes to teacher gifts. I will always cherish my Colosseum plant pot.
Our son goes to a very outdoorsy preschool, so we got his teachers each a gift card to MEC (Canadian REI) that we’ll gift with boxes of Walkers scottie dog shortbread, and contributed to the group cash bonus that all the families contribute to (in whatever amount they can). It felt like a good mix of helpful, fun, and festive!
My fail-safe gift for coworkers/older family members/in laws is an amaryllis bulb in a pot. I buy them from White Flower Farm and they ship anywhere in the US in time for the holidays and you can have fun picking out a pretty one! I’ve given one to my mother in law for the last 5+ years and she loves it, so now I never have to think about what to get her. Also was a hit with my work mentor.
Lmao not the vulva matchbox for the in-laws…
NO to ZARA. It’s horridly greenwashing and pro genocide in Gaza (carried out by Israel and its pals). The same goes for Coke and NYT which is regularly share here.
Everytime I see the NYT links I scream inside. Sigh. I won’t ever click on one. Not only are they directly responsible for genocide in Gaza, they handed us Trump on a tacky fake gold plated platter too. I will never forgive them. +1 to coke and Zara too.
I struggle with the older adults in my life who are more salt of the earth, blue collar, rural, not fancy type people, and they don’t really have hobbies. We’ve already done several years of photo mugs, digital frames, and even that egg cooker lol! When I’ve done fancy or fun food gifts in the past, I often will find it unopened in the pantry months or years later.
Same type of in laws. Darn tough socks are incredible merino socks but don’t look fancy and are pricey but truly worth it, and will be happily received every year.
We have some family members like this and I’ve had success ‘upgrading’ things of theirs – the crappy work hoody gets swapped for with a really thick new one, the ancient cracked wooden spoons get replaced, etc. Really, think about what their everyday life looks like and how you can nice-ify one little part of it.
You’ve just described my parents, ha. Similar to the other ideas here, I’ve been opting for some good quality basics for my dad — good quality plain tshirts, a thick new hoodie or gloves, etc. For my mom this year, I’m going to get her a nice pair of Bombas socks (she had a pair once and loved them but will now never justify the $20+ spend) and a good book. I’ve tried gift cards, I’ve tried more “luxury” items I thought they’d enjoy, I’ve tried consumables like soaps or treats, and like you said, they never ever get used.
How about a game? Or something you can do together when you visit. We recently got my in-laws a history game called Chronology, where you build a timeline from random events. It’s fun. But Michigan Rummy would have also been fun, or backgammon or SKYJo or Monopoly deal. I always get my dad something warm to wear. He’d never buy it for himself, but an Ovis flannel shirt is super nice or Farm to Feet or Darn Tough socks. A nice wool blanket? Flannel sheets?
I’ve got lots of these folks, too! High quality wool socks and fresh towels seem to get used. (I think it’s almost impossible to resist the allure of a new fluffy towel) And even though I too find our food gifts stacked in the pantry, we had success giving one person a case of one of their already favorite snacks but put notes on them (wrote on Avery label and stuck them on) so they got a little note from us every time they grabbed one.
Peach – towels!! Last time I visited I did notice how threadbare their towels were. Thank you for this! It’s also sounding like Darn Tough socks are going on the list! We don’t live near them and only get a few visits a year, so while I love ideas like games to play together, it’s unlikely to really get used. These are all great suggestion though :)
A tricky-to-gift person might also like a fancy-but-not-expensiv, hand-signed, limited-edition print of one of Jeremy Miranda’s paintings; he’s based up in Maine and a lot of his scenes just light up my feelings like dust motes in winter sun. I don’t know him or anything, but I wish I did! https://www.sebastianfoster.com/artists/jeremy-miranda
Jeremy Miranda is a wonderful artist! Impressed to see him here, Lauren O. :)
I’d never heard of Jeremy Miranda, but I love his work and purchased 2 prints! It was also fun browsing around the Sebastian Foster site – thank you for the rec!
