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. The Blockbuster Game — a "board game" that'll give them a hearty dose of nostalgia as they remember all the times they roamed around the aisles of a movie rental store *while* brushing up on their knowledge of the cinema. This game is a race to see who can describe, quote, and act out three different movies the fastest. Play this once and I'm certain everyone'll wanna hit "rewind."
Number of players: 4-12
Recommended age: 12+
Pieces: 260 cards, 1 electronic timer, 1 game board, 1 Blockbuster sign, and instructions.
Promising review: "This game is so much fun and absolutely hilarious. The rules are very simple and it really is true — if you have seen some movies, you can play this game. You don't need to be a movie aficionado. I played this once at a party and immediately bought it and took it to a game night where two more people also ended up buying it, it's just that fun!" —Jen
Get it from Amazon for $18.95.
2. A "flaming" humidifier sure to be a hit with avid readers who could use a little sent in the air and a tiny "fire" to create the *perfect* cozy cottage ambience while they read.
Check out a TikTok of the flaming humidifier in action.
Promising review: "I like how this diffuser kind of looks like a mini fireplace and it’s perfect for winter. I also like how long the water of this diffuser lasts — I always add my favorite essential oil in it when I go to sleep every night without worrying it will run out of water. I used to have insomnia and it helped me to sleep through the night with my relaxing essential oil scent, and it also worked as a humidifier." —Benny
Get it from Amazon for $32.69+ (available in two styles).
3. A fan favorite bottle of Sniffingtons flavored bubbles that'll shake up playtime with their pet. This'll get their energetic ball of fur busy bursting bubbles to their heart's content! The formula is non-stick, so no worries about the floor (or fur) being covered in goo when playtime is over.
BTW, you can get the bubble spray in both canine- and feline-safe forms and in all sorts of scents, like gingerbread, blueberry muffin, and birthday cake.
Sniffingtons is a Greenville, South Carolina-based Etsy shop offering flavored bubbles, bandanas, collars, leashes, and other dog accessories.
Promising review: "I bought multiple flavors for my two border collies and they absolutely loved playing with them. Will definitely buy again! The wand is sturdy (he tried taking it out from my hand multiple times) and there’s a lot of solution compared to other dog-friendly bubbles I’ve bought for them. Also, I love how it doesn’t leave any sticky residue on their coats. 100/100 recommend!" —Lineth Garcia
Get it from Sniffingtons on Etsy for $8.50 (available in five scents or unscented).
4. A butterfly puddler sure to add a lovely, artistic touch to their garden. This little plate is designed to gather dew and it's made with minerals that are particularly enticing to butterflies. Have them place this decorative piece in their garden and watch as butterflies and pollinators flood to their flowers!
This product is handmade by Jo-Anne and Gerald Warren in Canada.
Promising review: "This serves double duty as a butterfly feeder and attractive element in a garden." —The Sustainable Shopper
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $42.
5. Burn After Writing — a guided journal that tens of thousands of reviewers swear by as a source of anger management and self-discovery. Let your anxious BFF work through this series of questions and thought experiments and then they can enjoy destroying it! Fire and brimstone, baby!
Promising review: "I first saw this book on TikTok and decided to look more into it. I purchased four total because I know some people holding onto things that are difficult to let go of. It’s a great way to look at things from a different perspective and truly hold yourself accountable to different things in your life. I love what it stands for and I look forward to when I burn mine after I’m done. Self love, self care, and meditation for a better state of mind tomorrow is always the goal. I definitely recommend it to those susceptible to change and the willingness to try things different. You’re so much more than what’s been done to you and someone’s inability to see your worth does not decrease your value. Choose you for a change." —Brent Helm
Get it from Amazon for $5.56.
6. A 1965 edition of Mystery Date (which I personally own and love so much) for folks who know that playing a date night game is much more fun than the games that get played on actual dates.
Number of players: 2 to 4
Recommended age: 8+
Pieces: one die, four cardboard players, a game book (with the OG artwork), 48 outfits cards, door (with photos of the dates inside), and instructions.
Promising review: "This is a silly, throwback game to 50s styles and attitudes, but fun to play with your besties — especially after a glass or two of wine!! Perfect for a night in." —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
7. A TikTok remote control ring so they can scroll through TikToks without touching their phone. They can even "heart" videos with it! Pair this with a neck mount and they can spend hours sending you videos without their neck hurting from looking down that long.
FYI, This nifty gadget also works with your Kindle and can use your camera to take photos or video from up to 33 feet away.
Promising review: "I have a TikTok obsession, and I am thrilled with this ring! I love how versatile it is, too, where I can flip book pages on my phone and go through music as well. It’s easy to use and set up if your follow the instructions." —The Shopper around the Corner
Get it from Amazon for $18.09+ (available in five colors).
