Holiday Gift Guide
2024
These items were independently chosen by editors of The New York Times and Wirecutter. The Times may earn a commission on purchases through these links.
Illustration by Maddie Fischer
The slightly kooky Lazy Duck Night Light is made from ABS and silica gel and lit with USB-rechargeable LED lights. Turned on with a tap, he can sit up, lie down or hold a smartphone with his flexible legs.
The Dolce & Gabbana Bialetti Moka Express brews the same smooth cup as the original 1933 Italian coffee maker. But this fashion update has a cherry-red bottom and an intricately patterned top inspired by horse-drawn Sicilian carts.
Read More The 33 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Dogs wearing cones: That’s it, that’s the whole bit. But what a bit, when it’s Winnie Au’s charming photo book “Cone of Shame,” in which the Times contributor captures beagles and chow chows, corgis and terriers in deliriously Dada designs handcrafted by Marie-Yan Morvan from pool noodles, silk flowers and other left-field materials.
The concert-size Caramel MC12 plays like a much more expensive ukulele, with a nice clear sound. The acoustic-electric model can connect to an amplifier or USB audio interface, and its zebrawood veneer gives it a distinctive look.
Read More The Best Ukulele for Beginners
The Stick With Me Bonbon Box is nothing short of astounding. The beautifully calibrated fillings, like toasted cashew coconut, are encased by thin, glossy chocolate shells and decorated like miniature galaxies. The vegan option is also stellar.
Read More The Best Boxed Chocolates
Benjamin Rasmussen for The New York Times
The Santa Fe, N.M.-based interactive art playground Meow Wolf has been expanding rapidly, with five locations nationwide and another set to open in Los Angeles in 2026. It’s a psychedelic steampunk funhouse that appeals to kids (and parents), with fewer trinkets hocked than the typical theme park. The One Year Portal Pass is not cheap, but it’s not an experience they’ll forget either.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Reading is fundamental. But for small readers, so is engagement: Get them “DC SuperHeroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book,” the latest wildly immersive three-dimensional work from renowned “paper engineer” Matthew Reinhart, and watch their eyes light up.
The leatherette details of the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ40 make it an exceptionally handsome model for the category. And its square images have a classic look that is pleasingly colorful and creamy.
Read More The Best Instant Camera
Edie Telle Nakata
An understated little bonbon, the Cecilie Telle Small Bucket Bag is made in England from pure lambswool and has become a standby product at Egg, a cult boutique in London’s Belgravia neighborhood.
The easy-to-clean, easy-on-the-eyes Tiki Fire Pit is sturdy and low-smoke and would look great on a back patio, with its sleek black slats. Its pull-out ashtray, while somewhat flimsy, is simple to remove and clean.
Read More The Best Smokeless Fire Pits
LEGO
Stylish, playful and surprisingly delightful, the LEGO Chrysanthemum — though artificial — will add life and color into any home or office space. There’s also something really satisfying about using your own two hands to build a piece of decor yourself, petal by petal.
A foolproof hot-air popper, the trusty Presto PopLite quickly blows forth a mountain of fluffy popped corn right into a bowl, without a single burnt kernel. While it requires zero oversight, kiddos may be captivated by watching the magic in action.
Read More Best Ways to Make Popcorn
CommeSi
The Agnelli Socks from Comme Si make me feel polished, stylish and a little smarter. They have the perfect rib and a distinctive (and practical!) tab for pulling them on. I already have them in red, white and gray, but perhaps someone will stuff the cactus-colored pair in my stocking this Christmas.
The clever MoMA Self-Watering Wet Pot Planter incorporates an interior terra-cotta planter inside a reservoir made of glass. Just fill the reservoir with water, and the soil’s moisture level dictates how much the pot absorbs.
Read More The 25 Best Gifts for Plant Lovers
Sweet Grass Dairy
Every year, my brother sends us one of the Sweet Grass Dairy Gift Boxes from this small independent creamery in Thomasville, Ga., that makes wildly good award-winning cheeses from the milk of their grass-fed, barn-free cows, and we tear into it — easily one of my favorite holiday traditions.
The Mudpuppy Andy Warhol Soup Can Crayons hold 18 quality crayons with names inspired by his art, like “Invisible Sculpture” for white. Unlike cardboard boxes, the four-inch-tall tin isn’t prone to disintegrating (and spilling crayons).
Read More The Best 39 Christmas Gifts for Everyone on Your List
Clunky teapots, begone! The British designer Tom Dixon’s Bump Teapot elevates the ritual of tea time with an elegant composition of colored borosilicate glass that makes each use feel like a special occasion.
Hand-carved in Umbria with a variegated grain, each Verve Culture Italian Olivewood Bowl is unique, cutting a more distinct profile than just any old bowl. The medium size would look elegant holding pistachios or a serving of pasta.
Read More The 63 Best Gifts Under $50
The Swedish illustrator Elin Palmaer Karlsson’s moody cocktail-themed still lifes include a simple recipe at the top and retro typography. With its soft oranges and greens, the Elin PK Aperol Spritz Poster would be an attractive addition to any room.
In the age of duvets, a quality cotton blanket can be a difficult thing to find. This Simple Plaid Blanket From Hawkins delivers with a timeless, quiltlike design that can be used alone or layered with additional bedding.
Easy to ferry to a nightstand or patio table, the Nude Glass Mr. & Mrs. Night Water Set tidily fits a drinking glass — decorated with a winking face — in the mouth of a matching carafe. The svelte set is made with lead-free crystal in Turkey.
Read More 36 Gifts for People Who Have Everything
Bill Hermsen
Gabriella Kiss is a former apprentice to the beloved New York jeweler Ted Muehling, and she creates pieces inspired by nature in the Hudson Valley. These delicate 18K Eucalyptus Seed Bell Earrings are a welcome departure from more minimal demi-fine jewelry.
Crafted from high-density, heat-retaining clay in Japan, the ceramic Origami Pour-Over Coffee Dripper shows off a unique pleated design. It can use either V-60 or Kalita Wave filters and makes very nice brews.
Read More The Best Pour-Over Coffee Makers
For serious home cooks with well-stocked kitchens, consider the Milk Street Nakiri. Specifically designed for produce prep, it has a thin, tapered blade and a squat lightweight body that makes slicing through onions and chiffonading cabbage effortless.
Read More Gifts for People Who Love Food
Object of Living
These little wooden mushroom, chestnut or broad bean Handmade Wooden Chopstick Rests from Object of Living are practical and hygienic, keeping your chopsticks steady and off the table. They are also, most crucially, extremely cute.
The primo Yamatsu Tsujita Spice Bundle features sansho powder, shichimi togarashi and yuzu shichimi togarashi. Made with special ingredients, like Hawk’s Claw chile, the stone-ground Japanese spices zip up grilled meats, soups and more.
Read More The Best Gifts for Spice Heads
Small enough to slip into a coat pocket or purse, the ultracute JBL Go 4 is waterproof and dustproof and comes in nine charming colorways. It produces a satisfying, full sound and has a battery life of about five hours.
Read More The Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker
A perennial stocking-stuffer favorite, Lush Bath Bombs fizz for many minutes after hitting water. The effervescent soaks have skin-moisturizing oils, soothing scents, captivating colors and a range of designs.
Read More The Best Bath Bombs are Lush Bath Bombs
The Oyster Bag
Rare is the tote that can do double duty. In winter, use the Oyster Market Bag for the farmers’ market, and in summer, take it to the beach. Made of the same stuff used to grow oysters, this tote is built to last.
If your favorite pickleball player likes to serve looks in addition to balls, consider the Recess Pickleball Paddle Set. The honeycomb polypropylene core is covered by a fiberglass veneer, and comes in almost two dozen playful patterns.
Read More The 10 Best Gifts for Pickleball Players
A subtle accompaniment to candles on a mantel or a bathroom counter, the KIBAGA Ceramic Match Holder Set features two small ceramic jars on an oval wooden tray. Ideal for wooden matchsticks, each jar has a handy striking surface on its underside.
Read More The 72 Best Gifts Under $25
In the hybrid impostor and word-guessing game The Chameleon, every player knows the code word — except the chameleon. Players take turns giving vague clues about the word, while trying to suss out the chameleon.
In the book “Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment,” the Bloomberg investigative reporter Jason Schreier chronicles the disastrous corporate takeover of the esteemed company behind World of Warcraft in riveting detail.
Read More The Best Gifts for Gamers
If your giftee is close to one of its more than 40 parks, consider a Six Flags Season Pass. The amusement park has plenty of exciting attractions (roller coasters, water rides, bumper cars) sure to entertain gaggles of tweens or teens.
Read More The 31 Best Gifts for Tweens
Spark a cooperative — rather than competitive — spirit with the dice-rolling Sky Team. By tweaking a control panel, two gamers work together as co-pilots trying to safely land a plane in airports around the world.
Read More The Best Two-Player Board Games
The felted-wool Glerups Slip-ons are the minimalist ideal of slippers. Supportive and enduring, these attractive leather-soled slippers are warm and comfy without making feet sweaty.
Read More The Best Slippers
A premium spin on Chipwiches, Graeter’s Assorted Chip Wheelies are a treat for all ages. Each hulking sandwich features the Ohio maker’s dense, lush ice cream pressed between two sturdy chocolate-chip cookies.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
If we are what we eat, why don’t we know more about where our meals come from? With lush visuals and frank, illuminating text, “Feed the Planet: A Photographic Journey to the World’s Food” traces the path of mass production across 36 countries and five continents; food god Michael Pollan writes the foreword.
Black Crossword
I love that Juliana Pache’s Black Crossword: 100 Mini Puzzles Celebrating the African Diaspora nods to historical and pop cultural events not commonly spotted in other mainstream games. It’s a multigenerational celebration that lives on my coffee table for whenever I need some light quizzing on the people and places that are near and dear to me.
A fun romp for gamers of all levels, Astro Bot (PS5) features its little robot of the same name on a mission to save his lost robot friends. On his journey, he explores dozens of planets by jumping, bopping and jetpacking his way around.
Read More The Best Video Games of 2024 So Far
Any cook caught up in the love fest for tinned seafood would be bowled over by Caputo’s Feast of the Seven (Tinned) Fishes Gift Box. It features a huge range of delicacies, including plump Galician mussels, grilled tuna pâté and Portuguese mackerel.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
The lively “Hey Kids, Watch This!: 100 Movie Ideas for Every Kind of Kid” from A24 answers the question every film-loving parent wrestles with: What movie should we watch tonight? Organized by age, these terrific suggestions range from the popular (“The Sandlot”) to the little known (“Rainbow Dance”), even to me. Hey, maybe this is a guide for grownups, too.
The polished Everlane ReNew Transit backpack features an interior that is extremely well thought out, with dedicated pockets for notebooks, a water bottle and more. Its padded exterior laptop pocket also makes for quick removal at airport security.
Read More The Best Backpacks for High School and College Students
With nine settings, the dishwasher-safe Instant MagicFroth can heat and foam milk in a variety of ways. It makes fluffy, decadent peaks from both dairy and nondairy milks, and can smoothly melt and blend mix-ins (like chocolate shavings).
Read More The Best Milk Frothers
The iconic Pendleton Burnside Flannel is made from double-brushed cotton that comes in a range of attractive, seasonally changing designs. This enduring and washable shirt doesn’t shrink or fade and looks great by a bonfire or out on the town.
Read More The 48 Best Gifts for Dads
The Grace Eleyae Adjustable Slap helps curly hair shine, literally. The interior of the sleep bonnet is high-quality polyester charmeuse satin, which keeps frizzies at bay and helps coils retain their shape.
Read More How an Adjustable Satin-Lined Sleep Bonnet Helped Me Love My Natural Curls
For a show that’s always spilling the tea, don’t you want something pretty to serve it from? Pick up this delicate stoneware Floral Tea Pot from the official Williams Sonoma x Bridgerton collection, hand-finished with 24-karat gold, and be the talk of the “ton” (or at least your living room).