My son likes to cook and eat. Last year when he was 17 he wanted caviar. We got some caviar, blinis, and creme fraiche. We ate it as our lunch on Christmas Day. He also wanted to make beef wellington with me so we did that for Christmas dinner. A couple years earlier he was into truffle flavored popcorn. We got him truffle butter and truffle salt.
I love this!
My tweens want super expensive Lego or toe socks. There is no happy medium. So I got them ice skates and snowshoes. It may be a disappointing Christmas morning at our house. (My sister got them the toe socks!)
I love this whole comment
Both brothers and my stepdad (98 this year) are harder. This yearI asked them all beforehand. And, to my surprise they all wanted this beanie. https://www.fishinggearstore.shop/products/led-luminous-knitted-hat?variant=45206272344225&country=US¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOopBFbGyN5Dh-kBPbxG57rXTo0SFe9VAduZWjlJY6WoIJvmhOh-BXcs&com_cvv=8fb3d522dc163aeadb66e08cd7450cbbdddc64c6cf2e8891f6d48747c6d56d2c
ooooh, I think MY dad would like that, too! Thank you!
Homemade certificates can be fun! One year my siblings and I made my dad a “certificate of very excellent achievement” after he visited all 50 states. Partly inspired by that, I made this Lucky Star Plant gift that includes a mounted art print of a spiraling vine growing a bright star and a certificate where you add your wish or intention for the recipient. You can say things like “May this Lucky Star Plant grow you good luck!” or “may it watch over your wishes.” Could be a sweet present for someone who likes magical things or could just use a little magic in their life! https://www.claramcclenon.com/giftshop/p/lucky-star-plant-gift
For older folks: Gourmet but everyday food gifts…like fruit from Harry and David, or English muffins from Wolfermans. My husband always got his mom a subscription to the local newspaper. One time she visited us over Thanksgiving and we took a road trip to Oregon. Husband paid for her to have her own hotel room ( she was a pretty thrifty traveler!) as her Christmas gift. Teens: gift cards to Ulta, Sephora, Hot Topic, Game Stop. Teachers….now in my 40th year, gotta say the parent notes mean a lot. A coffee card, yes to socks, gift card to a book store, something handcrafted if you know the teachers favorites….a little goes a long way! For anyone…tickets to shows, concerts, museums!
Love reading all of these suggestions. This is the first year I have teens & tweens on my shopping list. A few bits I’ve picked up are an old school digital camera with a photo journal (that has different prompts) & a personalised wax seal stamp with wax melts & cool greeting cards (you could do personalised stationery). For my works Secret Santa gift exchange I took in a Metal Brazier with biscuits & marshmallows to make S’mores & a Festive Brie roasting dish with a wheel of cheese & both gifts were fought over.
This is a lovely idea for Secret Santa. As ever CoJ is teaching me new vocabulary because today I learned what the word “brazier” means! I was definitely picturing a novelty bra that you could make use to toast marshmallows…I realized my mistake when I Googled it because I simply couldn’t picture how that would be feasible, but where there’s a wine bra there’s a way? :)
Eva “where there’s a wine bra there’s a way” – amen to that.
Also teenagers: a box or more of their fave cereal, ramen noodles in bulk, espcially hot ones from Asian markets.
