We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle that'll make you forget the outside world because you'll be so determined to find the right pieces. This design is delightfully challenging, even for experienced puzzlers!
Promising review: "Challenging but delightful! Love jigsaw puzzles. I am still working on this one. It is challenging but fun to see all the old familiar book titles. Wish I could have a shop like this for real! I have found many parts, and now I need to connect it all!" —Jean Doran
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
2. Or this 500-piece puzzle full of pups. (Should we say a pup-zle?) Perfect for introverts who need some recharging time but still want to be entertained.
Badge Bomb is a small business based in Portland, Oregon, that makes the most adorable buttons, magnets, and more. The puzzle's art is designed by Gemma Correll, an artist, writer, and cartoonist who's originally from England but now lives in Orange, California, with her pug pups Mr. Pickles and Zander.
Promising review: "This is a fun puzzle and it is very good quality. The pieces are sturdy and do not bend. The colors are bright and sharp. The pieces fit well together without issues. This puzzle will give you a very fun experience and it's so cute you may even want to frame it to hang on the wall." —Mari N.
Get it from Badge Bomb for $20.
3. A Book of the Month subscription — imagine how relaxing winding down at the end of a long day with a good hardcover will be. And you'll be able to keep up with all the hot new releases without ever having to go to the bookstore.
Every month, you get to choose between five titles. Depending on how slow/fast you read, you can also opt to skip a month if you need more time to finish your current title.
Get a subscription from Book of the Month for $59.99+ (available in 3-, 6-, and 12-month subscriptions).
Need more details before taking the plunge? Head to our more in-depth Book of the Month review for more deets!
4. A Paint by Numbers kit because you physically can't look at a screen when you're focusing on painting in a teeny tiny area. The best part about this hobby is that you'll have a beautiful piece of home decor to display when you're done!
That's my in-progress Paint by Numbers on the right!! Compared to the example photo on the left, I'm going to take a moment to toot my own horn and admit how good it's looking (which is shocking because I have zero artistic skills). I will say — this baby is time-consuming, but in the best way possible. In the winter, I always feel like I spend all day on my computer working and then all night watching TV or scrolling TikTok, so I wanted to work on a just-for-fun project that forced me to put the phone down, zone the rest of the world out, and just relax. And it works!! I pop on my headphones, listen to an audiobook or a podcast, and just paint away for hours. It's so satisfying to see your work go from a whole bunch of meaningless blobs to a beautiful piece of art! This kit comes with plenty of paint, a simple frame to hang it up when you're done, and four brushes. However, I recommend buying an extra fine point brush to do all that detail work. I also use a goose neck reading light to help me see all the lines better.
Get it from Michaels for $14.99, or check out other Paint by Number kits here.
5. A classic Mad Libs book...sorry, Meow Libs...that's all cat-themed! Imagine how much fun you'll have filling this in after drinking a glass of wine (or two). It's even more fun completing it with a group of friends!
There's also a dog version for those dog lovers out there!
Promising review: "A purrfect gift! Bought this as a Christmas gift for my father in law and we all played it throughout the day. As we drank some sangria it became harder to come up with witty words, but it was so much fun. The cat theme is great!" —A Wife and Mother
Get it from Amazon for $5.08.
6. A wireless Bluetooth karaoke microphone so you and your best friends can pretend you're headlining a sold-out concert. I would personally use this to sing through the entire Mamma Mia! soundtrack, but that's just me!
It can also connect to their device via cable. Check out BuzzFeed's full write-up on this karaoke mic.
Promising review: "Oh my gosh, I love this! I got mine in the mail yesterday and ended up playing with it for about five hours last night LOL. It connects via Bluetooth so you can connect it to your phone — the music and your singing comes out of the microphone's speaker. It has a volume control for your voice and for the music and also an echo feature. You can put an SD card into the bottom of it and record yourself, or connect it with an audio out to record on one of those karaoke apps on your phone. Between this and being able to find just about any song on karaoke via YouTube, you could easily have your own karaoke parties at home!" —Ferretocious
Get it from Amazon for $30.99 (available in 13 colors).
7. An ice cream maker if you're looking to try out a new hobby — why not start with a tasty one! Spend next Friday night in and learn how to make ice cream with this super easy-to-use machine.
This makes up to 1.5 quarts, or six 1-cup servings, of ice cream or frozen yogurt in under 20 minutes!