Beloved by dads and gorpcore enthusiasts alike, Merrell’s slip-on Jungle Mocs are about as versatile as a shoe can be. They’re also water-resistant: Puddles, beware!
The firm, supportive Enertor Running Insoles reduce shockwaves up the leg and provide stability while exercising — a welcome respite for those who kvetch about pain after walking or running.
Read More The Best Insoles for Running and Walking
Treat someone (or yourself) to a bathing suit that feels high-quality and timeless. My Fella Harvey Specter Full Piece Swimsuit took me through the summer and feels built to last through many more, without going out of style. This brand, founded by two Australian women, evokes summer afternoons on the coast.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Dragons, horses, tigers — there’s an animal for every kid to latch onto in “Press Out and Decorate: Chinese Zodiac,” a book of intricate designs that can be punched out and folded into 3D ornaments. (Ages 7 to 10.)
Transcending the cliché of robes as a thoughtless Christmas gift, the Offhours Homecoat is anything but rote. The quilted, machine-washable robe is more of a lounging statement piece, made with soft premium cotton and featuring a looped belt.
Read More The 42 Best Gifts for Mom
Sneaky night readers and insomniacs can keep themselves entertained after the sun sets with the Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light. The tiny adjustable book light clips onto a cover and has five brightness settings.
Read More The Best Reading Light
Montbell
A perky sherpa fleece hat that flatters a variety of face shapes, Montbell’s CLIMAAIR Ear Warmer Cap can be pulled over the ears for optimal warmth or perched further atop the head for a ’90s ski-wear look.
An upscale, downsized ode to the city’s iconic to-go cup, the teensy Catbird New York Coffee Cup Charm is made out of recycled 14-karat gold. In a delightful detail, it even has a removable lid attached to the cup on a ring.
Read More The 33 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers
Created during the pandemic by a young New York couple who saw a lack of authentically Asian products in the marketplace, Emme Candles focuses its fragrance profile on scents like yuzu, pandan and ube; the subtle spice of matcha is a standout.
Lit lovers can rep one of their favorite writers with the unisex Loup Author Sweatshirt. Emblazoned with black block letters, the gray crewneck is available for J. Didion, N. Ephron, J. Baldwin and T. Morrison in sizes XS to 2X.
Read More 14 Great Gifts for Book Lovers
The lavish resorts that serve as far-flung settings for HBO’s wicked social satire may not be in your budget, but this Reversible “White Lotus” Bucket Hat still says, “I enjoy high-end murder and class warfare,” with a floral kick.
Prism Designs
I can’t recall having much fun with single-line kites as a kid, so it was surprising to discover the thrill of stunt kites, which you can dip and spin and slice through the air with just a bit of practice. Prism’s Synapse 140 is a zippy, dual-line frameless version that’s sturdy, compact and great for beginners.
Fashiony types are likely to sling the Dagne Dover Ace Fanny Pack over their torso cross-body style rather than wear it as the name suggests. The spacious neoprene pack is water-resistant, fits plenty and comes in a dozen cool shades.
Read More The Best Fanny Packs
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An excellent primer on Black poetry for tweens and beyond, the rich anthology “Poemhood: Our Black Revival” features works by more than 35 Black luminaries, including James Baldwin, Audre Lorde and Kwame Alexander.
The grab-and-go Ame & Lulu Pickleball Backpack has comfy straps, two side pockets for water bottles or balls, and an exterior paddle-shaped zip pocket.
Read More The 14 Best Gifts for Pickleball Players
Some people collect butterflies or balls of twine; in “Around the World in 200 Globes: Stories of the 20th Century,” the Dutch architect Willem Jan Neutelings showcases some of the vintage globes — made from steel, wood, paper and even cast iron — he’s spent decades amassing. Revel in the craftsmanship, or just enjoy tracing your finger along now-vanished borders and renamed cities (hello, Constantinople).
There is something extremely satisfying about being able to fit more clothes than you actually need into a carry-on bag. These very cute Calpak Compression Packing Cubes really do what they advertise and help to organize your luggage.
My current prediction is that hair accessories resembling gold, silver, brass and marble materials will become the next popular trend. What better way to get ahead of the times than with this adorable yet classy Marble Dome Ponytail Cuff? Step aside, claw clip.
Penguin Random House
I love my houseplants. And I don’t want to kill them, but … mistakes happen. Caitlin Keegan’s The Happy Houseplant Deck includes colorful botanical illustrations that are a joy to look at, as well as practical instructions and tips to keep each plant alive and happy.
Joe Friend
I can’t express how much I love the light Halfdays Packable Puffer. I have it in the Spritz color (Peony is also fun) and wear it through the fall and spring, and even on warmer winter days. It also folds into itself and becomes a pillow when I’m on planes, trains and buses.
A unique brew targeted to coffee nerds, Dark Matter Coffee’s Machete blend of richly flavored Central American beans features a novel addition: barrel-aged coffee. It adds heady notes of booze and a sweet long finish to the mix.
Read More The 33 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers
Eagles Nest Outfitters
Until I got an Eno DoubleNest, I was never a hammock guy. Too much trouble, no storage space. Now I spend as much of my summer as possible in one — reading to my kid, listening to music and just enjoying the day. It’s easy to set up and packs down to a fist-size ball. (Pro tip: Get the straps that go with it. Pro tip 2: The tarp is also a great add for light rain and sun.)
Blonyx
For those of us on the perennial quest to undo muscle knots, this simple Blonyx Lacrosse Ball is heaven-sent. It’s sturdier than a tennis ball, more maneuverable than a foam roller and perfectly sized to fit snugly in between your spine and shoulder blade — ideal for loosening a stiff upper back, or anywhere on your body that needs it.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Anything and everything you need to know about Middle-earth and the creatures that inhabit it can be found in “The Hobbit Encyclopedia,” a comprehensively researched and illustrated A-to-Z guide designed to help usher kids ages 7 and up into J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterwork.
A great bang for your buck, the easily customizable U-Turn Orbit Basic Turntable is a perfect entry point for the vinyl-curious. It takes little time to set up, comes in fantastic colors and delivers good sound quality at a soft price point.
Read More The Best Turntables and Record Players
Kotobuki
This Kotobuki Goma Slicky Sesame Seed Grinder is perfect for anyone who wants to add a nutty sprinkle to dishes (and likes turning cranks).
Ease your favorite sewist’s snipping and slicing with the Gingher 8” Dressmaker’s Shears. These forged steel shears have a flat-bottom blade for steady lines and cut through fabric like butter.
Read More The Best Scissors for Every Task
Vitamix
Did I want to spend $500-plus on a kitchen tool? No, I did not. But everyone told me a Vitamix 5200 Blender would be a game changer, and they were right. I use mine every morning to make quick and creamy breakfast smoothies, and it often gets pulled out again at dinnertime to make sauces, dips and soups in seconds. It also is easy to clean.
A glowing polycarbonate column with a perforated steel shade, the soothing Loftie Lamp offers seemingly endless single and gradient color combinations. It also doubles as a sunrise alarm clock and can set bedtime reminders via a smartphone app.
Read More Our Favorite Bedside Lamps
A collaboration with the chic New York brand Collina Strada, the baguette-style Baggu Berry Chrysanthemum Cargo Shoulder Bag is made with heavyweight nylon and sports plenty of pockets. The fashion twist is its pinky-purple psychedelic pattern.
Read More The 42 Best Gifts for Mom
With its silky texture, the plush Revival Ombre Wool Rug feels luxurious to saunter across barefoot. Made of 100 percent wool with a cotton backing and a medium pile, its pinky gradient is reminiscent of a beachside sunrise.
Read More The Best Area Rugs
REI
Lightweight, stretchy and durable, these affordable REI Co-op Trailmade Pants are equally comfortable and reliable whether you’re hiking New Hampshire’s Presidential Traverse or kayaking off the Caribbean island of Bonaire.
Even if you’ve missed all six seasons of the joyfully absurd FX mockumentary “What We Do In the Shadows,” chances are you still know some metaphorical bloodsucker for whom the show’s “Emotional Vampire” Phone Case applies.
Sipping Streams Tea Company
Capturing attention first with its glossy, near-black color, Alaskan Fireweed Creamed Honey from Sipping Streams also delights the palate with its beautifully floral bergamot notes. Though we loved it best on buttered bread with a sprinkle of Maldon salt, it’s also recommended over ice cream.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
“HoverGirls,” about two cousins who stumble into superpowers and must navigate the joys and pitfalls of their new abilities, has long been a webcomic favorite. This new graphic novel brings their adventures, and Geneva Bowers’s beautiful illustrations, to print for the first time. (Ages 10 and up.)
Those who consider makeup an art form (or just those with a committed plucking regimen) may appreciate the engineering feats of the Simplehuman Sensor Mirror Trio. It has three different magnifications (standard, 5x, 10x), and the brightness is controlled via a touch panel.
Read More The Best Lighted Makeup Mirrors
Adding a bit of razzle-dazzle to any room, the WiZ Smart RGBIC LED Light Strip can display multiple colors simultaneously and sync up to favorite songs via a smartphone app. The flexible adhesive strip can be trimmed to fit and is a snap to install.
Read More The Best Smart Strip Lights
Total crochet newbies will have a blast with The Woobles Penguin Crochet Kit. These dummy-proof projects have exhaustive step-by-step videos and come prestarted with stitch markers.
Read More The Best Fiber Craft Kits for Adults
The stretchy, buttery-soft Beyond Yoga Caught in the Midi Leggings have a high waist and an almost sueded texture. They were so supremely comfortable that testers forgot they were wearing them.
Read More The Best Leggings
Proportioned just right for apartment dwellers, the Anglepoise 90 Mini Mini Desk Lamp is small in stature and powered by an outlet or a rechargeable battery. Its stable spring arm won’t dangle, and it uses an efficient LED.
Read More The Best Desk Lamps
Kristin Texeira
The artist Kristin Texeira sees music as colors, a condition otherwise known as synesthesia. She takes custom orders, or you can shop the work she has already created to order your own “Colors of Music” masterpiece. All paintings are 8-by-8 inches and oil on paper.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
A world tour of the visual spectrum, the gorgeous two-volume compendium “The Book of Colour Concepts” brings together color charts from the Age of Enlightenment to the Age of Instagram — and maps how artists and scientists have found a rainbow of possibilities in all the world’s hues.
Made with Ecuadorean cacao and Fujian black tea, the Kessho Boba Tea Chocolate achieves a pitch-perfect balance with creamy chocolate, a deep brown-sugar sweetness and pleasantly earthy tea notes.
Read More Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month With These Delicious Asian Snacks
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
“50 True Tales From Our Great National Parks,” written by the Times Travel contributor Stephanie Pearson with charming illustrations by Madeline Kloepper, is a great way to get kids excited about visiting these amazing national resources. The book tells the stories not only of the many critters that visitors might meet, but of the people who helped shape the parks as well.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Dreaming of a Brat Christmas? For those who spent all summer bumping the breakthrough album from the British pop phenom Charli XCX, this Translucent Highlighter Vinyl Pressing of “Brat” — also available, with three bonus tracks, in a pristine white LP — will ring their bell.
In classic fisherman style, the midlength Helly Hansen Moss Raincoat (both men’s and women’s) has a long, straight cut and an elegant matte finish. It’s made of rubbery polyurethane that is waterproof even in the most biblical of downpours.
Read More The Best Men’s and Women’s Raincoats
Much like the slow-food movement, print media has been leaning small and artisanal, and that’s a good thing. The latest to join the fray is the downtown indie-film temple The Metrograph; beginning in December, their namesake journal, published biannually, will feature long-form interviews (the first issue’s cover star is Clint Eastwood), luxe visual treatments, deep-dive lists and more.