Yes to ramen! So much yes to ramen! My tween miiiiight be getting a certificate for a shopping spree at H-Mart, hahaha
My mom (now a widower) lives alone, so I try to get her either experiences we can do together or things that will be an experience for her on her own. Local bookstore giftcards are great because she will spend hours browsing before deciding what she wants. If I had the funds, I’d love to get her a perfume sampler with a gift card so she can buy herself whichever one she likes most. A monthly subscription for something she likes (the caramels mentioned in a previous gift guide) would be good too. One of my relative buys new family board games each holiday season so we can play them together at big family gatherings. Some recent favorites for a wide variety of ages (mid/late teens to mid/late 70s) below, including Ito which I loved so much that I’m getting another copy to play with my friends (20s-30s) as well: That Sound Game (like charades but with sound effects instead of motions) Codenames (in various iterations) Fluxx (a card game where the rules change between rounds, lots of different themes you can get for different interests) What the Actual Factual (like Balderdash but trying to come up with fake answers to trivia questions) Ito (kind of like open-ended Wavelength where you answer a question according to a number you draw from 1 to 100, then work together to put everyone’s answers in rank order without knowing anyone else’s number–no one wins or loses, but it’s really fun)
Eva, try Blank Slate! We play with ~12 people ages 10-70’s and it was fun for everyone. It sounded dull to me, but the way it’s scored created the right balance of competition and cooperation. Plus all the things that make for a good group holiday game: people can sit comfortably (no table, etc), enter/exit the game, no special skills/experience, and no major concentration required. I’ve been eyeing Herd Mentality for this year. Now I’m going to check out Actual Factual, too! We love Balderdash and trivia.
Dixit is lovely!
The suggestion to buy “Bop it extreme/my personal hell” made me laugh out loud. We recently bought a Bop it mini and it’s been a hit with our 5 and 2 year old. Recently, we got on a crowded NYC bus with 5 kids in tow when we realized our 2 year old brought it on the bus. Oops! Don’t worry, we got off the bus PROMPTLY.
This entire comment gave me a good giggle :)
I keep it simple for teachers: their favorite bev + a handwritten note telling them how much we appreciate them. This year it’s a 6-pack of fridge ciggies* for my daughter’s 3rd grade teacher. I hope she feels very seen and loved! *Gen Z tells me this is internet for Diet Coke. I’ll trust ’em!
Last year, I ordered these cheeky vanity plates featuring our two cats and dog for our driving high schoolers and I am now receiving requests from the mothers of friends requesting where to buy “the car pet plate”. Considering I miss very often in the gift-giving dept for our very discerning teenage daughters, I am feeling so redeemed. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1784615061/personalized-pet-photo-license-plate?ref=yr_purchases
I don’t remember if I read it here (if I did not surprised the people are are top tier gift givers) but if not… In my search for a teacher gift I saw that one family sent a letter of recommendation for their kids teacher to their principal and I LOVE THAT. I get a little bag of their favorite treat and a letter to the principal about how impressed I’ve been with the guidance my kids have received so far and bcc the teacher and bada bing Bada boom!
Yes! Someone once emailed my principal (and superintendent) singing my praises and it was THE BEST!
Jason Reynolds is an amazing human! Jo, if you haven’t yet seen him speak, I highly recommend finding one of his interviews on You Tube. Recently he was on Colbert talking about empathy in kids. And maybe it was CBS Sunday Morning when he addressed taking care of his ailing mother. I had the privilege of attending one of his talks back when Ghost debuted and he wasn’t yet famous and it’s stuck with me. I wish all tweens could experience him live.
Seconding the Jason Reynolds love. He is so deeply human and just listening to him speak deepens my humanity! I swear.
There’s a great Wild Card (NPR) podcast episode with him!
My go to is luxury every day items: socks, but make them the best nicest cutest socks. Really darling mugs from the cute boutique stores filled with fancy teas or coffee. Really nice hand lotion. Great lip gloss, bath bombs, etc. A package of fancy cheese and fancy crackers and jams.
I recently made a triple batch of chocolate chip cookie dough and put it in the freezer. We take a few dough balls out very couple days and have freshly baked cookies without the work part. It’s one of my current favorite things and I feel like I should gift it to everyone I know.
I do this, too! the best way to cookie, far as I am concerned.
I think Naptime Kitchen might have a Canva printable on her IG (and maybe her website) for frozen cookie dough gifts!