8. A minimalist fruit bowl/colander — with this, users just plop all their produce into the decorative bowl and wash it at the same time! The drain will remove any excess water. Three cheers for time-saving, life hack gifts!
Check out a TikTok of the colander in action.
Promising review: "Absolutely love this fruit bowl! The bottom comes off for drainage and it’s super easy to clean. It looks great on the counter and fits a decent amount of fruit! Great find and I would recommend this product!" —Faith Reviews
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
9. The Boba Book: Bubble Tea and Beyond — authors Andrew Chau and Bin Chen wrote this collection of imaginative boba recipes so readers can skip the instant mixes and create one-of-a-kind drinks with the attention to detail (and better ingredients) that give justice to this internationally beloved style of beverage.
Promising review: "I was taken aback by how well done this book is. It's visually stunning. If you want a great gift for the boba lover – this is it. It's a great coffee table book. The content is like Julia Child's Mastering The Art of French Cooking but in this case it's boba. It is that well done. Soup to nuts or milk to booze. The authors tell you about the history of boba, layout the needed tools, the recipes have stunning pictures, and they explain the ingredients. The book is complimented by their personal antidotes throughout (speech bubbles were a nice add). You feel like they are talking to you about their passion." —D Lee
Get it from Amazon for $15.79.
10. A scratch-off poster featuring 100 classic dishes from around the world, for your food fanatic friend who spends their days dreaming of trying new dishes.
This brand has a massive collection of eye-catching scratch-off posters. Browse around the Mappiners main page and you can totally find a perfect poster for every person on your holiday gift list!
Promising review: "I purchased this as a fun gift for my husband on our anniversary and we were able to scratch one off while we were still at dinner. The poster is thick and nice quality. The scratch film comes away easily and cleanly. It will be fun to make our way through this list." —Vicki Theurer Crider
Get it from Amazon for $28.99.
11. A chocolate bash cake — a whack-y gift (with a nine-month shelf life!) sure to make anyone laugh.
Each bash cake is 7-1/2 inches tall, 7 inches wide, and has about 8 ounces of pretzels inside.
Get it from Dylan's Candy Bar for $60.
12. A pre-wrapped candle that'll save the day when you know you simply won't have time to wrap a gift but still want your best bud to feel, well, special.
Promising review: "I got this candle for myself to try out before I sent it as a gift. The presentation is flawless, with a nice-looking box, and the weight of the candle is impressive. I put it on my table and didn't even light it, and still, the fragrance was apparent without being overpowering. I highly recommend this candle for a great gift and for yourself when you want something special. This is my own personal review, and I didn't get this for free. I just really like it." —suzy myrs
Get it from Amazon for $18.39+ (available in 10 scents).
13. Tattoo Stories is my new personal favorite game night game, in large part because it only takes seconds to learn! To play, one person is the "customer" who selects five different elements they want for their tattoo, then the rest of the players are the "tattoo artists" who have three minutes to draw a tattoo. After drawing, they pitch their design to the customer. They're gonna think it's a ton of fun! Especially if they're as bad at drawing as I am.
14. A portable sparkling water maker so they can simply add a cartridge, twist on the cap, and watch as their water starts sparkling! The future is now. Staying hydrated is anything but boring.
Check out a TikTok of the Ote sparkling water maker in action.
Promising review: "Love this bottle/soda maker. I am obsessed with fizzy drinks and cannot take my bulkier at-home maker with me to work or when I travel. This maker allowed me the compact convenience of taking my fizzy drinks everywhere I go. I can control what I put in my body and always get my flavors I love. 10 out of 10 do recommend! —Zeusboomer911
Get it from Amazon for $51.99+ (available in seven colors).
15. A classic Tamagotchi for tech-savvy sweethearts who would love a blast from the past. Here's hoping they have better luck keeping this one alive than the, ahem, six they had as a child.
Number of players: 1
Recommended age: 5+
Pieces: one hand held gaming device.
Promising review: "This was such a nice gift to myself and it kept me entertained for a while. This was a nice throwback to my childhood. The battery life is amazing." —Jess
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in 45 styles).
16. A portable ping-pong set that'll turn their dining room table into *the* place to hang out (even when there isn't a crumb of food around). My husband and I LOVE ping-pong and we got this set for our Brooklyn apartment. We *literally* play this every day. It's turned our tiny dining room into the perfect WFH break room.
Set includes a retractable net, two paddles, three balls, and case.
Promising review: "I got this for my son for Christmas. We don’t have a lot of space for a full ping pong table but I have a long dinning table that is perfect. This is easy to assemble and it changes up family game night. Great fun!!" —Heather Gould
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in three other set options).
17. The Art of Feminism for giving your feminist friend's bookshelf something new to brag about.
This includes over 350 images; photographs, graphic design, illustrations, and more from the suffragettes to women's rights activists today.
Get it from Amazon for $27.
18. A salt shooter you can give someone who would love nothing more than to hunt the world's most dangerous game, the pesky housefly. That...or use it to season their food in the most exciting way possible.