The clever, space-saving Emile Henry French Ceramic Fruit Storage Bowl is dual-purpose. The cool ceramic bottom has air holes and can hold potatoes, onions and garlic, while the moisture-absorbing cork lid displays fruits like pears and apples.
Read More The 27 Best Mother’s Day Gifts
The machine-washable and -dryable Nest Bedding Luxury Weighted Blanket has nearly imperceptible glass microbeads for heft and elegant herringbone-pattern stitching for style.
Read More The Best Weighted Blankets
A family-friendly strategy board game, Ticket to Ride takes players crisscrossing around North America via rail. Gamers set the course for their plastic trains to traverse routes or block opponents’ paths, picking up points for long distances.
Read More My Family Can Never Agree on a Movie. But We Can Always Agree on This Board Game.
The anime-themed Japan Crate monthly subscription comes teeming with about 15 Japanese snacks, plus a bonus souvenir and a guide with translations and fun facts. Each box is a surprise, including treats like lychee soda, pastel-hued cotton candy and novel potato chips.
Read More The 45 Best Gifts for Teens
Available in almost 20 states, the Sandbox VR immersive experiences let groups of friends go on virtual quests together. Depending on the location’s offerings, they can battle dragons, stave off alien swarms or cosplay in “Star Trek.”
Read More The 31 Best Gifts for Tweens
While holidays are typically celebratory, they can also be a time of remembrance and grief. The scannable QR code for Our Tributes Digital Memorial takes you to a customizable website to memorialize loved ones who have passed on by uploading and sharing favorite photos, videos and memories.
A flashier version of our favorite luxury pencils, the Glow-in-the-Dark Palomino Blackwing Pencils have an incense-cedar barrel, comfortable hexagonal body and smooth-writing dark core. The delightful blue squiggle design glows when lights are off.
For Android loyalists, the 11-inch Google Pixel Tablet features a long-lasting battery, a nimble processor and a stunning high-resolution display. The speaker dock also turns the tablet into a helpful smart-home hub.
Read More The Best Android Tablets
Fashioned from pebbled Argentine leather in about a dozen hues, the Cuyana Leather Travel Case Set elegantly stashes makeup and accessories. The well-made clamshell bags have synthetic leather linings that easily wipe clean.
Read More The Best Bags and Cable Organizers
Give Xbox controller users a fun makeover with the Xbox Design Lab Controller. The customization module makes it effortless to choose different colors, finishes and patterns for the body and buttons — say, in the scheme of a favorite sports team.
Read More The 20 Best Gifts for Gamers
The infinitely useful Gerber Gear Dime packs a lot in four inches: Among the 12 tools are pliers, a bottle opener and a clamshell cutter. Once it’s attached to a keychain, you’ll be surprised by how often you rely on it.
Evoking the feeling of dipping your nose into a bouquet, the Kishmish Kashmiri Gulab Candle smells like fresh roses. The matte-black glass vessel and matching wood lid are nice touches too.
Read More Our Favorite Scented Candles
The sturdy, not-too-heavy Cuisinart Smashed Burger Press helps home cooks evenly apply pressure to a small patty to achieve that signature crisp, caramelized crust. It’s mercifully effortless to clean and has a stay-cool wooden handle.
Read More This $22 Grill Press Helped Me Finally Crack the Code to Ultra-Thin Smash Burgers
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Ages 12 and up can experience Suzanne Collins’s best-selling trilogy like never before with this new illustrated edition of the book that started it all, “The Hunger Games.” Accompanying the original text are more than 30 black-and-white drawings by the artist Nico Delort, bringing the vivid dystopian world of Panem to life in a whole new way.
The vibrant, high-gloss Fish Design by Gaetano Pesce Coasters come in a complementary pair but aren’t matching. Made of gorgeously colored see-through resin, each misshapen round encompasses the opposite hue at its center.
Read More The Best Coasters
Seamlessly connecting to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, the Brother P-touch Cube prints high-quality labels with sharply defined text and images that don’t smudge or smear. Type A organizers will have a ball categorizing everything in sight.
Read More The Best Label Makers
For casual listening, the stonelike, battery-powered Victrola Rock Speaker Connect doesn’t require wires, making it easy to place anywhere in a backyard or on a patio. The battery can be charged through a USB-C connection or from its top solar panel.
Read More The Best Outdoor Speakers
Sometimes, houseplants just don’t want to stand up. These minimalist Brass Plant Sticks from Fruitsuper can help hold leaves and stems in place, while adding a little decorative appeal.
The sturdy, stable Wahoo Kickr Core smart trainer lets dedicated cyclists do their rides indoors — it attaches to a road bike in place of the rear wheel. It also comes bundled with a year’s subscription to the fun multiplayer cycling app Zwift.
Read More The 30 Best Gifts for Cyclists
Armed with a 1080p camera with a wide viewing angle, the Netvue Birdfy Feeder captures feathered friends in all their glory. The flip-up roof holds plenty of seed, and a lively in-app community allows photo sharing.
Read More The Best Smart Bird Feeders
For stylish alfresco meals, it’s tough to beat the beautiful Chestnut Wood Picnic Box by Shinsuke Tanabe, which is handmade in Japan. But it also has a secret: Originally designed as a sewing box, it’s a true multitasker.
The soft, machine-washable Lazy One Animal Paw Slippers are available in nearly a dozen humongo and hilarious options, including a neon green-and-blue monster, a bright orange tiger and a white yeti. You could even get pairs for the entire family.
Read More The 38 Best Gifts for 6-Year-Olds
Ollie Explores
Whenever my dog gets in the car, so does this Wilderdog Foldable Silipint Dog Bowl. It folds up, it’s easy to clean and it holds a lot of water (I have a 65-pound poodle, and she can drink). Happy dog, happy owner.
A men’s fashion editor favorite, the Canadian-made Reigning Champ Midweight Terry Slim Hoodie is also known for its durability. The 100 percent cotton hoodie is constructed with a lined hood and the brand’s signature nearly invisible flatlock seams.
Read More The 37 Best Gifts for Boyfriends (That Are Great for Anyone)
Bombas
Accessories are always solid stocking stuffers, and these Bombas Gripper Socks are my absolute favorites. They are a bit of a splurge (I’m usually a Costco socks gal), but they’re great for barre and Pilates enthusiasts — and they help prevent slips on wood floors. Bonus: Bombas donates a pair for every pair purchased.
The players in Exit: The Game — The House of Riddles are “locked up” in an abandoned house. Using a decoder wheel and cards, they must figure out riddles and puzzles to get free. Since they scribble down their answers on game pieces, it’s for one-time use.
While too big for day hikes, the compact and relatively light JetBoil Genesis Basecamp Stove would be ideal for an overnight kayaking trip. The two-burner stove boils water quickly and has precise heat controls for more elaborate cooking.
Read More The Best Camping Stove
For gamers on the go, the affordable Arzopa Z1FC monitor outperforms models twice its price. Connected to a laptop with a single USB-C cable, it has a sharp image, accurate colors, smooth motion and a stable kickstand.
Read More The Best Portable Monitors
For devoted hydrators on the go, the Corkcicle Crossbody Water Bottle Sling Bag holds vessels up to 32 ounces. It also has a zippered pocket large enough for a wallet, smartphone, keys, sunglasses and then some.
Read More Do You Need a Purse for Your Water Bottle? Honestly, Maybe.
Booze enthusiasts might get a kick out of trying their hand as a rookie spirits operator in Distilled. Players (up to five) buy ingredients, upgrade their distillery and make other entrepreneurial decisions, gaining points by selling their product.
Read More The Best Strategy Board Games
There’s a running joke among my friends and family that at this point, my feet have permanent strappy tan lines from my Salt Water Original Sandals. I’ve been wearing various pairs of them for probably 15 years, and they’re particularly durable for travel: They’ve taken me across China, Vietnam, Italy and Portugal and along many Australian shorelines.
Pair the beginner-friendly “Fun & Easy Origami Animals” with a colorful pack of folding papers. The intro to this Japanese craft provides detailed instructions and diagrams for intricate birds and beasts that are simple to master.
Read More Everything You Need to Get Started Learning Origami
Revered by knife nerds, the Higonokami Aogami Pocket Knife is made by a Japanese manufacturer in operation since 1894. The brass sleeve’s tight hinge requires slow opening with two hands, commanding respect for its incredibly sharp blue-steel blade.
Read More The 48 Best Gifts for Dads
With a large 60-liter capacity, the semistructured Cotopaxi Allpa Gear Hauler Tote has a convenient combination of exterior and interior pockets for easy stashing. The open-top, oversize bag is particularly well suited for family beach days.
Read More The Best Beach Bags
With seamless side construction and a reinforced collar, the Lady White Co. T-Shirt (pack of two) feels unquestionably luxe. Its premium 100 percent cotton runs cool and crisp, and the cut is quite flattering.
Read More The Best Men’s White T-Shirts
Designer colognes are a must-have for teen boys these days. The Sephora Cologne Sampler Set features 11 teeny spray bottles, with options like Tom Ford Oud Minerale, and comes with a gift certificate redeemable for a full-size cologne.
Read More The 45 Best Gifts for Teens
Whether you’re taking up burpees or downward dogs, the grippy, natural-rubber JadeYoga Harmony Mat’s spongy feel and slip-preventive suction make working out frustration-free. It also rolls up tightly, making it easy to tote to classes.
Read More The Yoga Mat That Keeps Me Stable, No Matter How Sweaty I Get
AkamatsuShop
Recently, I went to a store that sold handcrafted wooden items and selected a tiny vessel much like this Japanese Ikebana Flower Vase that I keep one sprig of dried lavender in. It makes a perfect gift for lovers of diminutive things — or anyone thinking about getting into ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement.
Do away with the plastic excess of exorbitantly priced blade replacements. The handsome Parker Variant Adjustable Safety Razor even has a small dial for easily adjusting the “aggressiveness” of the blade.
Read More The Best Men’s Razors (for Any Face)
Nutscene has been making biodegradable jute twine on the same machines in Scotland for a century. The company’s Tin of Twine is the perfect solution to the problem of tangled string, and it can be refilled indefinitely.
Read More The 23 Best Gifts for Gardeners
Packed in an eye-catching, paint-can-sized tin, the Bonilla a la Vista Potato Chips are perfectly salted and crispy-light. The Xinzo de Limia spuds, known for their balanced sugar-to-starch ratio, lend them a deep potato-y flavor.
Read More Gifts for People Who Love Food
Handcrafted in rural Pennsylvania, the Jones Maple End Grain Cutting Board is roomy enough for plenty of chopping and has finger grooves for lifting. Maple is tough enough to take some abuse but won’t dull knives as quickly as most plastic.
Read More The Best Cutting Boards
I’m a true believer that sweater care is underrated. Lauren Manoogian is a brand that specializes in hefty artisanal knits. Their Sweater Brush Set, made in Japan by what the brand described as “master craftsmen,” would have a lovely presence atop your dresser.
Vital for softening the impact of long hikes, the aluminum Black Diamond Pursuit Trekking Poles are supercomfortable, quiet and tough. They come in two sizes with two circumference options for the cork grips, and their height is adjustable.
Read More The Best Trekking Poles
The Faber-Castell Paint by Number Museum Series includes everything an art lover needs to (patiently) recreate a masterpiece in miniature: a 6-by-8-inch canvas, a soft brush, acrylic paint pots and a tiny chipboard easel.
Read More The 39 Absolute Best White Elephant Gifts Under $25
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Aaliyah and Etta James, Salt-N-Pepa and the Supremes: they’re all here in Marcellas Reynolds’s lush photo-driven celebration “Supreme Sirens: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Music.” Supreme, indeed.