For the analog music / craft kit / all-around ’80s nerd (complimentary) types, I love the look and concept of these build-yer-own synthesizers (for ages 8 and up) that look like cassettes: https://microkits.net/products/synth-a-sette There’s a theremin kit as well, which would be a thoughtful riff for your local Beach Boys / psychedelia enthusiast. Speaking of tech and music, I love monoculars for live music / theatre fans / new birders; they’re ultra-small and packable for shows in a way that binoculars, boss as they are, can’t match. This one weighs just 8 ounces, gets rave reviews, and is great for purses, belt bags, whatever: https://www.nocsprovisions.com/products/zoom-tube-8×32-monocular-telescope?variant=47377495261463 And for the hard-to-shop-for goth on your list, sponsor and name an orphan at Australia’s Tolga Bat Hospital in their honor (minimum donation, $50 AUD, or around $35 USD). Sky puppies, crucial to their ecosystems and also adorable! Tolga gets hundreds of orphans a season, and “names are very important for communication between our many carers and managing data,” they note. You get a downloadable PDF with a photo of yer baby, perfect for printing on fancy paper and mounting in a spooky thrifted frame, if you’re really going to go for it. Details and adorable visuals: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ_lK3Ik_7F/?img_index=4 Direct link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerBohyGNq1jD39G9YfXWdJkYWd6a3nF4Jr-4bivel25RCc-w/viewform
these are incredible. i humbly nominate lauren o for a special guest off the wall gift guide next year!
Thank you Lauren! Love the bat adoption!
Oh my heavens, Lauren O, thank you for each and every one of these!
Not even goth but OMG do I ever want a bat!!! Sky puppies ❤️
Theremin kit for the Severence fan on your list. LOVE!
Oh man, THANK YOU – you cracked the code on what to get my 30-something techy/music nerd brother this year!
Yeah these are all amazing, I’ll have to save this synthesizer kit for next year!!
Lauren O knocks it out of the park yet again. Sky puppies! And that synth kit is AMAZING.
A couple of lower cost gifts my tween boys loved: 1). A Dopp kit with skin care and cologne samples, and 2). a “mocktail” kit so they can make fun drinks when their friends visit – like Shirley Temples (ginger ale + grenadine + maraschino Cherris)!
these are so fun!!!
Oh, this reminds me of a friend giving her teenager the fixings for a full sundae bar: chopped nuts, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, cherries, etc.
Also – customized socks with an image of a beloved pet!
The hardest group for me are the older adults on my list. I don’t gift the adults in my generation, but I like to give wrapped gifts to the generation older. They are often on the sidelines during gift opening and/or may be widowed, etc. However, they don’t need or want much, and what they do need or want they tend to have dialed in and food gifts are dietary restriction landmines. I’d love to hear what others have given/received. Here are things that have gone over well: – Things that wear out and/or people don’t splurge on: Socks, tea towels, umbrella, calendar (food fits here, too) – Puzzles (they exchange puzzles with friends/neighbors so fresh puzzles are welcome and not a storage commitment) – Nice reusable grocery bags, with real handles, light insulation, etc. – State parks pass
I’m 66 and my favorite gifts are gifts cards from bookstores or coffee shops. Wine works too, haha
Two tickets to a show or concert coming up, museum membership, class pass to pottery, new towels/sheets (indulgent ones), book from their hometown, BIDET attachment.
I know you said no food due to dietary restrictions, but you can order fresh oranges from Hale Groves- hopefully that would at least work with the GF/DF/veggie/vegan crowd. Plus, fresh citrus in winter is SO nice! A few other ideas: – A book you loved + a phone call or coffee date to debrief when they finished – fancy hand cream or lip balm (like a Laneige lip mask) – Mahjong set/bridge set/deck of cards/backgammon – Conversation cards for a post-dinner activity with the group – A beautifully framed photo (of the family, something they love, an old photo of them) – An ornament if they have a tree – A throw blanket, since older folks can have a hard time staying warm
This is really nice, Peach. We make sure to my mother-in-law (newly-ish widowed) still feels cared for with some extra gifts too. The biggest hit for us has been when we filled her stocking with all the things she uses and loves around her house: her favorite scent of lotion, the specific scrubbies for her dish brush, a new pair of gloves when I noticed that hers had a hole in them, the wax melties she likes. She said, “Oh wow! You guys have really been paying attention!” and I feel like, in this terrible distractable time, our attention is one of the nicest things we can give. She has also appreciated special dates – movie tickets for us and her, or a gift card to her local coffee shop and a calendar invite to go with her. She is really struggling with the loneliness of widowhood, especially at Christmas, so the key has been tickets and gift cards AND the planning of the date to go with her.
