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 game of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza that's super simple to learn, great for all ages, and anything but boring. Play this fast-paced party game once and they'll become the star of every future game night on their calendar.
The rules are simple. Deal the deck out to all players (works with 3-8 players). Everyone keeps their mini deck face down and goes around the table flipping a card face up and saying one of the five key words (taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza — in that order). Once the card played matches the word said, it's a race to slap that center card. Whoever taps in last has to take the center stack and the round starts over. Whoever gets rid of all their cards first wins!
Promising review: "I play this game with my girls, ages 6 and 8, as well as my mom. I almost think that it is more fun for my mom and I than the kids. The premise of the game is simple: to slap the pile once the word you say matches the image on the card, with special cards thrown in for extra fun. I have laughed so hard, I've almost cried at the silly antics this game has caused. I love that it's face paced and very travel friendly. I would totally recommend this as a gift." —Melissa Yee
Get it from Amazon for $7.97.
2. A dimmable sad duck night-light for providing some desk-side camaraderie on those days when life is just beating them down. This little guy always gets it, and will stay up to burn the midnight oil with them when you're not around to.
Promising review: "Love this! We love everything about this cute little duck. Convenient having three settings, easy and quick to use, and the lighting is soft. The 30-minute timer comes in handy as we keep it on our nightstand and we sometimes forget to tap it to turn off. The packing of this product was fun as well! Would be a cute kitschy gift as well…" —FL shoppers
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available also as a dog, chick, pear? and cabbage???).
3. A copy of Burn After Writing if you want to help them spend less time scrolling and more time reflecting. This guided journal is filled with loads of prompts, questions, and thought experiments to get in touch with feelings and memories both old and new.
Promising review: "This is my first review ever on Amazon but it was so needed and well deserved. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is on their self discovery and healing journey. Hands down the best journal I have so far. The questions are amazing and well worth the thought. This book will make you think and understand all of yourself. Past, present and future. So worth every penny and will definitely be gifting this to all of my friends and family. Such an amazing book/journal." —Emily Velez
Get it from Amazon for $7.32+ (available in paperback and spiralbound).
4. A hybrid garment duffel bag because your favorite jetsetter doesn't have time to waste on the hotel iron and wrinkly clothes. This TSA-friendly bag has space for a hanging suit and a couple of dress shirts, then folds up into a duffel with space for a weekend trip's worth of folded clothes — plus shoes!
5. Or a hyper-functional travel backpack with a padded laptop compartment to help them dodge pesky baggage fees. This sleek style fully opens like a suitcase so they can easily pack everything they need for a long weekend and then some. And let's give a round of applause for the not one, but two exterior water bottle pockets. 👏
BuzzFeed Shopping editor Elizabeth Lilly looovveesss this bag for travel:
"I snagged this backpack after hearing my colleague Chelsea Stuart sing its praises. I wanted a bag for some upcoming travel (2.5 weeks in Europe with *just* carry-on for five flights) that opens up like a suitcase for easier packing. Since buying, I've taken it on two long weekend trips with no complaints. In fact, for both of those trips I packed MORE than I needed.
Inside, you'll find a mesh zippered pocket and a plastic pocket perfect for your toiletries. I can fit enough wet toiletries in the second pocket as I'd be allowed to carry-on for a plane. In the mesh pocket I put other necessities like cotton swabs, medicine, eye glasses, etc. The main compartment is deceptively deep so you can easily roll clothes and Lego-fit them in together without using packing cubes. AND it has stretchy X-straps to keep it all secure like you'd see in a roller suitcase so when I unzip it, everything stays put. But before I forget, there's a separate cushioned laptop pocket close to the backpack straps that I found works well for books or a Kindle if your travel leaves you laptop-less. This isn't the cheapest backpack option but if you're a frequent traveler, you'll get so much mileage on it and seriously save on some baggage fees, making it well worth the cost. This backpack and I are going places, for sure."
Get it from Béis Travel for $88 (available in six colors).
6. A set of Globbles so they can join the legions of TikTokers already loving this stress-relieving fidget toy. These colorful balls are not just fun to squeeze and stretch, but they also stick to pretty much any flat surface without leaving behind messy residue.
Promising review: "Bought a six-pack for my neurodivergent family. We are all either ADHD or autistic. I struggle with compulsive hair pulling and bought these to help keep my hands busy. They are the perfect size, more satisfying than a stress ball, clean easily, are fun to hurl at the wall or ceiling, and so far have lasted very well. I did test the durability of one and did break one when I pulled it as hard as I could — the inside looks something like shaving cream and didn’t smell or anything. But if you have a kid who is an aggressive chewer, perhaps keep an eye on them." —Amazon Customer
Get a set of six from Amazon for $8.45.