Serving up 1980s sports-club style, the low-profile Reebok Club C 85 Vintage Sneakers have a comfy terry lining and cream leather exterior that is more scuff-resistant than pure white. On the narrower side, they may not suit wider feet.
Read More The Best White Sneakers
Easier to pack in a car or tote to a city park than a snow tube, the steerable L.L.Bean Polar Slider DLX Sled has a textured seating area and is made of a high-quality flexible plastic that won’t shatter the first winter you own it.
Read More The Best Sleds
Sorel
In the Caribbean, winter holidays mean sorrel — a maroon-red hibiscus drink perfumed with clove, cinnamon and allspice, served on its own or mixed with rum. This Sorel Candle features those same warm scents, evoking the holiday season.
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Consider this vibrant “Hell’s Kitchen” x FUBU Baseball Jersey from the official merch store of the Tony-winning Alicia Keys musical to be the wearable Venn diagram where Broadway fans and classic ’90s hip-hop heads converge.
Available in almost a dozen shades, the 5.5-inch Day Rate Beauty Petite Power Pin quickly and elegantly secures twists of hair.
Read More How a Sleek Little Hair Pin Transformed My Sad Mom Bun
Bathing Culture
Every time I use my Bathing Culture Mind and Body Wash, I get a little hit of pleasure. The (refillable) glass container is hefty and beautiful; the soap is biodegradable and moisturizing and uses natural scents sourced from the forests, meadows and coasts of California; and the company’s newest scent, Break Water, smells like a fresh, piney breeze off the Pacific Ocean.
Making it easy-breezy to connect a stereo system, the WiiM Pro Plus player helps music lovers jam out to their favorite streaming service, like Spotify or Tidal, with high-resolution audio. It can also connect to a multiroom system.
Read More The Best Music Streamer
Serving eight to 10 people, the sumptuous Prantl’s Burnt Almond Torte features two light-as-air almond cake layers sandwiching a silky custard. It’s covered with a simple vanilla buttercream and candied toasted-almond slivers.
Read More The 26 Best Retirement Gifts
If someone on your list is over retail mania, give a living tree to dote on. Able to grow indoors or outdoors, the elegant Fast Growing Trees Arbequina Olive Tree requires plenty of sunshine, well-draining soil and some tender loving care.
Read More The 37 Best Gifts for Boyfriends (That Are Great for Anyone)
Joyce Chen
I spend a lot of time on set with food stylists who swear by these unassuming but mighty Joyce Chen Kitchen Scissors because they are sturdy, comfy to hold and incredibly sharp. Buy two: one for cooking and one for general use.
For some, a truly romantic night is one spent in the wilderness. Plenty roomy, the two-person Kelty TruComfort Doublewide Sleeping Bag lets each sleeper adjust the temperature, with side zippers, two sewn-in quilts and foot vents.
Read More The Best Sleeping Bag
Kikkerland’s one-of-a-kind Banana Menorah is pure Pop Art pleasure. Sturdy and hand-molded, the “Banaroh” comes in two sizes (four or nine inches) and materials (stainless steel or yellow powder-coated brass).
Read More 21 Great Hanukkah Gift Ideas
Inkbox
Call me conceited, but one of my favorite gifts ever was a sheet of temporary tattoos of my own face making a weird expression. Give your loved ones a gift card to Inkbox so they can choose their own, or upload a personal photo — an inside joke, a beloved pet, the world is your oyster! The price is variable, so give as much or as little as you like.
The unobtrusive yet mighty LectroFan EVO effectively muffles all manner of nighttime disturbances (screeching birds, snoring roommates) with a rich, crisp monotonous hum. Your giftee can choose from 12 noises and 10 fan sounds.
Read More The Best White Noise Machine
Jellycat
My pastry-loving 10-year-old is going to be the lucky recipient of this adorable plush JellyCat Amuseables Croissant Bag. (They also have avocado, watermelon and coffee-cup versions.) Before wrapping it, I might stuff it full of chocolate kisses for a — ta-da! — chocolate croissant.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
To paraphrase the classic 1950 film “Sunset Boulevard,” they had faces then, and few outlets did more to elevate the iconography of 20th-century movie stardom than Life magazine. In “Life. Hollywood,” Golden Age luminaries like Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, Sidney Poitier and Sophia Loren can be relished in their full, extravagant glory (two volumes!).
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In the visual tribute “Nora Ephron at the Movies,” Ilana Kaplan explores both the films of the late grande dame of rom coms and her off-screen work — deli orgasms, pencil bouquets and all.
A preppy cult classic, the versatile, lightweight Longchamp Le Pliage Tote became an au courant must-have on TikTok. Constructed from tough nylon, the roomy and packable canvas bag will last long after other trends have come and gone.
Read More The 36 Best Gifts for College Graduates
With their sleek profile and muted contemporary colors, Material’s The Table Knives, which come in a set of four, are more than just good-looking. The blades are exceptionally sharp, and each knife is constructed from a single piece of strong steel.
Read More The Best Steak Knife Set
Inspired by noir pulp, Lights, Camera, Murder! is set in 1940s Los Angeles, where the starlet Clara Rose and her estranged husband are found dead. This mail-order game arrives as a folder of evidence that gamers must use to solve the murder.
Tough yet light, the portable RTIC Soft Pack Cooler has a waterproof nylon exterior and two inches of closed-cell insulation. It’s the perfect size for beach trips, tubing and picnics.
Read More The Best Coolers
Fashioned from thick 100 percent mulberry silk, the glam Julianna Rae Natalya Silk Pajamas boast elegant notched cuffs, a shirttail hem and piping. They are, however, hand-wash only and run about a size small.
Read More The Best Pajamas
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Every gift list has at least one Beatles nut; this year, give yours “Mind Games” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono — a handsome coffee-table volume that dives deep into the making of Lennon’s 1973 solo album of the same name with handwritten lyrics, extensive interviews and previously unseen photographs.
If, like me, you know someone who devoted 40-plus hours of their life to TV’s most criminally addictive dating show and still can’t get enough, the “Love Island” Water Bottle is the perfect customizable gift.
In Dragon’s Dogma 2 (Xbox Series X|S), the Arisen sets out to defeat a dragon who plucked his heart out at the game’s start, with the help of four pawns. Along his journey, this hero fights monsters and goes on side adventures in the midst of a war between two kingdoms.
Read More The Best Video Games of 2024 So Far
Nordur Salt
The arctic flakes in Norður & Co. Sea Salt are just the thing for the person who thrives on culinary discovery. Pulled from Icelandic waters that are evaporated using geothermal energy, this salt has a light crunch and a clean, slightly tart taste. And the tin is a real charmer.
Made of anodized aluminum, the Rain Design iLevel2 laptop stand is both stylish and sturdy. Its side-to-side sliding knob makes adjusting the height and posture quite painless.
Read More The Best Laptop Stands
Many bottles retain the flavors from the last liquids they held (stale coffee, old tea — blech). Not so with the Purist Mover. The sleek water bottle has a stainless steel exterior and an unbreakable glass interior that doesn’t pick up odors and flavors.
Read More The Best Water Bottles
Containing the three most common international plugs, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter will work in most countries. It has one USB-C and four standard USB-A ports, so five devices can be charged at the same time.
Read More The Best Travel Plug Adapter
Amazon
My underarms can chafe when I’m running in a tank top (TMI? Welcome to the glamorous world of distance running!), and putting on a little Body Glide Original Anti Chafe Balm does the trick. I can’t figure out why the stick is gendered (it’s sold in either its original blue container or a pink one, “for her”), but I can confirm that either one will work effectively.
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Whether or not you’ve managed to snag an actual ticket to Cole Escola’s smash reimagining of Mary Todd Lincoln as an aspiring cabaret star — the show’s Broadway run was recently extended for a second time — you can still wear your “Oh Mary!” Portrait Crewneck proudly. (Hoop skirts and pigtailed hauteur optional.)
A veritable garden, the Smell House Juice Hoax Candle, made with a coconut wax blend, conjures ripe tomatoes and then some. Unlike the understated packaging of so many fancy candles, it comes in a fun neon-green glass vessel that feels fresh.
Read More Our Favorite Scented Candles
Looking for a fire-breathing update of a board-game classic? The “House of the Dragon” Monopoly swaps little silver thimbles and Park Place for golden tokens and (of course) dragon eggs in a battle for the Iron Throne — or just first rights to the family remote.
Unlike the leaky, overhyped Stanley tumblers, the 24-ounce Simple Modern Classic Tumbler keeps liquids where they should be (inside). It comes with both straw and flip-top lids in a wide variety of colors, and keeps drinks hot or cold for hours.
Read More The Best Tumbler
In the engrossingly fun Coup — a card-bluffing game full of intrigue and deceit — gamers jockey for power in a dystopian universe by stealing money, trading influence cards and even assassinating other players’ characters.
Read More The Best Beginner Board Games for Adults
The spunky little DJI Avata 2 Drone is particularly nimble in the air and captures high-resolution aerial footage. As first-person-view models go, it’s also beginner-friendly, with a crash-resistant plastic shell and a simple, intuitive controller.
Read More The Best Drones
With its adorable wide-eyed feline mascot, Cat in the Box is a trick-taking game (like Spades) appropriate for families. A play on the Schrödinger’s Cat thought experiment, these cards don’t come with suits; instead, players declare one when they play it.
Read More The Best Card Games
The Eighth Size Sheet Pan is the best for small ovens, small sinks, small storage spaces and small bakes. Only need to roast two chicken breasts? This is the perfect vehicle — plus, no more giant sheet pans in the sink!
Life, or at least bathtime, is too short to waste on second-tier towels. A 100-year-old manufacturer from Japan’s rural Ehime Prefecture produces these Lattice Linen Imabari Towels, which absorb fast, dry faster and elevate your morning ablutions into a spa retreat.
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The gothic “Belladonna” series has been a young-adult romantasy favorite since the first book was published in 2022. “The Belladonna Collection” box set features the completed trilogy and comes with new covers and endpapers. (Ages 17 and up.)
Detail-oriented DIYers may experience no greater thrill than watching the powerful Ryobi Brushless Pressure Washer magically transform a dirty surface into a clean one. This model has large wheels, a long hose and a high-end motor.
Read More The Best Pressure Washer
Light, slick and well balanced, the OXO Obsidian Carbon Steel Frypan is fantastic for frying eggs or getting a nice crusty sear on a rib-eye. And unlike nonstick-coated cookware, it’s durable enough to withstand high heat.
Read More The Best Carbon Steel Pan
Skiers, hikers and cold-weather runners will appreciate the warmth and breathability of the Ridge Merino Aspect Midweight Wool Base Layer Long Sleeve Shirt. It’s durable and machine-washable, and the merino blend looks understated enough to go from city to trail.
Read More The Best Thermal Underwear
A lightweight phone attachment, the Retro Point & Shoot Camera Phone Converter makes a phone feel like a real old-fashioned camera, with a mechanical shutter button and chunky grip. It can attach to a tripod for extra stability.
Read More 49 Wirecutter-Approved Stocking Stuffers for Adults
With five settings for different fabrics, the Conair Handheld Garment Steamer heats up in 40 seconds and produces a powerful steam that smooths wrinkles quickly without spitting any water.
Read More The Best Clothing Steamers
The enchanting Djeco Secret Garden Musical Treasure Box is a beautifully illustrated, paper-covered wooden box that plays music with a twist of a handle. Its velvet-lined compartments and four hooks store jewelry and other treasures.
A bizarro twist on poker, Nintendo’s Balatro starts out with the same scoring system as the classic card game, but then things take a turn. As players progress, they can modify the rules with bonus cards and perks purchased in between rounds.
Read More The Best Video Games of 2024 So Far
The back panel on Away’s The Everywhere Bag securely slides over the handles of a rolling carry-on for more secure whirling around airports or hotel lobbies. Made of water- and abrasion-resistant nylon, it’s easy to wipe off, too.