Thank you for your tips Peach! Over the years I have given my elderly aunt a fancy bathrobe, nightgown, soft wool cardigan, picture frame, pearl earrings and a velvety heated cushion. (She is very generous to me so I try to do the same.) She wears and uses all of it.
I feel like all my best gifts start from: pay close attention and get them an upgrade. In my MIL’s case, I noticed that she almost always wore a particular style of hair comb, but just the plain wire version. So I bought one and added sparkly beads to it. HIT!! I continued to make her a new comb every year, and she eventually had a whole wardrobe of beautiful combs that she wore until she passed.
Gift certificate for a massage, manicure or pedicure!
I’m 71 and a long time quilter. Like everything else, the tariffs on quilting cottons are hitting shop owners and consumers hard. Buying you MIL (or your mother or spouse or partner or adorable neighbor) a gift card to a local quilt shop does two things. Allows the recipient to indulge in a special fabric that she/he might not have purchased AND supports a local business which is most likely owned by women. My sons know that a gift certificate to my favorite quilt shop always is a home run.
I just want to affirm the reusable bags! I sell at the farmers market and so everyone shows me their bags. Older folks tend to be very excited to show off any features of their reusable bags. To me they are a dime a dozen but for whatever reason bags that pack down small or have other bells and whistles tend to be very exciting for this demographic, haha.
One year we gave a lap-sized heating pad to a 90+ year old family member visiting the cold PNW from sunny Arizona and she absolutely loved it and used it constantly! Another hit for many age groups has been a pretty plant. Christmas cactuses and amaryllises bloom beautifully at this time of year. Orchids can be found around this time, too. Almost everyone I know enjoys a little burst of color and liveliness to perk up the dark winter days.
Every year we split a monthly bouquet delivery with my SIL/BIL for my MIL. The local store a few blocks away puts it together and delivers every month. It’s not cheap but it makes her so happy. And it supports a local business as well! I have my mom symphony tickets last year and am planning to do it again. She doesn’t get out much these days so getting dressed up and going out was special. My sisters and I went with her. She really loved it. Again not cheap but worth it if you can swing it. Other than that they both get fancy calendars and updated photos of the kids to put in the frames they already have. All hits :)
Just here to say that I have proudly never given up on corded headphones. A simple technology that works- why complicate it?
me too!!!! have always been a fan.
Me, too! I have my original iPod corded headphones and I still think they’re great. Sadly, that original iPod died this year. Sooooooo much music missing from my car life right now….
I have corded headphones because airpods and the like stop working and cannot be fixed. The thought of the millions of airpods that are just thrown away makes me quite unhappy. Corded headphones may break eventually but I think that’s different to buying something that will definitely stop working and cannot be repaired.
I lean in to: 1 want 1 need 1 Book 1 Gift card $
+1 Even though I eye-rolled the “need, want, read, wear” formula that was trendy when my kids were little…. it’s still basically what we give them every year!
As an aunt, I gave littles something to wear (they’re always growing!) and something to read (I worry they don’t go to library enough!) It has been fun to learn about kid magazines in addition to books – I will never not enjoy getting something in the mail, and hope to pass that on to these kiddos even a little. Teens are harder but doing experiences this year – amusement park gift cards, magic shows (which are often also comedy shows). And something to read because reading is always in style!
I am going to a Japanese food store nearby and buying $50 worth of sweet and savory snacks and throwing them in a box for some godsons. Cucumber potato chips? Weird jelly snacks? YES!
FANTASTIC idea.
