If you do not know what you want for Christmas—or need a gift for someone who seems to have everything—start with how the gift will be used. An experience, a useful upgrade, a favorite consumable, or time together can be more welcome than another object. These twenty-five ideas offer different starting points, with practical checks to help you choose.
A Quick Way to Build a Useful Wish List
- Name something you regularly use that needs replacing.
- Choose one experience you would enjoy and note any date limits.
- List a favorite food, hobby supply, or other consumable.
- Offer a lower-cost option or time together so the giver has a choice.
Retail examples below are starting points, not promises of current price, availability, delivery, or plan terms. Confirm the details before ordering, including device compatibility, allergies, renewals, and whether the recipient will have to pay anything later.
Creative Gift Ideas For Someone With Everything
1. Gift An Experience
If someone on your list loves to go to new places and explore new things, consider giving an experience. Plan a long weekend getaway in a bed and breakfast, present them with tickets to a nearby winery or microbrewery, or a bus ride to a museum or theater. Wrap the tickets in a festive gift box and wrap them with a colorful seasonal ribbon. The recipients will appreciate the time and personal attention you took to give them such a creative gift. Other experience ideas are:
- Concert tickets to their favorite band
- Tickets to a college or pro football game
- Tickets to an Escape room
- Tickets to a Broadway show
- Tickets for a dinner train excursion
- Tickets to an art class
- Tickets to a water park
If you want to find discounts and other gift experience ideas, check out Groupon.com, an online resource that offers discounts for products and services.
2. Give A Gift That Keeps Giving
If someone on your gift list cares about a special charitable organization, make a donation in their name. What a way to show them how much you appreciate them for what they care about. For example, if your recipient is an animal lover and volunteers for the local animal shelter, make a donation in their name. Present the gift tied with a ribbon around a stuffed dog or cat with a handwritten note. You can share what the amount was, but it isn’t necessary. This is a gift from the heart and the thought that counts. This is a win, win Christmas gift idea because not only are you presenting someone you love with a thoughtful gift, a nonprofit organization is benefiting too.
3. Book Subscription Gifts
If there is an avid reader on your list, gift them a book of the month. It’s like they get 12 gifts in one! In addition to the book, some subscription boxes usually include special treats like self-care products, tea bags, and bookmarks. Each month a new box with the latest read will arrive at the front door. Bookworms will love that you realize they are well-read, and every month, they will think of you and how special this Christmas gift was. There are many online stores that offer this smart gift idea, but Book of the Month Club is the original and offers three subscription options. Two other favorite book subscription sites are The Book Drop and Page One Books. It’s always a happy ending for the readers in your life and a page-turner of a gift!
4. A Bedtime Wind-Down Kit
A quiet-evening gift can combine a comfortable eye mask, a book, a soft throw, or a caffeine-free drink the recipient already enjoys. Choose for their preferences rather than presenting a device or tea as a treatment for insomnia. A helpful gift should not promise to block thoughts, remove anxiety, or guarantee deep sleep. If they specifically want a sleep-related product, check its current information and avoid making health claims on its behalf.
5. Tea-riffic Tea Collection
It’s tea time anytime for the tea lovers on your list. Gourmet tea collections are the perfect way to sample different tea flavors and find a new favorite. From black tea to green tea, from herbal tea to floral tea, the gift of tea will surely put a new meaning on tea time. Tie your tea lover’s gift with a colorful vintage teacup or insulated toddy on the go for a thoughtful tea-riffic holiday gift.
6. Streaming Service
Streaming your favorite television shows and movies has never been so convenient and flexible as it is today. Streaming services like Disney Plus, Netflix, and Hulu are making it less expensive to enjoy anything you want anytime you want. The binge watcher on your gift list will love it when you present a streaming service to them for Christmas. You might want to handwrite a personal message on the gift tag, “Enjoy your faves and remember, I’m available for movie night. I’ll bring the snacks.”
7. DIY Food Kits
Show someone you know loves to cook and loves to eat how much you care by gifting them with a tasty diy food kit. That’s right. No more shopping at crowded markets for ingredients. No more time-consuming recipe searching. The search for the perfect foodie gift is over. DIY food kits include everything you need to create the most delightful and memorable meal. Home Chef, Hello Fresh, and Blue Apron are just a few of the many trusted food kit companies that do all the footwork, so all you have to do is prepare, cook and enjoy. Team up this gift with an apron and tea towel for a delicious and clever presentation.
8. Chocolate Heaven
Here’s a way to put a big smile on someone’s face this Christmas! A chocolate bar is a chocolate bar, but a huge, oversized 5 pound Hershey’s chocolate bar makes an amazing Christmas gift for the chocolate lover on your list. It might blow a diet, but it won’t break the bank. This is a great big way to spend a little and get a big cocoa bang for your buck. If the big bar isn’t what you had in mind, go for the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate box full of 36 chocolate bars to savor. Sweet!
9. Charge It Up!
Everyone on your list with a mobile device eventually runs out of battery. And the list of what you need to charge gets bigger and bigger. Yikes! Enter the perfect universal gift for one and all! Battery chargers are smaller, sleeker, and more convenient than ever and make the perfect gift for your loved ones on the go. Devices like the Halo 4 in 1 wireless charging mat allow you to break free from the cord clutter and charge devices with convenience and ease. Charge more than one device at once… genius and the ideal gift. Plus, it looks great!
10. Wireless Earbuds
Why not splurge and get that special someone on your list a set of wireless earbuds. If they are on the go, if they exercise, if they are on virtual meetings, or just enjoy listening to music, earbuds are the gift to give. Apple’s Airpods is known for its top-of-the-line earbud set with a charger case, but there are other quality brands that are less expensive on the market that will rock your gift-giving world.
11. Warm Comfy Throws
Warm things up with home decor style! Everyone loves to cuddle underneath a warm, cozy blanket. A decorative, fluffy throw not only looks great at the bottom on a bed or draped over the back of a sofa, it is a thoughtful gift that says how much you care. Whether you go for a bright-colored faux fur throw or a more traditional neutral-toned chenille, give a warm comfy throw to keep your loved one warm and comfy… and thinking of you!
12. Timeless & Original Art
Original art can be a thoughtful choice for someone whose taste you know. Visit a local artist or maker, or choose a small piece that suits the recipient’s home. Consider size, display space, framing, and whether they would rather choose the work themselves. Supporting a maker can be part of the appeal, but the best piece is one the recipient will want to keep and use.
13. Gift Cards For Everyone
Gift cards and gift certificates always make the best Christmas gifts. Why? Long after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, you can enjoy shopping for something special. Give one gift card or create a gift card collection with multiple gift cards like gas, restaurants, clothing, online stores, and more.
14. A Class or Workshop
A class can be a useful alternative for someone who enjoys learning but does not need another possession. Consider cooking, pottery, photography, music, or a local craft workshop. Ask about the subject first, then check the date, location, equipment, accessibility, and cancellation terms. An open-date voucher may be easier than choosing a fixed session. A thoughtfully selected lesson gives the recipient a clear experience without assuming that a particular financial investment is appropriate for them.
15. A Game to Play Together
Choose a card game, puzzle, or board game that suits the group’s age, reading level, and number of players. Include an invitation to play rather than leaving the box as another task to organize. For a mixed-age family, cooperative or short-round games can be easier to share. Check what they already own and how much space is needed. This gives the gift a practical use and avoids relying on a chance of winning money to make it feel exciting.
16. Basket Of Goodies
Fill a beautiful basket with snacks, candy, nuts, fruits, and other treats and wrap it up with a big festive bow to complete the presentation. You can create a personalized gift or purchase one from a local retailer or online company like Harry & David or 1-800 Flowers. Consider shopping at one of your local small businesses first. It’s always a good idea to support them first.
17. Mani-Pedi Combo
Everyone loves a gift of pampering. A gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure is a luxury many on your gift list wouldn’t give themselves. If you are gifting one to a close friend, make it an outing for both of you and add lunch to the package.
18. Cold Hard Cash
Cash gifts will bring a smile to anyone’s face. Fill a can with $1 and $5 dollar bills, transform a $20 dollar bill into a holiday origami shape, tuck a $50 into a Christmas card or mini stocking. Any way you present cold hard cash is a way to warm up the holiday season.
19. Candles and Home Fragrance
Candles and home fragrances are beloved by everyone, especially during the Christmas season. There are pillar candles, votive candles, jar candles, flameless candles, scented candles, and unscented candles. There are plug-in fragrance machines, scented sprays, and gel fragrances. The sky is the limit to home fragrance which makes this category a thoughtful scent-sational gift that will light up the holidays.
20. Holiday Decor
Decorating for the holidays is a pastime that many folks love. This tradition is passed down through generations. Add to the memorable special occasion by giving a personalized Christmas tree ornament, a new festive wreath for the hearth, a holiday-themed tea towel, or a Snowman home accent. If you are crafty, create one yourself for a memorable and very personal gift.
21. Name A Star For Someone Special
A commercial star-naming certificate can be a symbolic keepsake, but it does not create an officially recognized astronomical name. If the recipient would enjoy the sentiment, make that limitation clear. A handmade star map or an evening of stargazing can offer a similar personal meaning. If using the existing Star Registry example, check the current contents and terms rather than expecting a particular support service or scientific status.
22. Gift For A Pet
It’s no surprise that the pet industry is booming! People love their pets and love giving them gifts. They also love it when someone recognizes their attachment to their pet. Give the pet lover in your life a gift for their fur baby. A matching collar and leash, a box full of treats, or pajamas for both the owner and the pet. This will bring a paw-mazing smile to their face.
23. Send An Explosion Cake
A fun trend that is hot this holiday season is sending someone special an explosion cake. They are popular for gender reveal parties, Halloween, birthdays, and holiday gift-giving. You select the flavor and design, include a personal message, select a date, and the cake is delivered right to their door. Their theme is “delivering special moments,” and from the reviews, this trend delivers!
24. Thrift Something Special
Repurposing or upcycling something old into something brand new is more popular than ever. Whether you paint an old piece of furniture, redesign a piece of vintage jewelry or hand down a comfortable pair of jeans, consider gifting something from a thrift store or something from your very own closet. Visit your local Salvation Army, or go online to Poshmark and thrift a gift this holiday season.
25. This Gift Of Your Time
Everyone is busy, and time marches on at a faster pace than ever. One of the most special and memorable gifts is giving someone your time. Pinterest has a variety of ideas to help you get started, but the time you spend together doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t cost a dime, either, and is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your loved one.
Before You Buy
A subscription is useful only if the recipient wants it and can use it in their region. Confirm when it starts, how it ends, and whether it renews automatically. For tickets or services, check travel and booking requirements. For food and fragrance, ask about allergies and preferences. A gift should be easy to enjoy without an unexpected bill or an unwanted obligation.
Use the Christmas gift budget guide to plan the total, or browse ten more gift ideas.
How Long Does a Real Christmas Tree Last?