With the ‘Hot Ones’ Hot Sauce Season 25 Sampler, pop culture fans can taste along with the hit YouTube show’s host Sean Evans and the celebrities he interviews over chicken wings. The 10-pack goes from mild to scorching, with great small-batch bottles to actually use on food after.
Read More The Best Gifts for Spicy Food Lovers
With form-fitted toes and underfoot padding, the Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Socks are extra comfortable. Made from a breathable blend of merino wool, nylon and Lycra spandex, they are durable and come backed with a lifetime warranty.
Read More The Best Hiking Socks
Unfortunately, sentences such as “The cat drinks the milk” weren’t taking me very far during a road trip through Italy this past summer. So I turned to the language learning app Memrise, which was particularly great for helping me mentally bank practical everyday phrases to get us around.
The clean-releasing Norpro Grip-EZ Stainless Scoop quickly pops out uniform balls of dough for even baking. So, whether your beloved baker prefers cookies ooey-gooey or crispy-crunchy, the entire batch can be just right.
Read More I’m a Former Pastry Chef, and This $18 Cookie Scoop Is Worth Every Penny
Issey Miyake
As is the case with tattoos (or so I hear), once you buy one Issey Miyake piece, you’ll want more. But Mr. Miyake’s Pleats Please April Skirt will take you far on its own. It’s timeless. I like this one in Black Pepper.
An approximate time keeper, the monochromatic two-dial Tian Black/White Watch only displays time in 15-minute increments. It’s an elegant invitation to take a step back from hyperfixation on the minutiae of modern life.
Read More The 28 Best Father’s Day Gifts
Belying its name, the enameled carbon-steel Dansk Købenstyle Butter Warmer can heat 19 ounces of cocoa, soup and more. With a bulbous teak handle and an array of playful colors, it’s also a looker on the stovetop.
With a fast trigger speed and great recovery time, the Meidase P60 Pro Trail Camera reliably captures wildlife away from the disturbances of humans — be it a curious bear in the backyard or a coyote in the wooded backcountry.
Read More The Best Trail Cameras
Sized for smaller hands, the three-string Loog Mini Acoustic Guitar is the musical equivalent of a balance bike. Kids can learn how to correctly hold a guitar and strum, easing a transition to a six-string when they’re ready.
Read More The 41 Best Gifts for 5-Year-Olds
Vintage audio nerds hanging onto old-school mixtape collections can swoon over the We Are Rewind Portable Cassette Player. Updated touches — USB output for transferring cassette audio onto a computer, Bluetooth compatibility — are nice, too.
Read More New Portable Cassette Players Transport You Back to the ’80s. But Do You Really Want to Go There?
Burgeoning environmentalists may treasure the Pura Vida Enamel Fin Fidget Ring, which ships sans plastic packaging and donates five percent of the purchase price to Oceana. Decorated with shark fins in glossy enamel, a rhodium-plated brass ring rotates around an interior one.
Read More The 31 Best Gifts for 9-Year-Olds
With four configurations, the Radio Flyer Pedal & Push 4-in-1 Stroll ’N Trike can convert from a stroller alternative to a trike, taking kids from ages 1 to 5. Lightweight yet sturdy, it also has helpful accessories like a wide, adjustable parent handle.
Read More The Best Tricycles
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Lovely as a companion piece to the current Whitney Museum exhibit or on its own, “Edges of Ailey” offers a rich, multitudinous window into the world of the choreographer Alvin Ailey with essays, photographs and personal papers; essentially, it does everything but dance.
The Jumpflex Hero 14ft Trampoline has more bounce to the ounce. With the largest springs we tested in its price range, it produces bigger, smoother bounds. It’s also constructed for safety with thick padding, well-placed netting and a stable frame.
Read More The Best Trampoline
Packed in a stately box, the five-inch handmade Simon Pearce Champlain Ring Holder is crafted from lead-free glass that catches light to show off jewelry beautifully.
Read More The 13 Best Engagement Gifts
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In Nathan Hale’s “Hazardous Tales” 3-Book Box Set, history buffs ages 8 to 12 can immerse themselves in the onset of the Korean War, follow Haitian Revolutionary leaders as they lead one of the largest slave rebellions in history and fly high with American pilots during World War I.
The minimalist, long-lasting Muji Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser 3 oz emits a warm glow and a steady mist of aromatized essential oils, with a subtle and soothing whirring sound.
Read More The Best Essential Oil Diffusers
Displaying misleading technical titles like “Rapid Identification of Some Metals and Alloys,” the weathered-looking Puebco Empty Book hides a velvet-lined box for stashing treasures (cash, jewelry). It comes in multiple colors and titles.
Read More The 32 Best Housewarming Gifts
Whether your child prefers Imagine Dragons’ “Thunder” or Taylor Swift’s entire discography, the Singsation Star Burst karaoke machine easily syncs up with a phone. It also reflects a colorful light show out of the disco ball on its top.
Read More The Best Karaoke Machines
The small, intuitive Cricut Joy Smart Cutting Machine can smoothly carve words and images out of vinyl, cardstock and iron-on transfers. It also has a fantastic selection of images and ready-made projects like greeting cards.
Read More The Best Electronic Cutting Machines From Cricut and Silhouette
With a great battery life, easy-to-use interface and a nice screen, the Steam Deck is the handheld of choice for PC games from a few years ago and less demanding new releases. (It is not compatible with online Windows games.)
Read More The Best Gaming Handhelds
The compact, powerful Therabody Theragun Mini 2nd Generation is pleasant to hold and great for getting at awkward spots, like the undersides of legs, for muscle-pummeling relief from soreness and inflammation.
Read More The Best Massage Guns
Nitpicky fashionistas may be too tough to buy clothing for, but you can keep them in neat style with the best-in-class Naadam Cashmere Comb. This defuzzing tool gently and effectively lifts pills with well-spaced metal mesh tines.
Read More 10 Cheap(ish) Laundry Aids to Help Your Clothes Look Better and Last Longer
For Apple enthusiasts, the Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand can juice up an iPhone, an Apple Watch and a set of Airpods simultaneously. Sleek and sturdily built, it has three different pads for speedy charging and a five-foot cord.
Read More The Best Apple Wireless Charging Stations for Multiple Devices
For kids who’d get amped to blow up a volcano, the National Geographic Earth Science Kit comes fully stocked with a mold, plaster and — unlike other kits — eruption powders. It also has other engaging projects, like growing crystals.
Read More The 43 Best Gifts for 8-Year-Olds
Via Arilloom
Designed in Brooklyn and crafted by female artisan weavers in Northern Albania, the whimsically stitched pillows from Arilloom (they also make tablecloths, towels and more) help to preserve a valuable cultural tradition and community; they also just look really pretty.
Available in a four-pack of muted tones, Kinto Hibi Tumblers have a subtle tapered shape and weighted base, so they’re surprisingly stable and pleasing to hold.
Read More The Best Drinking Glasses
REI
We have repeatedly reported on the importance of building grip strength as we age — and one of the best ways to do that is just by hanging from a pull-up bar. But they’re also unsightly and only really work in doorways. So get a pair of Metolius Rock Rings 3D Training Holds, put them up in your garage and spend 20 seconds hanging (or doing pull-ups) every time you pass them.
Packed with enthralling flavor options like strawberry cheesecake, Tokyo Island lemon and matcha, the Sugoi Mart Japanese Kit Kat Variety Pack features 60 mini bars in 20 different flavors — straight from Japan.
Duckworth
A family of Montana sheepherders got together to create its own clothing label, making small-batch American-made items from the merino wool it harvests. The Duckworth Sawtooth Flannel is one gorgeous, durable — and also quick-drying and water-resistant — result.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
“The Jane Austen Gift Set: A Puffin in Bloom Collection” gathers a handful of Austen classics and binds them in unique floral covers, making this an excellent choice for readers ages 12 and up who want lovely updated editions of these timeless books on their shelves.
Whether your giftee is backpacking in the Himalayas or sunning in the Maldives, the Allpowers SP012 Solar Panel can charge up to four electronics at once. The portable solar battery charger also folds up into a relatively small package.
Read More The Best Portable Solar Battery Charger
All-weather cyclists can avoid frigid fingers with the ultrawarm Sealskinz Upwell Waterproof Heated Gloves. Their liners are embedded with a clever heating system powered by tiny USB-rechargeable batteries. Just note: Sizes run small.
Read More The Best Gifts for Cyclists
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“Be a Scribe! Working for a Better Life in Ancient Egypt” offers an artful new translation of a tale written in hieroglyphics on papyrus that can be traced back millennia. The best part? It’s co-written by a teenager. (Ages 8 to 12.)
Is a vacuum cleaner a boorish gift? It depends. The cordless Dyson V12 Detect Slim is light, powerful and nimble; those starting to build a home in a smaller space may find it to be a game changer. Just don’t give one to the family cleaner-upper.
Read More The Best Cordless Stick Vacuum
Made of translucent recycled plastic with a squarer lens, the comfy Sunski Shoreline are a beachy spin on classic aviators. The big, lightweight frames are better suited to larger domes and come backed by a lifetime warranty.
Read More The Best Cheap Sunglasses
Keeki
For sourdough aficionados, the Keeki Bag keeps loaves fresh for three to four days, and the striped cotton looks cute on the counter. Add a good bread knife and a butter keeper for a perfect present for bakers and beyond.
The cherry-wood Jonathan’s Spoons Spootle doubles as both a spoon (with a shallow scoopy divot) and a spatula (with a flat edge for scraping the bottom of a pot). And the head has an ergonomic tilt, so the handle is made for either lefties or righties.
Read More The 40 Best Gifts for Mom
A great holistic way to warm up in the winter. Only a tablespoon or so of Yunohana Onsen Bath Powder — extracted from mineral deposits in the northern Japanese Alps— will turn your evening bath into a sauna. These salts heat up the body and calm tired muscles, making them particularly useful for winter sport devotees.
Serious water adventurers will be grateful for the impermeable barrier of the Yeti Panga Waterproof Duffel, which keeps contents bone-dry even after you leap into the ocean. The near-indestructible bag is made of laminated high-density nylon.
Read More The Best Duffle Bags
The small, lightweight Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 2 can print 2-by-3-inch color photos wirelessly from a smartphone. It’s small enough to tuck in a backpack or purse and bring along to a party for dishing out good-time photos to pals.
Made with stainless steel in a curved ergonomic shape, the smooth, firm Njoy Pure Wand is nearly incomparable for intensely stimulating internal erogenous zones.
Read More I’ve Tested Dozens of G-Spot Toys. The Stainless Steel Njoy Pure Wand Is the One I Always Recommend.
Vinca
Wear the Chef’s Knife Hair Clip from the Austin, Texas, company Vinca to make a statement. This barrette is eye-catching and can be dressed up or down, so expect a lot of compliments when you wear it. It’s also lightweight, which means it won’t slide in fine hair.
The excellent Shortbread House of Edinburgh Cookies — made in a family-owned bakery in Scotland — have a melt-in-your-mouth butteriness and a pleasingly gritty crunch. They make a fine companion for coffee or tea.
Read More The 33 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers
Available in a dozen modern hues, the elegantly proportioned Danica Candles Hand Dipped Taper Set are made in Maine from a satin-smooth translucent blend of beeswax and paraffin wax.
Read More Our Favorite Tapered Candles
Befitting its Lower East Side origins, the Susan Alexandra Bronze Oy Vey Ring is quirky, colorful and droll. This chunky brass ring is adorned with rainbow enamel letters spelling out the ever-versatile Yiddish expression.