Yessssss to the weird snacks! That is so much fun! I’m also getting my kids their own cans of that spray whipped cream, with the rule that they can have some whenever they want, no questions asked. It will feel so against-the-rules that I know they’ll love it — and I’m fully expecting that each can will be gone by 6 p.m. Dec. 25.
My then-twelve-year-old son loved a little box of Japanese KitKats (with flavors we don’t have here).
I went to the local Cost Plus/World Market on the weekend for the same reason: In the back, they have tons of weird snacks and condiments from around the world. Cookies, candy, a jar of Marmite if you really want to terrify your family … :)
ooooh great idea! I like to go to our Asian supermarket and get a pack of mochi balls and little packs of pop rocks, then I take a bite from the mochi ball and dip it in the pop rocks as if it were a Fun Dip. It’s a real texture experience!
And often fun / unusual flavors of toothpaste! At least at my local Asian grocery
This is the way! I didn’t plan enough to do this this year, but next year? It’s on!
I did this for a nephew who really likes spicy things. I got him ALL the spicy snacks. He was a happy boy!
While I love this idea and have done this exact thing for my teen boys, I think it’s a bit offensive calling foreign snacks “weird”. “Unusual” or “Unique” would be a lot more polite to the people who eat this sort of stuff regularly.
We ordered the Boksu Japanese snacks box and it was SO FUN. Fake beer (?!). Shrimp-mayo. We’d do taste tests and try to guess the flavor. It was a big hit with the tweens. I now buy weird candy whenever I travel abroad and we do taste tests when I get home.
Echoing S G… a lot of these snacks factor into people’s day to day. Good opportunity to pivot from Americentrism.
Noooo…not target!! :(
I’m 100% team cash for teachers! Spend it how you want, where you want! Extra nice when a room parent can collect it and then it can be a sizeable amount no matter how much families can contribute.
I’m with Sarah! Cash for teachers! And give it early so they can use it for holiday joys!
My 12 year-old unexpectedly asked for a gift I gave my kids when they were much younger: a coupon book with coupons for things like pancakes for dinner, staying up 30 minutes later at bedtime, a dance party, a treat at the local coffee shop, etc. Not only is this pretty low-cost, but it’s sweet that what he’s really asking for (I think) is time together. And it’s an idea that can be customized to the recipient.
oooh, that’s a sweet idea. I think my teenagers would enjoy that! I may use this for Easter eggs… We did something similar a while back and the kids LOVED the certificates for us do one of their chores ;)
I always put three grocery coupons in my kids’ stockings. They can redeem on things we normally never buy, like Pop Tarts or Nutella. Now that they’re teens, it’s for fancy flavoured Starbucks creamer, so they can make iced coffees at home, lol. They love them!
Oh this is brilliant. I usually think about it in terms of activities, but my kids would DIE if I gave them coupons for a can of pringles, a box of pop tarts and a sugary cereal. My mom, a real monster, used to put one sugar cereal, one can of pringles and one 6-pack of soda under our stockings each year. That was IT for the entire year, so it was a real feast and famine situation. The idea they can parcel it out and choose when to get their treat would be so fun for them. Especially because, like my mother, I am also now a real monster who doesn’t buy that stuff!
Tammy! I love that idea!! Awesome!
Since everything old is new again, what about a discman with some CDs of your favorite 90s bands? (don’t tell the kids that you liked them, or I believe it would be “cringe.”) I LOVED getting new CDs. Some of my memorable favs were Love Angel Music Baby by Gwen Stefani and All That You Can’t Leave Behind by U2.
We have our 9 year old daughter a Walkman and mixtapes a few years ago. Tremendous hit with her and her teachers. She also got the joy of explaining the ‘tech’ to her 21 year old cousin.
Spot on. Half of my 16 year old’s list is physical CDs. One of which we already own because her parents are that. cool. ;)
My 12-year-old asked for CDs! Her “Santa” gift last year was a CD player, and just like her mama, she loves nothing more than to choreograph dances or paint nails in her room. Everything old IS new again!