Promising review: "I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this ice cream maker. I never purchase store bought ice cream anymore. I make nondairy ice cream. My children, husband, and everyone who tastes it can't believe I made it." —Saida
Get it from Amazon for $69.95+ (available in three colors).
8. A 100 Things To Do scratch-off bucket list featuring exactly zero plans that involve screen time! Consult this list on a weekend where you can't decide what to do — it'll give you ideas like "fly a kite," "make an origami animal," or "take a cooking class," just to name a few.
It also contains a bit more big idea bucket list items, like run a marathon, but ya know, maybe one day you'll be able to cross them all over over time!!
Promising review: "The recipients of this poster loved the idea. They are an outgoing and adventurous couple. They said they would be hanging this in their office space and scratching them off as they complete them. They commented that moving to another country might not ever be scratched off but they are looking forward to doing as many as they can." —VLR
Get it from Amazon for $21.98.
9. A beachy Tic-Tac-Toe game that looks downright delightful sitting on your coffee table. Instead of scrolling social media in the morning, grab your cup of coffee and challenge your family member to a friendly game with this!
Promising review: "This tic-tac-toe board is so cute and functional!! I love it on my beach/farmhouse coffee table and they did include the extra Sand dollar piece so the game can be played. Also, it is made of good quality, sturdy material. I couldn’t be more pleased!" —Michele Nelson
Get it from Amazon for $22.12+ (available in four colors).
10. A pack of Crayola Globbles if you want to redirect your littles (or yourself) away from the iPad. Let them embrace their chaotic side and hurl these sticky blobs on the wall or the ceiling. They'll be absolutely delighted to see them stick, and you'll be delighted that they don't leave behind any sticky residue!
Watch this mom explain why Globbles are her "new favorite thing ever" on TikTok.
Promising review: "My 15-year-old asked for these after seeing them on TikTok. I got them as a stocking stuffer thinking they’d be tossed aside. Unbelievably he and his 17-year-old brother have spent time laying in the floor, tossing them up to the ceiling, and waiting for them to fall so they can catch them. I never expected them to get this much use. Bonus is they’re off their phones and in the family room with us." —Amazon Customer
Get a set of six from Amazon for $10.69+ (also available in a pack of 16).
11. A DIY crochet dinosaur kit small enough to complete in the course of a night. Even beginners will be able to follow along thanks to the pre-started crochet piece the kit comes with — you can get right into practicing the main crochet stitch from the very start!
This Asian-owned small business was co-founded by Justine Tiu and is based in NYC. The shop is known for their *fab* educational customer service and their adorable crochet kits.
Get the dinosaur crochet kit from The Woobles for $25+ (available with or without a crochet hook).
12. A heated eye massager that will literally force you to look away from your screens and relaxxxx. Reviewers have said this has helped with migraine pain, stress, eye strain, and even their insomnia. Pop this on after a marathon work day staring at your computer for the wind down your body desperately needs.
It sports five different massage settings, a 15-minute timer, and Bluetooth capabilities.
Promising review: "LOVE THIS! Ok so I bought this to help with my migraines (it totally helps me) but I use it for so much more. Feeling stressed? Check! Anxiety? Check! I have a son who has some behavioral issues. The first day I got this he wanted to try because I looked cool. Well he put it on and completely went calm. He told me he felt so relaxed. And he said when he was having a hard time calming down that this would be perfect for him to help him calm down. And it has! I would pay ANY amount of money to have him feel calm." —Price
Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in three colors).
13. A Rubik's Cube to treat yourself to a classic brain teaser. Unless you're a secret Rubik's Cube master, this will take you a loooong time to get right, so you won't even notice (or care!) when your phone buzzes. You'll be more engrossed with finally solving this!
This one is made from 100% recycled plastic!
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
14. A soy candle making kit so you can dabble in the art of creating your own scents. There's a good chance you'll get so into this, you'll end up making a signature scent for every room in your house!
Promising review: "I was so impressed with this candle making kit. I've been disappointed in the past with some DIY kid's crafts kits, but this kit is quality. Everything came packaged really well. The box is medium sized, but they used every inch of space inside. My kids can't wait to make their very own candles and I'm so excited to have a quality craft to do with them." —Kristen Miller
Get it from Amazon for $59.95.
15. A Blue Apron subscription if you're looking to break the habit of ordering takeout and eating it in front of the TV every night. This takes some of the hard work out of cooking — they'll send you all the ingredients and the recipe, so all you have to do is follow it step by step to end up with a delicious homemade culinary masterpiece.