Read More 21 Great Hanukkah Gift Ideas
Duluth Trading
Hobbies often require extra stuff. The Duluth Trading Company’s Canvas Riggers Bag is one of the best I’ve found as a portable catch-all: Made of sturdy canvas, it’s got a large open compartment that’s easy to reach into and segmented pockets along the outside that safely hold sharp carving tools, pointy brushes, repair wrenches or whatever else you need to make, fix or tinker with.
The Subversive Cross Stitch “Can You Not” Pillow Case Kit is target-made for sassy intermediate stitchers. While the project requires strict attention to detail, the resulting zippered pillow case is anything but uptight.
Read More The Best Fiber Craft Kits for Adults
The colorfully retro Hightide Metal Book Stand may look slight, but it can hold up some serious tomes (say, the 997-page “The Essential New York Times Cookbook”). It neatly folds flat when not in use and snuggles between titles on the cookbook shelf.
Read More Gifts for People Who Love Food
For older kids who want to make their scooter jump, the durable, foldable Micro Sprite is more nimble because of a lighter frame and smaller wheels. It has adjustable-height handlebars, and it’s available with LED wheels in a range of colors.
Read More The Best Kids Scooters
With a three-element HD glass design, the Moment Anamorphic 1.33x Mobile Lens upgrades an iPhone in a single snap, yielding super-wide-angle videos (and stills) with cinematic panache. Choose from two versions of optical effects.
Read More The Best Lenses for iPhone and Android Photography
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Perfect for Taylor Swift fans inspired by her most recent album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” this “Poems for Tortured Souls” anthology compiles the works of essential writers — Emily Dickinson, Shakespeare, Edna St. Vincent Millay — who have influenced or even been directly referenced by the superstar in her songs. (Ages 12 and up.)
What could be better for studying your reflection? This sinuous Lava Hand Mirror, made by the Danish design outlet Ferm Living, has an appealing organic shape made from cast recycled aluminum.
The Pluto Pod Travel Pillow may look like astronaut gear, but your giftees won’t care when they’re snoozing soundly, thanks to its light-blocking, pull-down eye mask, cozy padded hood and supportive neck pillow.
Read More Pluto Pod Travel Pillow: A First-Class Sleep Experience in Economy
Like a quicker, more colorful Jenga, The Fuzzies require a bit of precision. The twist: Players draw from a deck of cards to find out which ones they should pull from the tower. Cleanup — gathering the fuzzies in a cup — is also much easier.
Give teens what they really want: their own shopping spree. The Poshmark Gift Card makes thrifting easy, with a searchable selection of jewelry, clothing and home goods. And buying used, rather than new fast fashion, is better for the environment.
Read More The 45 Best Gifts for Teens
For those initiated into the life-changing magic of bidets, the Toto Washlet C5 is the Benz of butt washing. Its intuitive controls allow users to dial in their exact preferences: low or high pressure, warm or cool water and even a pulsating stream.
Read More The Best Bidet Toilet Seat or Washlet
From Converse’s 1927 Chuck Taylor All Stars to 2021’s Nike Air Zoom Alphafly, the Pop Chart Chronological Compendium of Sneakers neatly displays seminal streetwear moments in 150 kicks.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
You would expect a coffee-table book about a French fashion icon to be impossibly chic, and zut alors, it is. “Yves Saint Laurent: Inside Out” offers a backstage pass to more than two decades of the late designer’s creative world, with all the louche Parisian glamour and half-dressed supermodels that access implies.
Cotton lisle is an elegant upgrade from typical gym tube socks. Pantharella, known for its high quality and saturated jewel tones, offers Lisle Socks with a slight sheen that dress up more casual outfits.
Instead of fusty medieval military ranks, the tactical game Hive features bug tiles (ants, grasshoppers); the goal is to surround an opponent’s queen while protecting one’s own. It’s both simple and cute enough for kids to pick up.
Read More The Best Two-Player Board Games
ororo
You know those people who are always cold? The lightweight, battery-powered Ororo Classic Heated Vest will be their winter security blanket — outdoors and indoors. I gave one to my mother two years ago, and I don’t think she’s taken it off since.
L.A. Colors
I kept complimenting friends’ makeup at a wedding this spring until one of them cracked and told me the secret: a smoothing, shiny but not too shiny L.A. Colors Lip Gloss that the bride had given out as bachelorette party favors. At under two dollars, it is the cheapest makeup I own but maybe the one I turn to the most; the gloss is moisturizing, lasts a long time and fits snugly into my purse or pocket.
The uniquely designed Knipex 10-Inch Pliers Wrench are a boon to busy DIYers. Combining the smooth parallel jaws of an adjustable wrench with the gripping force of adjustable pliers, this multitool securely grabs nuts and bolts.
Read More The Best Adjustable Pliers
Kids these days may be used to FaceTime and Zoom, but nothing beats the old-fashioned thrill of walkie-talkies. The tiny, light Midland T10 X-Talker two-pack has a clear signal for up to a mile in the city and a little under two miles in the mountains.
Read More The Best Walkie-Talkies for Everyday Use
PC gamers can seamlessly play their favorite new releases on the powerful ROG Ally X handheld. It easily runs cutting-edge games (like Star Wars Outlaws) and works with online Windows games (such as Fortnite). It also works with Xbox Game Pass.
Read More The Best Gaming Handhelds
The light, fast-absorbing Senteurs d’Orient Fleurs d’Oasis The Oil moisturizes the face, body and hair, leaving zero greasiness. Scented with essential oils like neroli and jasmine, its aroma is delicately floral and musky.
Read More 15 Great Bridal Shower Gifts
A relaxing naturalist puzzle, the quick-to-learn Cascadia’s objective is to build functioning biomes. Gamers work to place various animals (represented by tokens) in compatible habitats (represented by tiles).
Read More The Best Beginner Board Games for Adults
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Beginning in the 1970s, Rammellzee made graffiti, and he made art, and he made language, and eventually developed a creative practice that folded all of those things into something beyond category. The doorstopper anthology “Rammellzee: Racing for Thunder” makes plain the robustness of his vision, and yet feels like only a peek into a mind that, no matter how productive, remained unknowable.
Good sleep is often the key to a good day. And the silky-smooth, adjustable Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask can help slumberers of all stripes (side, back, stomach) achieve that by blocking out light while still staying breathable.
Read More The Best Sleep Mask
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How do you pack for a trip that includes ample swimming opportunities without dragging home a chlorine-scented suitcase? I used to bring plastic grocery bags to hold my swimsuit, but now I just throw it in this reusable STNKY Bag Pro, which keeps in germs, odor and dampness. And you can just toss the whole thing in the washing machine later.
Criterion Collection
Though it often feels as if the whole world has switched to streaming, there’s still a place for physical media — especially when it comes in the form of this thoughtful, lovingly curated CC40 Criterion 40th Anniversary Box Set, which features four decades of stellar film selections from “The Bicycle Thief” to “In the Mood for Love” in a deluxe Blu-ray package.
Make a cooking buff’s dreams come true with the portable, roomy Ooni Koda 16 Pizza Oven. In our tests, it got up to a roaring 890 Fahrenheit — churning out crispy, bubbling pies and burnished oysters Rockefeller in the dead of winter.
Read More The Best Pizza Oven
La Tienda Deluxe Tapas Sampler features premium shelf-stable Spanish goodies, among them fire-roasted piquillo peppers, Ibérico chorizo and delectable manzanilla olives stuffed with silky anchovies.
Read More Gifts for People Who Love Food
The Monthly Magic Books Subscription delivers handpicked hardcovers from the beloved Books Are Magic shop in Carroll Gardens. Choose a genre (fiction, essays/memoir, poetry, romance) or an age bracket for kids and let the reading commence.
Read More 7 Book Subscription Boxes We Love for Adults and Kids
Crafty types may brim with pride after weaving their way through the Friendly Loom Potholder Kit, which comes with enough supplies to make six potholders. Each kit has a sturdy green metal frame and recycled cotton loops in 12 bright colors.
Read More The 31 Best Gifts for 9-Year-Olds
With a fun-to-use module, you can design a custom Funko Pop in your loved one’s likeness, selecting skin tone, hairstyle and clothing. The only hard part is choosing just two accessories (like a guitar or a bowl of ramen) to show their personality.
Read More The 48 Best Gifts for Dads
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
You may be far from the foothills of Arizona, but “Taliesin West: At Home With Frank Lloyd Wright” will transport fans to the late architect’s iconic winter home and design laboratory — now a UNESCO World Heritage Site — with its clothbound cover, gorgeous full-bleed photos and intimate text.
A decorative bowl has many uses; it can be a serving piece, a catchall or a simple bit of ceramic decoration. However you use it, the stoneware Equinox Bowl from Jayson Home brightens a room with a rim that suggests rays of sunshine
Apple’s cheapest tablet, the light iPad 10th Gen nonetheless delivers a high-resolution screen, a 10-hour battery life and an improved 12-megapixel FaceTime camera. Its speedy processing power also makes it easier to edit videos and record podcasts.
Read More The iPad is the Best Tablet
The retro Swatch Flik Flak helps teach kids how to tell time, with characters “Flik” and “Flak” as the minute and hour hands. Unlike smartwatches, this analog model doesn’t ping kids with distracting notifications and isn’t banned in any schools.
Read More The 34 Best Gifts for 7-Year-Olds
Set on the border of a medieval city, Cathedral pits two rival teams against each other as they race to protect their cathedrals and gain territory by placing castle pieces around them. This low-commitment game is quick-playing and easy to master.
Read More The Best Board Games
Supremely soft and flexible, the Asher Evergreen Golf Gloves are made of cabretta leather and snugly mold to a player’s hand to improve grip and prevent blisters. They come in both men’s and women’s sizes in a number of soft hues.
Our top pick for six years, the Cultiver Linen Sheets are soft with a light, bouncy feel, yet they are quite durable and drape beautifully. Cool on the skin, the fabric is made of flax grown in Belgium and France, which is then woven in Portugal and China.
Read More The Best Linen Sheets
For devoted stargazers, the manual Astronomers Without Borders OneSky Reflector Telescope offers the opportunity to learn how to align its mirrors. The tabletop scope has quality optics — we quickly spotted Saturn’s rings and Jupiter and its moons.
Read More The Best Telescopes for Beginners
Oxo
The OXO Little Salad Dressing Shaker makes light work of dressings and marinades, thanks to measurements on the side for easy assembly, grips for shaking and even a pour spout. It also can go straight into the refrigerator for storage.
The Gingiber Tea Towel Club Subscription delivers flour-sack towels bedecked with flora- and fauna-inspired screen prints by Arkansas artist Stacie Bloomfield. The 100 percent cotton towels are soft, absorbent and just plain charming
Read More The 32 Best Gifts for Your Mother-in-Law
A hotly anticipated Nintendo Switch release, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (finally) debuts its titular princess in a starring role for the first time. Instead of waiting to be rescued, Zelda battles monsters and solves riddles herself.
Read More The Best Video Games of 2024 So Far
Once built, this 906-piece, mint-green Lego Retro Radio 10344 not only looks like a 1970s transistor radio, it can play 12 different audio clips, too. It also includes space to hide a smartphone inside — just put on your music to make songs sound like they’re coming from the radio’s speaker.
Read More The Best Lego Sets for Adults
Evoking its ancient forbear, the romantic West Elm Indoor/Outdoor Wavy Edge Basic Candle has an organic lip, waxlike plastic exterior and light that flickers like a real flame. But this battery-powered flameless candle is safe and long-lasting.
Read More Outdoor and Backyard Lighting We Love
For those who miss their languid days of leafing through LPs, let the Vinyl Me Please Records of the Month revive their collection. The company presses new releases and reissues in hip-hop, rock, blues and more.
Read More The 48 Best Gifts for Dads
The Bellroy Tokyo Tote is made with a fine-weave polyester that is durable and water-resistant and won’t easily scuff. In addition to an internal padded laptop sleeve, it has thoughtful details like leak-proof zippers and popout bottle pockets.