I got my 11 year old step daughter a CD player for her birthday this year. I picked up the latest So fresh CD from 2025 & also included a SoFresh CD from when I was 11 (back in 2001) it was a winner!
I have a fifteen year old daughter and o am so stumped on what to get her. She’s also stumped on what she wants, I think, bc it’s taking her forever to make her list. Any thoughts welcome! Especially slam dunk gifts that were unexpected! Here’s what she’s got so far: 10 ft charger with her own wall buds, a new Eco Dot, new rolling suitcase with luggage tag, and two nice bras.
Hi Lana. Hmmm, how about art supplies galore, locket necklace w photo of bestie, mum, or pet, cozy sweat set, digital camera, leg warmers / cute tights, journal & gel pens, pass down your old CD collection, air plant sets to hang in her bdrm window, gift certificate Barnes & Noble, a special trip & cash to hit a vintage clothing store w a friend, monogram stationery from Etsy, fingerless gloves, also Etsy, tickets to any band or show she’s into, a ukulele, or guitar + lessons. Good luck, & cheers to my favorite people = teens!
My daughter just turned 20, but when she was 15, she loved: light-up signs for her room, giant pillows for her bed/floor, a fluffy white rolling desk chair, Lululemon leggings, cool paint-by-numbers sets and coloring books, TNA fleeces, and Jelly-Cats. I know this because she still loves all this stuff :)
My friends and I still talk about these awesome gifts we got around that age years later— heated blanket/electric blanket, a simple pair of stud earrings from Novica or similar store, cookbook that doesn’t revolve around junk food or super trendy appliances (we still use some of our favorite books as adults), retro phone handset that connects to smartphone, Lego flowers with cool vase, Echo glow night light (can be used as sunrise alarm clock), reusable containers that can be used for lunches or food on the go.
Same issue for my 15 year old son. So far he’s asked for a banjo and a trombone (why?), plus random merch related to various video games, all of which seem to cost at least $300! I miss the days of spoiling him with $1 match box cars!
My daughters are 14 and 20 and concert tickets are always a hit – even if the concert is half a year away, the anticipation is part of it! This year no concert, but we’ll go to a hockey game together. They also love comfy sweatpants/pj bottoms, perfume from Rituals and little charms for their charm bracelet. (I think concerts have become crazy expensive in north america – I live in Germany, it’s not so bad here – but maybe local bands are affordable? Or cover bands? Or cirque du soleil or something?)
Responding to Bertie: As the mother of a 12-year-old boy who plays trombone and ukulele, your son’s requests crack me up! I’m not sure if there’s a Music Go Round near you, but in general a shop with used instruments could be a good option.
Lana, Those seem like superb gifts, even just a couple off her list! Maybe that’s enough – especially if she can’t think of other gift ideas that she wants/would like? Do you feel it must be more?
I think by fifteen experience gifts are the way to go: concert tickets or the local zipline place or a horseback ride or goat yoga or a cat cafe or a penguin meet and greet at the aquarium what have you. (Can you tell my son loves animals?)
I got my teenager a nice athletic backpack last year (he’s not a swimmer, but I am, so it’s a swimmer backpack made by Tyr, with separate pockets for wet gear.) He ended up using it for camping trips and lacrosse gear and it was a big hit. Also, I did tickets to an NHL game for a recent birthday — he’s a hockey fan — and that was a BIG hit.
15 year olds are tough! both my daughters loved the new version of the polaroid camera at that age. simple and so fun.
I think the adult sticker book suggested in another gift guide would go over great with 15 year olds! When I was 15 what I secretly wanted was: an Instax camera, supplies to make silly friendship bracelets, etsy merch of whatever I was into (eg; Taylor Swift merch on etsy is so cute and creative and subtle), weird art supplies, a backpack that was less dorky with patches to sew on. Embroidery thread and hoops!
When I was 15 all I wanted was to learn how to drive. Does she have any hobbies you ould draw inspiration from for a giftable experience like a play, concert, something arty, something sporty etc?