You can customize how many servings and meals you want throughout the week as well as specify any meal preferences you have (vegetarian, family-friendly etc.) You get to choose the recipes from their recommendations before the box gets sent to you, so you never have to worry about getting sent ingredients for something you don't actually want to cook.
Subscribe to Blue Apron starting at $7.99 a serving.
16. The Sushi Go! card game — in this fast-moving family game, the goal is to earn as many points as possible by the end of three rounds. You're constantly passing cards to the player to your left, which makes the game resemble a sushi conveyer belt. Make sure to accumulate the best combination of sushi — each card has a different point value!
Promising review: "I ordered this as a Christmas gift for my family after playing it at my in-law’s. First off, the cards come in a metal tin which keeps the cards super protected and great for traveling. This game is super easy to learn and teach, my 11-year-old sister picked it up in no time. The game is played in three short rounds, making it a great game for kids with shorter attention spans and adults who may not love games, such as my husband. My in-laws love to whip this one out when we’re trying to kill some time before Sunday dinner. Having the short rounds makes it super easy to pause and come back to it later. This has easily become one of my favorite games." —Kristy
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
17. Escape the Crate, which is a subscription box that sends you tools to create your own escape room in your house. Invite over your best clue-cracking friends and get ready for an adventure-filled night!
What you'll get: Every other month, you'll receive items needed to play an hour-long escape room game at home! In your box, you may find things like ciphers, letters, sleuthing tools, puzzles, and more. Note that internet is required to play, so you can enter different codes online to check if you're getting it right!
Promising review: "We have played this for 8 months now. The games are all different and the items included in the box are quality items so that if you were to reprint the pages you could play again at a later date. My sister, mother and I look forward every other month to our game day." —Colleen G.
Get it from Cratejoy starting at $26.50/box.
18. A spiral-bound collection of the best New York Times crosswords because if you're someone who loves a quiet Saturday night with a cup of tea, a pencil, and a crossword, this is basically the holy grail.
Promising review: "Best Christmas gift my dad ever received. About five years ago, my dad randomly asked if I could stop by the bookstore and see if there were any 'New York Times crossword books, but only the Mondays (because they're the easiest)!' My bookstore trip was unsuccessful, so imagine my surprise when I saw that this book DID exist! My dad, who is impossible to buy gifts for, is blowing through this book and back on his crossword game! He's already bought the Tuesday book." —Lauren
Get it from Amazon for $11.49 (also available for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — but they get harder as the week goes on, FYI).
19. A foolproof Philips compact pasta maker — nothing's more satisfying than spending a night in whipping up your own homemade pasta and then getting to eat your culinary creation! This takes the hard work out of the process — you don't even have to hand crank the dough for the noodles to form!
It comes with shaping discs for spaghetti, fettuccine, penne, pappardelle, tagliatelle, angel hair, and lasagna. Plus, there's an included recipe book for meal inspiration.
Promising review: "I was just as skeptical as you are. I, too, have been doing the old school — make the dough, roll it out, run it through a pasta machine, etc. — method. It's a production, all for AMAZING pasta. With this, you put the ingredients in, push a button, and watch for AMAZING pasta to be extruded. I had hoped I'd be able to multitask a bit more, but it extrudes so fast there isn't much time for other tasks between cutting it. But I think that seems reasonable. The other thing to consider is that you have to be VERY exact with the measurements of the ingredients. I've found weighing them works best (get a kitchen scale here). The recipes in the included book work great. Don't use other pasta recipes not developed for this machine unless you are up for some experimentation. The dough will be drier than the traditional method and has to be to feed through the auger and extrude properly. So it also does take a bit longer to cook than traditional fresh pasta, but when it's done it's that same amazing taste and texture!" —Conversio
Get it from Amazon for $200.94.
20. A DIY bath bomb kit because the only thing better than taking a long bubble bath is to make your own bath bomb, throw it in the bathtub, and soak all your worries away as you pat yourself on the back for a craft well done.
This kit comes with food-grade citric acid, baking soda, Himalayan salt, essential-oil blends, grapeseed oil, a spray bottle, aluminum bath bomb molds, bath bomb stickers and wrapping paper, and step-by-step instructions. Yields about 12 bath bombs!
Urban Kangaroo is a woman-owned business that sells DIY beauty and personal care kits.
Promising review: "I really enjoyed this product. They use good ingredients that don't dry out your skin. This was a fun way to spend an afternoon and I look forward to trying other DIY products from this company. I would recommend this to family and friends!" —jewell getson
Get it from Urban Kangaroo on Amazon for $22.47.
21. An AllTrails Plus subscription to help you jumpstart a new interest in the great outdoors. The AllTrails Plus subscription will help you find great routes for hikes, bike rides, or trail runs, and it'll let you download the trail maps so you can access them even when you don't have service, which can happen often in nature! Yes, this technically involves using your phone, but at least you're breathing in some fresh air and getting that exercise in!
With the Plus plan, you'll get notifications if you stray from your route. You can also keep friends and family up to date on your location with Lifeline. And, 1% of every subscription is donated to a nonprofit that protects our planet.
Get a Plus subscription to AllTrails for $35.99.
22. A deck of monochrome playing cards so your game of Crazy Eights, Texas Hold 'Em, or solitaire is as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
23. A Wreck This Journal with prompts to help you embrace your wild, creative side. Don't be scared to rip, shred, and completely transform your pages. You can get as destructive as you want with this thing!
Promising review: "I’m 17 and I loved this. In the intro it says the page instructions are all up to interpretation, so if it says 'spill your drink' or something you can take that literally or choose to paint on it with something such as tea or coffee that’ll look like brown watercolor. I love that it’s full of bizarre prompts but that you have wiggle room if you don’t want to do anything too crazy. I would recommend this if you’re just looking for something fun or if you’re going through some challenges this is really helpful to distract/express/push yourself!" —Marlee
Get it from Amazon for $9.59.
24. Bananagrams — a word tile game you'll want to get all your family and friends obsessed with if they're coming over for a game night. Race against your opponents to arrange all of your tiles into a crossword as fast as possible.
To start play, you collect your tiles face-down, and once the timer starts, you can start creating words in the grid-like style of a crossword. If you have extra or unwanted tiles, you can swap them. The first player to complete their word grid without any misspellings or made-up words wins! Tip: make sure you're playing on a really big table (or on the floor) so you have enough space for your grid!
Promising review: "Definitely a lot of fun! Got this for a friend after having bought two previous versions for us and for some cousins. Everybody loves playing it and end up spending hours at a time! Helps you learn new words and while not exactly scrabble, knowing a bunch of two letter words come in handy when you're trying to win!" —Minion
Get it from Amazon for $14.90+ (available in five designs).
25. Or Q-Less, which functions like Bananagrams but on a much smaller scale. You roll the 12 dice, and you must use all 12 letters that are facing up to create a grid. And as the name suggests, the letter Q is not on any of the dice. Rejoice!
This is meant to be played by yourself, and the maker of the game warns that most rolls are playable, but some aren't. If you can't come up with a grid, just roll again!
Q-Less was created by Tom Sturdevant, an award-winning retired game inventor who returned to the game business at 75 to bring Q-Less to the world. This game recently went viral on TikTok.
Get it from Q-Less for $14.95.
26. A cake pop mold if you're looking to try out a new homemade dessert but are fresh out of new ideas. This silicone mold make it so easy to create perfect cake molds that you'll be tempted to open up your own bakery after a few batches!
Promising review: "I bought this to make cake pops for my nephew's birthday and it’s super easy! It’s easily cleanable. It doesn’t break. They’re easy to pop out. I love how it came with its own plastic bags and sticks." —Hannah Becker
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
27. A copy of Drinking Animals Coloring Book to doodle in as you listen to your favorite playlist. Did we mention there are also quick and easy cocktail recipes throughout the book? Might as well make yourself a cocktail to go with all that coloring!
Promising review: "Purchased as a gift; the recipient was absolutely thrilled. The cocktail recipes really sold me on this item. It doesn't feel like a cheap coloring book either." —aliensca13
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
28. A telescope for anyone who's always been fascinated with space and would love to explore it for themselves, even if they're still earthbound. You'll find so much joy taking this outside the next clear night and being able to see craters on the moon and find your favorite constellation with ease!
Promising review: "Ok so this is my first telescope. First, it comes with a bag for storing which is great. Secondly, the whole thing is super lightweight. It is very easy to put together, and very easy to use. My first time using it was at 3 in the afternoon. I couldn’t believe how well and how clearly I could see the moon. If you zoom in, you can even see the terrain. I HIGHLY recommend this telescope to anyone who enjoys getting a closer look at the sky. It’s amazing and you won’t be disappointed!" —Anonymous
Get it from Amazon for $94.99.