Read More The Best Laptop Tote Bags
Based on original illustrations by Emma Mierop, the handmade Skippy Cotton Lavender Sachets emit a delicate scent. With a twill tape ribbon loop and whimsical fairy-tale quality, these are meant for ornamentation, not hiding in drawers.
Read More The 49 Best Stocking Stuffers for Adults
Once upon a time, lamps had to be plugged into outlets. Not anymore: The Ray Table Lamp by Daniel Schofield goes anywhere you need it, but looks just as good as one that needs to be tethered to a wall.
A Nintendo Switch must-have, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has the titular hero and his pals seeking treasure in a strange papercraft world. While energetic and charming, it does require a lot of reading — too much for most little kids.
Read More The Best Video Games of 2024 So Far
It doesn’t get more classic than a ski beanie from the Austrian company Eisbär, and getting its Bobble Hat Italy in the colors of the flag will have you all set for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
The all-American gymnast Margzetta Frazier relies on the Shash Nylon Boar Bristle Brush for sleek competition hair. Similarly to a Mason Pearson brush, the boar-nylon combination bristles distribute natural hair oils from root to tip — at a fraction of the price.
Read More What an Elite Gymnast Uses to Keep Her Hair Out of Her Face While Competing
Amazon
I love the wonderful smells that accompany camping, but I do not like incense. So when my dad bought me this Incense of the West 7 Scent Sampler, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My skepticism was misguided. Each time I light one of these, the smells of cedar, hickory or mesquite transport me without overwhelming my living room.
The 3-by-2-foot Melissa & Doug Race Around the World Tracks Floor Puzzle brilliantly doubles as a racetrack. After finishing the engaging 48-piece puzzle, littles can wind up the two small race cars that are included and watch them zip around the twisting track.
Read More The 42 Best Gifts for 2-Year-Olds
The delightful Wing On Wo & Co. Chopstick Rests are made by a five-generation-operated shop in Manhattan’s Chinatown that specializes in porcelain ware. Mix and match colorful produce options like watermelon, lotus root and pink radish.
Read More The 23 Best Host and Hostess Gifts
Never get caught on the beach — or anywhere — without the perfect towel. Made with organic Turkish cotton, the lightweight, absorbent Coyuchi Mediterranean Organic Towel dries quickly and takes up less space in a tote bag, despite its large size.
Read More The Best Beach Towel
Embroidered with brightly colored flowers, the sheer-nylon Sock Candy Ditsy Floral Socks are art for the ankles. While delicate-looking, they have reinforced cotton toes and cuffs for durability at those stress points.
Read More Yes, Everyone’s Socks Are Showing. Here’s How to Style the Trend.
The design of the 3Doodler Flow allows the index finger to easily reach the pen’s buttons for controlling the speed and starting or stopping the filament. So with little practice, newbies can draw their own creations or pick from hundreds of stencils.
Read More The Best 3-D Pen
The Embrace Bathmat offers a warm hug — and a whimsical touch — every time someone steps out of the shower. Made from thick organic cotton with a nonslip backing, it’s a feel-good design for the year ahead.
A bit of a dad joke, the easy-to-grip Be Home Gold Corn Holders hold corn cobs on either end with decorative golden ears.
Read More The 49 Best Stocking Stuffers for Adults
With nine big LED bulbs and different light settings, the Thinkspace Beauty Hollywood Mirror features the Hollywood-style lighting that’s all the rage among the youngs these days. The rotating countertop mirror tidily fits atop a desk or dresser.
Read More The 45 Best Gifts for Teens
The handsome vintage-style Camp Snap Screen-Free Digital Camera is a simple point-and-shoot that has to be hooked up to a computer via USB-C cable to view the photos. It does have a slow shutter speed and needs decent light, so patience is required.
Read More The Camp Snap Camera Is Great for Kids. There’s Just One Big Problem.
Available in three sizes, the classic French-style Garrett Wade Galvanized Harvest Basket is solid and rustproof. With comfy beechwood handles, this pretty basket makes harvesting peak-season bounty a breeze.
Read More The 23 Best Gifts for Gardeners
The beginner-friendly Buddy Lee Jump Rope has ergonomic long handles for a solid grip, and its sturdy beads provide a little extra weight that makes the rope easier to control.
Read More The 5 Best Jump Ropes
A staff favorite for family camping, the massive, wagon-shaped REI Co-op Wonderland 6 comfortably sleeps six, with lots of interior storage. The well-designed tent has two round doors and a removable room divider.
Read More The Best Camping Tents
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
From buck-toothed alpacas to chickens so pretty they should have cosmetics contracts, the subjects in “Farm Life: A Collection of Animal Portraits” are hardly the stuff of Old McDonald. With his charmingly elevated portraits, the photographer Randal Ford makes them all look like barnyard superstars.
Amazon
The strap is adjustable, the material is cooling and there are even divots for each eyeball. The icing on the cake? The MUSICOZY 3D Bluetooth Sleep Mask has built-in headphones, so you can comfortably listen to white noise or whatever other sounds you need to drift off to dreamland.
The darling 476-piece Lego Creator 3in1 Birdhouse, recommended for ages 8 and up, offers three different builds of creatures in play scenes: a birdhouse and five birds, a hedgehog and a squirrel with a bench or a beehive with four bees.
Read More The Best Lego Sets for Kids
Available in small (8 inches) or large (13 inches), the Fortessa Jupiter Hobnail Glass Cake Stand mimics the beaded detailing of vintage Parisian hobnail glass. It comes in pink, blue or clear.
Read More The 32 Best Gifts for Your Mother-in-Law
Woven with downy baby alpaca wool, the whisper-thin Area Home Liam Throw feels like cashmere and drapes like a shawl — yet it’s still as warm as thicker blankets. It comes in two sizes and more than a dozen colors.
Read More The Best Throw Blankets
Manduka
There’s comfort in bringing your own gear to a yoga class or in setting yourself up to practice at home. The Manduka Yoga Blanket, made from recycled Peruvian cotton, is just the right weight for yoga — and it’s stylish enough to serve as a couch throw between sessions.
Originally made for medical workers, the ergonomic Calzuro Classic Clogs have since become a fashionable favorite, thanks to their great colors (lipstick red, royal blue, bright teal and more). The tough Italian rubber is machine washable, too.
Read More The 42 Best Gifts for Mom
While the water-resistant Tune Belt SP2 Running Belt is large enough to hold a phone and other necessities, it won’t jiggle around with each step, thanks to secure internal pocket dividers and a Velcro-like band. The belt doesn’t chafe, either.
Read More The Best Running Belts
In a galaxy-spanning adventure, Star Wars Outlaws (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) puts players in the boots of Kay Vess, who has a bounty on her head. Along with her furry pet Nix, Kay cavorts with crime syndicates to assemble a team for a big heist.
Read More The Best Video Games of 2024 So Far
When kids are ready to leave cheapo costume jewelry behind, enter the understated-but-captivating Pura Vida Silver Mood Ring. The round crystal can cycle through six colors (like amber: “Next-level creative & totally dreamy”).
Read More The 32 Best Gifts for 10-Year-Olds
Oxo
Few tasks are more time-consuming than pitting cherries, especially when you have a toddler who demands them every summer day. Save yourself time and the hassle with this simple and affordable OXO Good Grips Cherry & Olive Pitter. The best part — it’s easy to clean!
Affordable and travel-friendly, the compact Zeeporte Snorkel Set is packed with thoughtful details: The fins are short enough to fit into most carry-ons, and the pinch-release buckle on the mask is easy to adjust.
Read More The Best Basic Snorkel Set
The multipurpose Nisaku Stainless Steel Weeding Knife has sharp teeth that make it a go-to for digging, sawing and more. This tough hori-hori-style knife has a rust-resistant blade, a nice-to-hold handle and a synthetic-leather sheath.
Read More The 28 Best Father’s Day Gifts
Trick your children into hygiene with the Philips Sonicare for Kids Design a Pet Edition, which comes with adorable animal stickers for decorating the handle. The brush head and handle are perfect for small hands, and it has a two-minute timer.
Read More The Best Electric Toothbrush for Kids
Rikumo
This beautiful cotton cloth Shibori Tenugui Tea Towel from Rikumo can be whatever you need it to be: dish dryer, table runner, place mat, accent piece, napkin, gift wrap.
Offbeat types might be taken with the strange but satisfying D.S. & Durga Pasta Water Candle. It’s long lasting and emits a fascinating, savory-and-salty aroma.
Read More Our Favorite Scented Candles
Ruby Lambie
Give a gift that keeps on giving: Flying Wish Paper. Your loved ones can write their hopes or prayers on delicate slips that fly upward (to heaven or the neighbors upstairs) once lit.
The handsome, breathable Tracksmith Session Shorts are made with an Italian-sourced jersey blend that is UV protective, moisture-wicking and supersoft. They also have an internal drawcord and a nice variety of zip pockets.
Read More The 48 Best Gifts for Dads
Sara Krulwich/The New York Times
Theater tickets too expensive? A TDF Membership, from the people who run the TKTS booth, offers discounts so that students, teachers, school staff, young adults (30 and under), union members and retirees can experience Broadway and beyond without experiencing sticker shock.
The beautifully designed Herb Lester Guides offer travel with a distinct point of view. “Serge Gainsbourg’s Paris,” for example, forgoes lists of attractions but features L’Hôtel Meurice, where he often visited Salvador Dali, presented on a fold-out map.
Read More The 43 Best Gifts for Frequent Travelers
While pricier than our top pick for a water-based lube, the aloe-forward Maude Shine has a lovely slick texture. And it also comes in an attractive bottle with minimalist branding that would look classy on a nightstand.
Read More The Best Personal Lubricants
Like jewelry for the tootsies, these luxe Maria La Rosa Laminated One Socks sparkle up any outfit (slingbacks, denim). The Italian-made silk-blend pair come in more than a dozen dazzling colors.
Read More The 40 Best Gifts for Girlfriends (That Are Great for Anyone)
Each of the Eat Drink Lucky Artist Tea Towels in this unusual and whimsical series, now in its fifth year, is designed by a different Maine artist. Even your level of commitment can be customized: Subscribe for a full year or in three-month “seasons.”
The tiny, wireless Soundcore Sleep A20 Earbuds have cushioned wings, a mobile app with sleep tracking and a long-lasting battery, so you can listen to calming music or other sounds to drift off to sleep.
Read More The Best Sleep Headphones
All camping chairs are not made equal. With a firmer backrest and supportive seat, the mesh-ventilated Kijaro Dual Lock Chair will keep loungers more comfortable. It’s also extra stable because of a secure locking mechanism.
Read More The Best Camping Chairs
Young riders will be overjoyed with the splashy, colorful designs of the lightweight Guardian Ethos pedal bike. Parents will be reassured by the front and rear brake system that prevents flipping over handlebars.
Read More The Best First Pedal Bike
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Yes, she supposedly wrote “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” on the same day in 1973. (What, like it’s hard?) But there’s far more to learn about the spangled, singular career that is faithfully cataloged in “Dolly Parton: All the Songs — The Story Behind Every Track,” a chatty, picture-strewn encyclopedia ideal for both completists and casual fans.
Katie Kimmel
Do you have a friend who loves linguine and clams, dirty martinis or even steak Diane? If so, one of these joyful Katie Kimmel Food & Drink Tops is for them.
With the bright, cheerful Isaac Jacobs LED Neon Wall Sign, teens can give their bedroom a literal glow-up — the collection includes motifs such as a rose, a cactus and a rainbow. The plug-in signs do require a separate USB wall charger.
Read More The 31 Best Gifts for Tweens
Make the family cat or dog into a squeezable All About Vibe Custom Pet Pillow by sending a high-res image and choosing from 10-, 16- or 24-inch heights. The resulting stuffed-polyester velvet pillow is shockingly and adorably realistic.