7. A retro-inspired custom pet T-shirt that'll make any pet owner burst into tears (of joy) at seeing their little fur baby getting the icon treatment they deserve. All you have to do is send in at least one photo when you place the order, which should be easy considering how much pet content they post.
Furfen is a small business that launched in 2021 to create trendy, pet-inspired products.
Promising review: "Thomas was great to work with and sent me a proof before making. The quality of the shirt is exactly what I was looking for. It’s a soft, vintage feel — not stiff and boxy like other shirts. I’m already planning on ordering more!! Exceeded expeditions. Thank you!" —Chloe Leavitt
Get it from Furfen on Etsy for $28.50 (available in sizes S–4XL, 14 colors, and a wide range of font and print customization options).
8. A National Geographic geodes kit for junior geologists itching to get their hands dirty. This kit comes with everything they'll need to start cracking open geodes and discovering the crystals inside.
This science kit includes natural crystal-filled geodes (quantity depends on the size you choose), a pair of safety goggles, geode display stand(s), and a learning guide.
Promising review: "My daughter is 10 and this kept her busy for HOURS! She had so much fun and was excited every time she got a glimpse of what might be inside. A couple of them were pretty cool, while the rest were just white. She didn't care, she loves them all. She was so proud to gift them to her grandparents." —Michelle
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes).
9. A rechargeable heated eye massager if they need an extra tool in their toolkit to help combat headaches, eye strain, puffy under-eyes, and insomnia. This portable design boasts five massage modes, a 15-minute timer, and built-in Bluetooth speakers so they can really tune out the world and enjoy some R&R.
Promising review: "I bought this item after my daughter recommended it. It helps with my headaches, tired eyes, and sinus congestion. It hooks to your music through Bluetooth for a total relaxation experience. I absolutely love it. Bought two more to give as gifts. Thank you." —FloridaGirl
Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in three colors).
10. Silly Poopy's Hide and Seek because it's exactly what it sounds like, and it sounds pretty darn fun already. Take turns hiding this rainbow-colored gadget around the house — it'll shout clues, eventually playing a song when it's finally found. Now who's ready for another round?!
What Do You Meme? is a small business that sells card games/toys, plushies, and pool floats.
Promising review: "This game is HILARIOUS. My kids love playing with it and taking turns hiding it (8, 6, and 3 years). They all think poop is funny and run around yelling 'Silly Poopy, where are you?' It keeps them busy for at least half an hour at a time and they leave me alone. Also? It's pretty durable. I found it outside in my garden in the 20-degree winter weather. I guess my 8-year-old left it out there for a few days. It also gets thrown down the stairs and Silly Poopy just keeps on giggling and having fun." —Adele
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
11. A ticket stub diary to help them transform that envelope of loose theater, museum, concert, and sporting event tickets into an organized book of memories, complete with space to write about their experience!
Promising review: "I still can't get over what a great idea this is. I had an envelope of random ticket stubs that I was always worried about losing that now are organized and look great. It's a really beautiful way to show some respect to the memories attached to the little scraps of paper." —Bonna
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $17.
12. An all-in-one hot air brush so they can style, dry, and volumize hair in one easy step. This gadget combines the heat of a blowdryer with the shape and bristles of a round brush to make at-home blowouts a breeze. With this, you're basically refunding them for all the salon trips they no longer need to make.
Promising review: "I have very thick, wavy hair. I can never blow out my hair because it's too hard to hold the round brush and hair dryer in the right spots. THIS!! It is everything all in one and the oval shape makes it so easy to use. It gets really hot. It is a little loud on high, but I've found if my hair is already a little dry then I can just use it on low. I used a blow-dry primer spray to accelerate the drying time and protect my hair. I'm in love! The flat iron always flattens my hair and makes it look dry. This straightens and retains the volume and gives it a soft, nondamaged look." —SAHM2011
Get it from Amazon for $33.19+ (available in two sizes and multiple colors).
Some reviewers with 4a–c curls like the barrel brush, but if you're looking for something to blow out tighter curls or coils considering checking out the Revlon one-step paddle brush, which is designed with curlier hair in mind!
13. A versatile chop, slice, and dice unit that'll drastically *cut* down on food prep and cleanup time with interchangeable blades that can each be popped into the dishwasher for easy clean-up. I don't want the gift of faster meal prep, said literally no one ever.
Promising review: "Used for the first time right out of the box for chopping onions and potatoes. Took all of three minutes for a dull onion and five potatoes, including switching blades in that time! Fast, easy, intuitive. Buying three more for Christmas gifts for my daughters!" —wayne oliver
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in three colors).
