5 Useful Gifts For This Holiday Season

Buying people gifts for the holidays is meant to be a heartfelt and joyous task, but let’s be honest – sometimes, it gets to the point where it feels like more of a headache than anything. What makes it even more difficult is figuring out how to find a gift that your loved one will actually enjoy (and not exchange or re-gift). 

Some loved ones are easy to buy gifts for – maybe they have a special hobby or talent that you can easily pick up supplies or books for, or maybe they’re very vocal about the things they want as gifts throughout the year. Some people, on the other hand, are seemingly impossible to find the right gift for – they’re either super aloof about the things they like, insist they never want anything or buy themselves everything they want as soon as they see it. 

Whether your friend or loved one is clear about their interests or not, your best bet for a gift that will impress and excite them is something utilitarian that they will actually use regularly.

Now, this is not to say that you need to get them something “boring,” like a storage bin or a box of cleaning supplies. Quite the opposite, in fact – there are plenty of exciting, useful gift options anyone would love to receive. From tea gift sets to subscription boxes to self-care supplies, here are few unique ideas to pick up for your loved one on your next gift shopping trip:

A Back, Neck Or Hand Massager

It’s hard to think of any grown adult who wouldn’t be excited to receive some sort of personal massager that they can use at home whenever they need it. Whether it’s a handheld back massager, a personal massage pad that drapes over the shoulders, or a small hand massaging machine that will fit perfectly on their desk, there is a large variety of personal massagers that your loved one will be excited to receive as a gift. 

This is an especially great gift if you know they do work that involves a lot of labor or effort with a certain part of their body – for instance, if they’re constantly lifting heavy things or writing all day long. 

A Set Of Yummy Teas

Does your friend love curling up with a hot cup of tea after a long day or starting their morning with a glass of iced tea instead of coffee? A beautiful set of loose leaf teas could be the perfect gift for them for any occasion. 

Try looking for a set that has more than one option – for instance, a mellow, caffeine-free tea for bedtime, an energizing black tea for the morning and a sweet green tea for a midday pick-me-up.

A Small Cooking Appliance

If it’s within your budget for this particular loved one, why not go big and get them a small kitchen appliance they can use to make their nightly dinners a little easier? This is an especially great gift for those friends who love cooking and trying fun new recipes in the kitchen.

A mini waffle maker, coffee maker or single-serving blender could be the perfect gift that they’re sure to love. If you want to go above and beyond, throw in a fun new cookbook.

A Subscription Box

Ever since subscription boxes hit the scene, they’ve been a major hit for holidays and birthdays alike. From meal kits to self-care boxes to craft kits and much, much more, there’s seemingly a subscription box for everybody to enjoy nowadays.

They tend to be a bit on the pricier side, so keep that in mind as you’re shopping for your loved ones. However, they are quite literally the gift that keeps on giving, and with so many options to choose from, you’re bound to find something amazing that will make their life easier, sweeter or simply more fun. 

Gift Cards

This may be a super obvious (and unoriginal option), but you’d be surprised just how touched and relieved your friend would be to receive a gift card to their favorite gift card, coffee shop or retail store this holiday season. With the holidays being a time of excessive spending, cooking and shopping, there can often be very little time leftover for the people we love to pour back into themselves. Giving someone the gift of a free meal after a week of cooking for visiting relatives or a retail gift card for them to stock up on some free essentials after spending so much of their budget on gifts will most certainly be welcome. 

If you want to do a little something extra, put together a basket of various small gift cards to their favorite stores, so they can treat themselves when and how they’d like.