Read More The 27 Best High School Graduation Gifts
For a dreamy movie night under the stars or anywhere else, the Nebula Mars 3 Air full-HD LED projector has good image brightness, contrast and sound quality. It’s also outfitted with both a built-in battery and convenient streaming app.
Read More The Best Portable Mini Projector
With Italian leather accents and higher-end Hinomoto wheels, Carl Friedrik The Carry-On is a worthwhile upgrade. Its polycarbonate and aluminum design, with two latch locks, is incredibly tough and secure.
Read More The Best Carry-On Luggage
Fire has a primitive appeal, so why do so many of the accessories designed for them look so refined? Urbino Iron Candleholders are hand-forged in Umbria, Italy, with a pleasingly rustic look.
Top-rated in Virginia Tech’s safety tests, the Giro Aeries Spherical bike helmet is exceptionally light, well ventilated and comfortable. One neat detail that should be an industry standard: a triangle of reflective tape on the back.
Read More The Best Bike Helmet for Commuters
National Geographic
OK, I don’t want to start a birder war here, but for the beginner, there really is no beating the “National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America” (sorry, Sibley guide, but it’s true). The maps are right next to the entries, the illustrations are great, there are thumb tabs and a cover index — and one guide gets you the whole continent.
From the Dutch illustrator Dick Bruna’s popular picture books, the cutie-patootie Miffy Night Light will help soothe littles into slumber. Made from soft silicone, it has six brightness settings and automatically turns off after 15 minutes.
Read More The Best 39 Christmas Gifts for Everyone on Your List
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
The award-winning photographer and environmentalist Sebastian Copeland has spent decades exploring the outermost reaches of the planet. In “The Arctic: A Darker Shade of White” (which includes a foreword by Jane Goodall), he sounds the alarm for climate change, while also reminding us of the astonishing large-scale beauty of those landscapes and their animal inhabitants.
For sporty business travelers, the carry-on Patagonia Black Hole is a bit like a portable office. Its smartly designed split interior is organized into compartments for a laptop and other essentials.
Read More The Best Carry-On Travel Backpack
The speedy Qwixx is a roll-and-write dice game (like Yahtzee). After rolling, all players add the two white dice and cross the total off their scoresheets, and then pick a number from one of the other four dice, trying to X out the most numbers.
Read More 5 Great Modern Yahtzee Alternatives, According to a Board Game Expert
Handy for makeup, art supplies or sleepovers, the zippered Baggu Go Pouch Set includes three different sizes of machine-washable recycled nylon pouches, and come in several vibrant patterns.
Read More The 40 Best Gifts for Girlfriends (That Are Great for Anyone)
The Viviva Watercolor Sheets are pretty genius. Each teeny flip notebook contains eight pages with four richly pigmented colors and water-repellent sheets in between. Dab a wet brush onto the paint squares to whip up watercolor art on the go.
Read More The 49 Best Stocking Stuffers for Adults
One of the year’s best action-adventure video games, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown challenges Sargon (that would be the player) to rescue a prince lost in a bizarre, time-distorted kingdom by battling fearsome enemies and completing quests.
Read More The Best Video Games of 2024 So Far
Maya Njie, a self-taught perfumer, makes transcendent fragrances that evoke sweet memories. Her Tropica Eau de Parfum became my go-to spritz this summer, and I’ve never been stopped by so many strangers who were drawn to its fruity, woodsy notes.
Like a cross between cornhole and frisbee, Kan Jam is ideal for beaches and park hangs. Two teams compete at tossing a disc toward a large bucket, gaining points if the disc hits the can, drops in its top or slides in the front slot.
Read More 5 Offline Games We Love for Camping (That Are Also Great for the Backyard)
Emily Dawn Long
Acetate hair holders have been ubiquitous for a while, but Emily Dawn Long’s Spiral Hair Clip is less expected. Add it to any outfit for an esoteric touch.
Each stately box of Greenomic Good Hair Day Pasta shows the face of a woman surrounded by a hair-shaped cutout to showcase the pasta. Handmade in Italy with durum wheat semolina using bronze casts, they make for silky, toothsome noodles.
Read More The 11 Best Birthday Gifts for Her
Ideal as a serving platter for a fluffy layer cake or a rainbow of crudités, the Felt+Fat Confetti Dinner Plate makes a party spread feel more festive with its splatter design. Made in a Philadelphia pottery studio, it’s also microwave- and dishwasher-safe.
Read More The Best Dinnerware Sets
Burgeoning social media stars or sports-nut parents might find the Insta360 Flow Pro Gimbal invaluable for creating smooth, cinematic videos on their smartphones. The compact stabilizer has a built-in tripod, three-axis stabilization and a convenient app.
Read More The Best Android and iPhone Gimbal
Salt and pepper grinders often get left on the counter or the dining table, so you might as well have a little fun with them. The Molino Grinders by Fabien Cappello spice things up with colors and shapes that make these pieces feel like tabletop sculptures.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
Mark Bittman’s “Kids Cook Everything,” his first cookbook for the smaller set, is a scrumptiously detailed manual that, to paraphrase its subtitle, provides children with inspiration and recipes to make the food they love. (Ages 8 to 12).
On family trips, kids’ podcasts are doldrum destroyers. The segment “Mystery Sounds” from Brains On! Universe had us debating a crackle-crackle-shake for miles. I found “Brains On!” first as a live show; get your offspring hooked on other series, such as “Circle Round” or “Story Pirates,” and then sweeten their connection through events or perk-filled member clubs.
Whether used for holding desk accessories, toiletries or something else, these MoMA Design Store Multicolor Glass Jars bring a playful touch to everyday storage.
Save home theater enthusiasts the headache of multiple remotes. With an intuitive button layout and fast smartphone setup, the Sofabaton U2 Universal Remote Control can orchestrate up to 15 AV devices.
Read More The Best Gear for a Home Theater System
My kids love Wondery Outdoors’ Original Parks of the USA Bucket List Bottle. We have been to only three of the parks pictured on it (who knew there were so many?), but we plan on visiting more, probably so they can add more stickers to their bottles. They’re already mapping out next summer’s adventure.
John Burcham for The New York Times
This is probably the best-value item in this entire gift guide. A mere $80 buys you (and your car passengers) an America the Beautiful Pass from the National Park Service, which grants access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. Better yet, an annual pass for seniors is only $20, and a program for fourth graders is free.
The fun, hygienic Vwmyq Silicone Face Scrubber comes in six colors and effectively but gently does what it says it’ll do. With light pressure, the silicone tips comfortably cleans out facial divots, removing grit and grime in a jiffy.
Read More After Half a Century of Skipping Skin Care, This $9 Scrubber Finally Got Me Washing My Face
Burgeoning yogis or runners who need to invest in a restorative stretch will find the Manduka Cork Yoga Block vital. This versatile, heavy block has nicely rounded edges and an extra grip that makes it harder to slip.
Read More After a Mat, These Cork Blocks Are the Yoga Props Worth Investing In
Unlike competitors like Audible, the audiobook service Libro.fm Gift Bundle lets users choose an indie bookstore to support with their subscription, and the site includes smart recommendations from real booksellers.
Read More 14 Great Gifts for Book Lovers
E-reader devotees can get the tactile pleasure of a leather-bound book with the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Cork Cover. Lightweight and velvety, the handsome cork cover is water-resistant and magnetic.
Read More The Best Kindle Cases
Glamsquad
Give the gift of glam to your home-bound or busy loved ones. A Glamsquad Gift Card allows them to book blowouts, hair styling, makeup and manicure-pedicures at home or at another location of their choosing in select cities across the U.S.
Made with a rubberlike polymer and a contoured footbed, the Birkenstock Boston Essentials EVA won’t get water-stained — ideal for active teens. The flexible clogs are available in 12 colors, ranging from black to light sage.
Read More The 57 Best Gifts Under $100
Draper of Glastonbury
I swear by Draper of Glastonbury’s Jane Shearling Slippers, which feel like a very elegant alternative to Uggs. They are extremely comfortable and last for years.
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After being haunted by Béis in every airport, I gave in and got the Convertible Mini Weekender. I get the hype. It has a removable sleeve for computers and a detachable bottom compartment, and it fits under a plane seat. The bigger version works as a carry-on.
Sprinkled into a hot bath, Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath Salts — a mixture of sodium carbonate, mustard seed powder and botanical oils — help muscles relax, while its enlivening aroma of eucalyptus, rosemary and wintergreen awakens the senses.
Read More 49 Wirecutter-Approved Stocking Stuffers for Adults
Michel Leroy
This beautiful wooden Pilates Designs Classic Wood Reformer is handmade in a family-owned facility in Astoria, Queens. It’s fully customizable, even down to the carriage material — giving you the option to match your exercise equipment to your home décor.
Sonny Figueroa/The New York Times
The lively and accessible “Mini Architects: 20 Projects Inspired by the Great Architects” takes young readers on a journey around the world to see some of its most famous architecture — the Pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge and the Eiffel Tower, among others — and guides them through accompanying art projects using easy-to-find materials. (Ages 4 to 8.)
Taschen
So much redrum is spilled in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” a compendium on the making of the late director’s deeply influential foray into horror. It includes rare photos from the production, cast and crew interviews, letters, sketches, maze models and much more. It’s not all work, it’s not all play, but it is all truly fascinating.
The esoteric and upbeat Judy Geib Erewhon Necklace comes with gold and sterling silver components — making it an easy piece to mix and match with other pieces in your jewelry box.
For responsible teens, the versatile, intuitive Apple Watch SE GPS+ Cellular offers games, apps, talk-to-text messaging and group chats with friends. For adult caregivers, it has GPS tracking and parental controls.
Read More The Best Smartwatches for Kids
The six-inch Original Rose Nike Basketball Planter, the creation of New York City artist Olivia Rose, comes in three colors (pink, black and orange), with a galvanized metal chain for hanging. Give it with a climbing vine (pothos, California ivy).
The smooth, dapper Journey Alti Slim Wireless Charging Desk Mat has two MagSafe charging pads for an iPhone and AirPods. And its detachable blotter, made of felt and vegan leather, can be flipped back to show a desk calendar or sticky notes below.
Read More The 4 Best Apple Wireless Charging Stations for Multiple Devices
Romantic but still comfortable, the sweet Eberjey Malou Tencel Modal Shortie Short PJ Set is made with a soft jersey blend offset with lovely wide lace trim.
Read More 15 Great Bridal Shower Gifts
Pair the Loop Experience 2 with actual concert tickets for your young giftee’s favorite artist. The comfortable concert earplugs come with four tips for nearly every ear shape and won’t overly muffle the sound. They’ll thank you in about 30 years.
Read More he Best Earplugs for Concerts
For those subscribed to (and perhaps overwhelmed by) multiple streaming services, the Google TV Streamer (4K) organizes a tangle of platforms into a sleek, customizable and unified interface. It also has an ethernet input port for more stable binge-watching.
Read More The 2 Best Media Streaming Devices
With RGB backlighting and full programmability, the wireless NuPhy Air75 V2 is one well-made keyboard. Its comfortable, gently sloping shape and smooth typing feel make for effortless clicking and clacking.
Movie buffs or gaming geeks will dig the LG C4, which boasts wide viewing angles, stellar picture quality and zippy gameplay. Available in six sizes (including a massive 83 inches), the OLED TV will fit comfortably into any room.
Read More The Best OLED TV
The expansive, easy-to-clean Nemo Victory Blanket combines a waterproof polyurethane bottom and a soft flannel top. More smart details: There’s a pocket between clasping straps, and the clasps themselves can open bottles.
Read More The Best Picnic Blanket
All prices quoted were checked shortly before publication, but prices change often and might not match what is found online. Readers should make sure to check in-stock and delivery status.