14. A deluxe can case dice tower for turning any regular beer or soda into a stein fit for a fantasy bar, complete with a built-in dice tower that'll make any tabletop gamer swoon at the thought of not having to chase rogue dice across the floor ever again.
Curations By Kira is a Canada-based small business selling 3D-printed creations for nerds and fantasy lovers.
The red version on the right is shown with the tray, which you can add to your order for an additional fee!
Get it from Curations By Kira on Etsy for $30.49+ (available in 10 styles with 7 add-on options).
15. Wavelength — a mind-reading board game they'll love whipping out when friends come around since it's so easy to learn, perfect for a crowd, and doubles as a get-to-know-you icebreaker, but without the annoying "fun" facts.
Wavelength is a social guessing game where individuals take turns being "the psychic" and must get their teammates to correctly guess the location on the spectrum dial that associates with their clue!
Everyone I know who has played this game loves this game! Brother, boyfriend, mom — everyone! You learn a little about the "psychic" every time, and it's incredibly flexible to accommodate huge fluctuations in players (2—20). It's a simple concept with a lot of depth since you have to adjust your thinking every round to match that of the "psychic."
Get it from Amazon for $31.49.
16. A Lego flower bouquet because real flowers die, and these will never. Now they can perpetually brag about the bouquet they built themself, instead of buying a new one week after week.
The bouquet includes 15 stems with a mix of flower and leaf varieties, including roses, snapdragons, and poppies, and it uses elements made from plant-based plastic.
Promising review: "My husband got me this set for Christmas and I put it together immediately. I loved working through the directions and seeing each flower come to life. I purchased a simple glass vase to put them in and took them to school. Now my elementary students are obsessing over them!" —Not happy
Get it from Amazon for $47.69.
17. A plush bath pillow to finally make their luxe bath time aspirations a reality with a comfy liner that suctions to the wall or tub so it won't shift around while they're trying to relax.
18. A magnetic bag hanger keychain so that handbag they love almost as much as you (maybe more) never has to touch the floor of another sticky bar ever again. They can slap this tag on bathroom hinges (can't do that with a purse hooks!) metal bar stools, and under tables for holding power that can support up to 8 pounds.
Get it from our Goodful shop for $14.99 (originally $24.99; available in four colors).
19. A pack of parachute toys that kids of all ages will love tossing from on high (i.e. the second floor) and watching as these colorful little guys float on down to safety.
Promising review: "I bought these for my 4-year-old nephew and 2-year-old niece for when they come to visit. Right out of the box, they were excited and loved tossing them up in the air and watching them fall. I was amazed as to how long it kept their interest and the different ways they played with them. They dropped them off the stair landing, off the couch, in the yard, and held them behind them to expand as they ran. My niece liked 'dancing' with them and twirling it around. Good colors and very well made. Hours of fun and the best $7 I ever spent on a toy!" —hiker0811
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $8.99.
20. A solid copper reading decision-maker coin for the ravenous reader with a tendency to stay up too late caught up in their favorite stories. Now they can let the universe decide their fate with the toss of a coin. Time for one more chapter, or off to dreamland?
Shire Post Mint is a family-run small business striking fantasy coinage one at a time from their Arkansas-based facility.
Promising review: "The attention to detail and the packaging is spectacular! Blown away with the quality and uniqueness." —Jess K.
Get it from Shire Post Mint for $15 (Also available as a "One More Episode" TV version).
21. An interactive scissor skills activity pad if you know a little one who needs a little work on their cutting skills (also me, tbh). This book is filled with mazes, puzzles, animal art, and more activities that'll have them snipping up a storm with the included safety scissors.
Promising review: "Scissors skills are important both in and of themselves and because it strengthens the hand muscles to be used for learning to write. My 4-year-old LOVES this book. We received it this week and she has used it for a couple of hours each day. Many of the pages are cutting things out and putting them together (four-scoop ice cream cone, pizza with pepperonis, the components to build a house or a car, puzzles). We've used tape or glue to put the components together. This book is interesting enough to have caught the attention of my older children as well, although I make them let her do the cutting. :D Would make a great gift as it is so unique." —Mom of 7
Get it from Amazon for $7.43.
22. A charming ceramic mug and saucer set because they might think they own enough mugs, but will quickly change their mind after unwrapping this overwhelmingly adorable duo.
The mug and saucer are dishwasher and microwave-safe.
Promising review: "This set is adorable! The size, shape, and design were what I was looking for. It matches my black and white decor. It is a great addition to my cup/saucer collection. It's also perfect as a gift. I will buy more." —JK
Get it from Amazon for $23.98+ (available in 17 styles).
23. Tea Dragons: Whimsy and Watercolor — a perfect gift for tea lovers that's filled with 31 unique recipes each paired with original watercolor artwork of the sweetest teacup-sized dragons.
Kit Steele is a Miami, Florida native and the self-taught artist behind this book!
Promising review: "The book features 31 different recipes to make tea using various methods. These recipes are accompanied by 31 unique and individual watercolor paintings featuring dragons and teacups. The theme of each painting compliments its corresponding recipe. The dragons are very individual. Some are playful and whimsical, others are very cute or interesting. They dance, play, and sleep in and around steaming teacups. They are all attractive and beautifully painted by the artist. The tea recipes themselves are lightyears beyond the simple teabag and kettle method. They are detailed and easy to follow. Kit's book would make and excellent gift for anyone that loves Tea!" —Scott Ambruson
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
24. A recurring sock subscription to go the "gift that keeps on giving" route by surprising them with a new pair of socks every month. Each unique print is designed by an independent artist and 100% of the profits go to charity. Socks that look good and do good? What a concept!
Awesome Socks Club was launched by the Greene brothers — Hank and John. Currently, proceeds are being used to fund efforts to decrease maternal and child mortality in Sierra Leone, the country with the highest rate of maternal death in the world.
Get it from Awesome Socks Clubs for $13.75 (available in crew or ankle and in three unisex sizes).
25. A magnetic phone charger/hand warmer set with four warming settings so they're always prepared for a frigid outing AND a dead phone battery. The two pieces come apart so they can have a bit of cozy in each pocket, and a full charge can juice up their phone over three times.
Check out a TikTok of the hand warmer/phone charger in action.
It has four warmth settings, so you can pick one that's perfect for the conditions too!
Promising review: "I was skeptical, but this product amazed me. I plan to buy a bunch for Christmas presents. Quality materials and function beautifully. I purchased for a winter trip but started using immediately during a cold snap. I walked around a lake in freezing conditions. Turned these on in my pockets and couldn’t believe how well they work. Things I love: You can adjust the heat settings easily with a rubbery push button that isn’t easily triggered. You can see which setting it’s on with 1 to 4 red lights. I did not wear gloves and tried out each setting. They warm up quickly. Lowest setting was not lukewarm but warm enough for cold pockets. The highest setting gets really hot. Almost too hot to hold directly without a glove but not so hot you’ll get burned. I love that you can take your hands out of your pockets and hold them easily because they have a grippy side. I walked around for a bit with my hands out of pockets, and they didn’t get cold." —Angela Gil
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in nine colors).
26. A late-night cravings crewneck sweatshirt that'll become their go-to, cozy uniform whenever it's time to emerge from their bedroom for a midnight snack.
The Jelly Empire is a small biz run by artist Selina Briggs, who designs the cutest robots and food-themed goodies.
Get it from Tee Public for $38 (available in unisex sizes S–5XL, two styles, and in six colors).
27. A wireless karaoke mic so your favorite undiscovered pop star can get their Mariah Carey belt on from the comfort of their home. It's super easy to cue up songs right from their phone, and can even double as a Bluetooth speaker by turning off the microphone function.
Promising review: "I bought this as a fun little gift for my dad who loves karaoke. It was an instant hit — he loved how easy the Bluetooth was to set up, and how convenient it is to take karaoke mic night anywhere with you. Well worth it for the low price. ☺️" —Jen Vargas
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in 13 colors).
28. An Our Place Always Pan, which will quickly become the Swiss Army knife of their kitchen. The gorg pan can replace up to eight pieces of cookware as it braises, sears, steams, strains, sautés, fries, boils, serves, and stores.
What's included: A nesting beechwood spatula with integrated spoon rest and custom stainless steel steamer basket.
Promising review: "This pan is EVERYTHING! I went from making pasta in the basket to steaming broccoli in it and then finishing my meal in there. Then I forgot about cleaning it because I’m lazy and the nonstick cleaned up so easily. The sponge they include is incredible, I do all my dishes with it now. Also, it looks really cute sitting on my stove all day." —Darby S.
Get it from Our Place for $120+ (available in 3 sizes and in 12 colors).
Want to know more? Check out our full Always Pan review!
29. An eye-catching controller claw clip because your favorite long-haired nerd needs a way to keep hair out of their face while kicking your butt in Mortal Kombat.
Pop Couture is a small business creating unique hair accessories for long-haired gamers and geeks of all kinds.
I recently got my hands on the black version of this clip! Not only is it just so adorable, but it's really, really strong, too! I have thick hair, and this baby doesn't slip.
Get it from Pop Couture for $15 (also available in black, pink, and blue).
The pure joy of not stressing about shipping times, because you got your holiday shopping done early:
