We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Hey! While we’re doing our best to make sure the products we feature will arrive in time for Christmas, shipping times are tricky and can vary depending on where you live, which product you purchase, and more. Shop early and be sure to double check the retailers’ websites for shipping information to ensure that your gift will arrive in time for the 25th!
1. An Unsolved Case Files Game for anyone obsessed with crime-solving shows and figuring out who's guilty. This game comes with all the evidence they'll need to crack this case: newspaper articles, crime scene photographs, police reports, town maps, secret letters, suspect interrogations, and more!
2. A portable paint palette set to bring out their inner artist with high quality paint that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Now everyone can take their shot at becoming the next painter to be framed in The Louvre.
3. A candle-making kit so they can finally combat their Bath & Body Works obsession by making much more budget-friendly candles at home (added bonus, they can use up all those mason jars they've been hoarding for who knows what reason).
4. A Lego Gadgets book set that will teach them the science behind 11 different gadgets while they build them! We love an educational gift that is actually fun.
Promising review: "This set is awesome for my 6-year-old. I bought this for a gift as he loves Lego and loves to figure things out. I like the fact that this adds the element of science to it. It has 11 different gadgets that you can make and there is a lot of thought behind the machines. It also explains the science behind the machine after you have built it. Some of the gadgets have paper cutouts which are cleverly designed. I love how this engages my 6-year-old. This is a great value for your money and I would highly recommend this." —Megawatt
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with 2-day shipping, non-Prime shipping options will still arrive by Christmas (see Amazon’s full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $19.86.
5. An embroidery kit perfect for beginners so they can dabble in creating intricate, hand-stitched works of art.
This kit includes needles, thread, instructions, a hoop, and stamped fabric (the stamped image is water soluble so you can remove it when you're finished to create seamless art pieces!).
Promising review: "I truly loved everything about this set of three different designs. Each was packaged separately, all arrived in a large plastic bag, which is convenient for gifting or sharing. I appreciated only receiving one hoop in this set, as well as that each design had clear directions, the threads separated neatly and was accompanied with several needles. It’s perfect for those new to needlepoint or who might be picking up the craft anew. Not too challenging, but a nice variety of different types of stitches are involved with each pattern, which makes it (for me) more engaging and fun. I highly recommend this!!" —Anna M.
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with 2-day shipping, non-Prime shipping options will still arrive by Christmas (see Amazon’s full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in seven patterns).
6. A 12-pack canister of blooming tea because why would anyone want a boring tea bag when they could have blooming tea that makes a beautiful show while it steeps?! Added benefit: each flower can be reused up to three times, meaning they will get a *lot* of cups of tea out of this gift.
7. A 3D jigsaw puzzle for those people who put 1,000 piece puzzle together like it's nothing. This highly detailed puzzle will transport them straight into Harry Potter so they can feel like they are walking through the streets of (a very tiny) Diagon Alley.
8. The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook because everybody knows Disney has ~delicious~ food, but who wants to spend like $5 on one churro?! With this book, they will be able to create their own Mickey Mouse-shaped beignets, Dole Whips, and over 100 other recipes. This gift keeps on giving…if you're lucky they may even make you a treat to try!
9. A DIY miniature greenhouse that comes with all the materials for them to build every inch of it — we're talking floors, doors, furniture, and even a functioning LED light. This craft isn't just fun to build, but is a great collector's item they can keep for years to come.
10. A pack of modeling clay so they can create beautiful works of art whether they are a seasoned artist or have never touched a mound of clay in their life. Reviewers say this is the best clay that doesn't require a kiln!
11. A Sur La Table online cooking class, because if you give a man a fish he can eat for a day, but if you teach him to fish he can eat for a lifetime! No more ordering out every day — with these classes they can learn to make tapas, stir fried noodles, gnocchi, and so much more.
12. A copy of The Antiquarian Sticker Book that includes stickers so beautiful, they may not even want to take them out and use them. This beautiful book contains over 1,000 Victorian-inspired stickers, perfect for anyone who loves scrapbooking or decorating.
13. A murder mystery book designed to challenge even the most crime-show-obsessed person you know. This book includes 20 murders for them to solve, so buckle up Nancy Drew, there's about to be a new detective in town.
14. Or, something more family friendly (aka no murders) — a monthly subscription to Finders Seekers mystery puzzles so each month they can explore a new city through puzzles, codes they'll decipher, and escape room challenges.
15. A National Geographic geode kit that will give them the satisfaction of breaking open a seemingly boring rock to discover something beautiful. Not only is this fun and interactive, but it's educational and can spark an interest in science and discovery by learning how geodes are formed and how they can differ so much in appearance.
16. The Highlights Book of Things to Do perfect for those kiddos in your life that are somehow always bored. This book is chock-full of different activities, from making rock candy to creating erupting foam to constructing ice lanterns.
17. A wireless Bluetooth mic so anywhere they go can become their own personal stage. Now belting out "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus will just hit that much harder because they finally have the mic they deserve instead of an old hairbrush.
18. A challenging 1,000-piece puzzle with an end result so beautiful they may never want to take it apart.
19. An Airbnb virtual experience so they can experience the world and new cultures firsthand…without having to get up from their couch. With such a wide variety of opportunities — magic classes, guided meditation with sheep, wildlife safaris — you could knock off everyone on your list in one place.
20. A Brooklyn Brew Shop kit that includes everything they will need to create their very own hard cider. Just get them this kit and a jug of apple juice and patiently wait until they gift you a bottle of homemade hard cider 😋.
21. A C'est Moi clay mask perfect for any aspiring beauty gurus. Each package contains six tablets and when they're mixed with water, they turn into beautiful, marshmallowy masks to cleanse and nourish their skin.
22. A handheld electric milk frother so they can kick their $6-a-day coffee shop habit, without having to give up the delicious drinks.
23. A keepsake journal for the sentimental person in your life. Now they can gather up all those old ticket stubs and other mementos that are scattered about their house and put them together in an organized, ring-bound book.
24. An easy-to-use gardening kit to make sure they always have fresh herbs at their fingertips whenever they are cooking a gourmet meal.
25. A copy of Egyptology: Search for the Tomb of Osiris so they can uncover mysteries that are thousands of years old. This isn't your average book — as they flip through the pages they will discover "hidden" treasure to keep them intrigued and continuously guessing what's going to come next.
26. A travel-inspired Paint by Sticker book that is a perfect alternative to an adult coloring book. It's full of easy-to-follow templates so even those of us with ~zero~ artistic ability can create beautiful works of art.
27. A heavy duty pizza stone to create scrumptious pizzas, whether they've tossed the dough themselves or simply unboxed a frozen pie. Each bite of crispy crust will trick even advanced palates into thinking it actually came from a pizzeria!
28. An illustrated travel journal for any list-loving frequent (or aspiring) traveler. Full of thought-provoking topics, this book will help them plan their next destination while also looking back and remembering everything they've already experienced. And once it's fully filled out, it becomes great keepsake for years to come!
The reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.