Promising review: "This salt gun is SO MUCH FUN! I hate flies so this is the perfect solution. It's like a Nerf gun but shoots salt instead. It's not too heavy to hold. However the pump is tough to pull back, which is perfect for an adult but difficult for kids. If you shoot yourself in the hands or arm, it stings a tiny bit but that's it. I Highly recommend it! Happy hunting!" —Q. Nguyen
Get it from Amazon for $49.95.
19. A muslin blanket that'll be equal parts soothing and chic in their minimalist living room.
Make sure you clip the coupon to receive an additional 10% off!
Promising review: "This is the perfect throw for summer nights as it is lightweight. Yet since it is muslin it will adjust to the climate so I'm sure it will be so cozy during the winter time. It's beautiful and so soft and now I don't have to steal my son's blankets! It is so soft, cuddly, and beautiful." —A&E
Get it from Amazon for $34.89+ (available in four sizes/styes and 10 colors).
20. An adjustable lamp that sits, stays, and is sure to make them smile when the day feels ~ruff~.
Promising review: "This is a super-fun lamp with various poses. The ability to change the stance is fun for my toddler and helps develop his creativity. It looks good on our desk. I also loved that it is touch sensor activated to give it a premium look and feel. I do wish it had better cord management, so maybe a good upgrade for the manufacturer. Overall I'm satisfied and it met my expectations." —Bargain
Get it from Amazon for $42.96+ (available in seven styles).
21. An avocado pit planter so they can grow their own avocado plant if they don't have a yard but gardening is in their roots.
I own this! I have mine hanging in my kitchen windowsill. I've had it for ages and like the design for several things. I've successfully grown plants from avocado pits and I'm currently using it to regrow green onions. I buy green onions, chop up what I need for a recipe, throw the rest into this planter with water, and watch my green onions grow for future meals. It's great!
Promising review: "I am absolutely obsessed with this vase. I had been searching a long time for bigger vases with a narrow neck to grow my avocado plant, and this was exactly what I needed! The bottom is nice and wide, and allows so much room for root growth. The glass is not real glass, it seems like it’s some type of high quality plastic. But it still looks very nice!" —Alysia
Get it from Amazon for $18.49.
22. A pair of gemstone bar soaps for anyone who is ready to wash their hands of boring, bland bar soap.
Promising review: "I purchased this for my adult daughter’s birthday. As you probably know, they are hard to shop for. The look in her eyes when she opened the package said it all. She also said it was so beautiful that she might use it as bathroom decor. This is elegance in the soap world." —Jus Sheryl
Get them from Amazon for $19.95+ (available in three styles).
23. A can opener you better start gifting to friends and family alike. Otherwise you're gonna ~drive~ them wild with envy!
Promising review: "I love this nifty and super cute little gadget! I'm death to can openers — from the pricey ones to the dollar store brand. I've been known to bring home a new opener and kill it after one use. I don't know? Call it a super power. Anyhoo, so far this sturdy (I love that all the pieces are metal) and adorbs little car works great every time. I've been using it regularly for a month now and it's a perfect round-trip every time!" —Stephanie Christine
Get it from Amazon for $15.95.
24. A potato stress ball sure to give your pal a laugh. This weird gift will make it potat-oh so easy for them to distract their worried mind.
Promising review: "This thing is awesome. My husband and I hide this around the house from each other and sometimes it takes months to find. How awesome is it to be able to yell out 'yes! I found the potato!' and have that make total sense?! Doesn't matter if we're having a little argument or not, we still get excited about it. Not the common use for a stress reliever, but we have fun playing our silly little game. 😊 Certainly keeps things entertaining." —TM
Get it from Amazon for $8.20.
25. An infinity vase — this striking vase can prove to the naysayers that minimalism can pack a punch, and it can show your minimalist friend that you (the maximalist that you are) still know how to get a great gift for their place.
26. A lightsaber wiper blade cover for if you feel ~forced~ to get the Star Wars fan in your life a gift this gloriously geeky now that you know it exists.
It's reflective, so it glows! Some of the reviewers suggest that you attach it with Velcro, or another kind of hook-and-loop adhesive, so you can easily remove and re-attach the cover as needed.
Promising review: "I bought this knowing it would just be a piece of plastic, but didn't care because I thought it would be fun to have on my car. I've received so many compliments so it definitely was a good buy." —ewitt3
Get it from Amazon for $18.95.
27. A pocket-sized beer journal to record the "appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and overall impressions" of 124 beers. A gift like this is sure to have them feeling all bubbly inside.
Promising review: "This was a gift for my stepfather and he loves it! He loves recording the different beers he’s tasted, and this guide is simple but great with descriptions of flavors and tasting notes." —Deanna Wegman
Get it from Amazon for $8.97.
When they open their gift and ask what the special occasion is:
