15 Fun Gift Ideas They’ll Actually Use

You want to give a special gift, something meaningful your [insert friend/relative/beau/dog] will actually use and appreciate, not just relegate to a shelf with an “aww, that’s nice.” Every November, I start a list in Google Keep with ideas for everyone I share the holidays with, as I try to find something that captures (as the great poets the Spice Girls have said, is) what they want, what they really, really want. Asking directly is always the best route, but we all know people who brush off and deflect that question. That’s where these gift ideas come in. They’re all items tested, tried and vetted, unless otherwise noted, and they’re all a little extra special than the generic scarf or candle or grill brush.

1. A Candle-Making Kit
   A gift that doubles as your new hobby (at least for one night)? Sign me up. Choose from one of five scents combinations, and you—or whoever you’re gifting—will receive a kit with everything needed to create four candles. $46, Amazon
2. The Honest Enneagram book
   For that friend who got really into Myers-Briggs tests (or astrology), it’s time to introduce them to enneagram personality types. The enneagram is divided into nine psyches, or types, that can provide insights into how you process the world. After reading Don Richard Ruso’s Personality Types last fall, I became hooked. I’ve been following @enneagramandcoffee on Instagram, and her combinations of illustrations and information really bring the topic to life. $14, Amazon
3. Delicora Neptune Double Chain Necklace
   The necklace itself is delicate and really catches the light well, but the best feature, by far, is the ultra-strong, ultra-discreet magnetic clasp closure, which makes putting it on and taking it off a breeze. Delicora.com, $58
4. Wits & Wagers Board Game
   We’ve written about this game before, but that’s just because it’s that good. It’s a friendly, no-money-involved betting game that gets everyone engaged but doesn’t require a ton of thought or strategy (so it’s perfect if your brain is fried and you just want to have a good time). Oh, and if the person on your list has the original, the company released a new Vegas edition. Amazon, $20

5. Priority Planner
It’s pricey for a notebook, but I’ve really enjoyed using Rachel Hollis‘s priority planner this past year, and I believe that it truly does help you focus and set goals. (Case in point: I dreamed of quintupling my traffic this year, as crazy as it seemed to me, but by breaking the goal down and honing in on it every day with the planner—I’ve met and exceeded it.) Target, $23

6. Blockaroos Foam Building Toys
LEGO and Magna-Tiles get all the attention, but Blockaroos are even more versatile: These foam building blocks attach magnetically, double as bath toys, make ratcheting noises as you twist and play with them, and are much softer underfoot if you stumble across them in your kid’s room in the middle of the night. What’s not to love? Amazon, $30

7. Gund Kai Bear
This super soft, super cuddly, gigantic-headed psychedelic bear delights little kids. Emerie takes it wherever she goes, and it’s quick to turn heads among the preschool set. It’s also available in a slightly more mellow, purple-and-blue color combo. Walmart, $25

8. Baby Yoda Bop-It
Part doll, part game: The ’90s “twist it, turn it” race-against-the-clock game has been Star Wars-ified, and while I wonder what this means for poor Baby Yoda, it does mean fun for the whole fam. Walmart, $15

9. Cold Brew Coffee Maker
For the friend with a Starbucks obsession, there’s no better gift than the ability to make one’s own cold brew. It’s way easier than you’d think. Amazon, $18

10. Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
The sci-fi novel has a sequel?! You better believe it, and it just hit bookstores (and online shops) everywhere. Amazon, $16

11. Gideon’s Bakehouse Merch
Support your favorite local shops by confessing your love on your sleeve. Gideon’s Bakehouse in Florida is a fave of ours, and the brand’s just launched a series of tees—and a coffee cake cookie-scented candle—so you can bring a bit of their magic home, no matter how far away you are. GideonsBakehouse.com, $29-$31

12. Quay Blue Light Glasses
If you spend all day in front of a screen, these can be a worthwhile investment. While I’m not sold on the science behind them, I can say wearing a pair throughout the day has cut back on the headaches I’d been having. (Psst: Sign up for their emails and hold out for a sale—select styles are often reduced to $25 to $29.) Quay.com, $25-$65

13. Personalized Minimalist Rings
Stamp your name, the GPS coordinates of where you met (or were married), the date your kids were born, you name it. This customized gift, available in silver, gold or rose gold, is a showstopper. Etsy.com, starting at $29

14. Throw Throw Burrito, Outdoor Edition
A card game that involves flinging three-foot-tall inflatable burritos at each other? We’re in. Target, $15

15. Ripstix Set
If you know someone who wants to live healthier but hates the idea of hitting the gym, a pair of Ripstix and a one-month subscription to Pound Backstage could be just right. The cardio drumming classes are so much fun, you truly don’t realize you’re doing nonstop lunges and squats. Promise. Amazon, $20 (Backstage subscription = $10/mo.)