29. A splurge-worthy Bartesian cocktail machine so you can invite your friends over for an at-home happy hour so you don't have to deal with a crowded bar. You fill the machine with the liquor of your choice and then place one of the mixologist-created pods in the machine, press a button, and it creates your perfect drink for you! Beats popping open a beer and zoning out in front of the TV if you ask me!
Options include everything from margaritas, whiskey sours, and old fashioneds, and the machine even self-cleans at the end of each cocktail to prevent flavors from leaking into other drinks.
Promising review: "Finally made the purchase (TikTok did it ... brilliant marketing!) as a gift to my wife. The packaging was great. Was delivered one day early and very quick. We are really enjoying the machine and sharing it with friends. Overall feels a bit pricey, but well worth it considering the fun, variety, and novelty. The drinks are good!" —Pepstero
Get it from Amazon for $273.18+ (available in three styles).
30. A unicorn slime kit to take craft night to a whole new messy, sparkly level. Complete with glitter, foam beads, and everything else you need to make the slime, this set is basically a fun night in ready for you in a box!
Promising review: "This is the best slime kit I’ve come across. I saw it last minute before my daughter’s birthday (11) and thought I’d get it as an add-on to her presents. It ended up being her favorite gift! Her brother (8) joined in and made slime with her and she still has enough to make more of all types." —Elizabeth & Rick
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in two styles).
31. An indoor s'mores maker so you can catch up with the family while indulging in one of the coziest desserts of all time. It comes with a flameless electric heater to roast your marshmallows to perfection, which makes this a perfect option for anyone who doesn't have a backyard to build a real fire.
Promising review: "I love this s'mores maker! I recently bought s'mores supplies at the store, and wanted to make them without a bonfire... I read online about all of the different s'mores machines and I'm SO happy I chose this one! Right out of the box, it started heating quickly. After it was glowing red, we started toasting marshmallows! I was surprised how brown and toasty it was able to get the marshmallows, and so quickly. After reading some other reviews about the long wait time, I was worried. But in my home, the time to get the marshmallow toasty was just about equivalent to a bonfire (minus the bonfire smell!!). The s'mores do even have that outdoor familiar taste. We love it and will be using it again and again! Great product." —Ashley Schenkel
Get it from Amazon for $27.99.
32. A box of 100 conversation starters to spice up date night. Leave the remote on the coffee table and instead spend the night asking your S.O. these questions — you'll be surprised how much you learn about each other!
Promising review: "After 30 years with my spouse, we didn’t really talk much anymore. It was the usual what work junk happened, what was on the schedule, what we needed from the store, and what was on our phones. I am so grateful I stumbled on these cards. I gave them and a puzzle to my husband for Christmas. I think he thought it was corny, until we started. I started off telling him how much I miss conversation with him and that I love him and I would like to date him again. It has been wonderful to sit and work on the puzzle, with some low music on in the background, TALK, and share a glass of wine together. We are loving these cards!" —KTB
Get it from Amazon for $19.95.
33. A calligraphy guidebook so you can eventually impress everyone you send a letter to with how fancy your writing looks. This easy-to-follow guide is great for beginners, especially anyone looking for a hobby that doesn't require you to buy a whole bunch of extra materials.
Be sure to grab some brush pens to add some texture with your new calligraphy skills!
Promising review: "I LOVE this book!! It's soo great for beginners! I’ve wanted to improve my penmanship and learn modern calligraphy and lettering for a long time. I thought I’d give this book a try and I’m so confident in my lettering now. I’m excited to create my own projects and show off my new skills!!" —KHenderson
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
34. An elegant hammock if you're always wishing you were lounging on a beach with a good book instead of watching the same TV show for the 10th time. With this, you can kick back, feel the wind on your face, and pretend you're mere feet from the ocean — all without leaving your backyard.
35. A fun activity book for anyone who's had a really stressful week at work and can't get their mind to calm down. This activity book uses humor throughout the pages as it guides you through journaling, coloring pages, and fun facts.
Promising review: "This book is exactly what it says it is: a big activity book for anxious people! It’s got some great activities inside that totally keep me busy, keep my anxiety in check, and truly is a great time suck to keep my mind focused on the activities and an escape from whatever is consuming me those days. Cannot recommend this book enough!" —Alex R. Mooney
Get it from Amazon for $14.40.
Goodbye, screens — we won't miss ya!
