30 Best Christmas Gifts for Friends

This is the perfect sized wallet to fit inside a bag or tote. It measures 7.32″L x 4.05″W x 1.1″H. The wallet is built to store everything you need; it’s got a large cash slot, a large accessory slot (can fit an iPhone), and 21 card slots. With all of that said, the wallet has a very slim design to it and comes across as very sleek. 

When the wallet is closed, it provides RFID Blocking, which is ideal for travel. Under the leather surface, there is an aluminum embroidered lining that works to keep identity cards safe – what else could we ask for?

You can pick from a wide variety of colors and styles, and buy in confidence knowing this wallet comes with a 1-year warranty if you experience any issues or notice any defects. Get your friend a gift they’ll love this holiday season (and use every single day!). 

Tea Drops are the perfect gift for your tea-loving friend. They’re unique in that they come as little drops. Add them to boiling water, and you’re good to go! They are slightly sweet, but not overdone, and the standard assortment box comes with eight different sample drops. Don’t like your tea sweetened? No problem! Tea Drops also offers Tea Sprinkles that are unsweetened and equally delicious. 

These are eco-friendly and 100% recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable. Hooray for saving the environment! These drops are produced with genuine tea leaves that are delicately pressed with no added preservatives.  

Keep in mind that there will be sediment in your tea. The residue will gather at the bottom and is totally safe and nutritious to drink. Not a huge fan of particles in your tea? No problem, just skip the last sip of your cup! For $16.99 on Amazon, we think that this is the absolute perfect gift for a tea-loving friend. 

Want to get your friends a gift they’ll love without breaking the bank? Get them this soy candle by Lulu Candle! It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and paraben-free, and has one of the longest-lasting burns on the market! Candles are the perfect added staple to any home or apartment. 

Our favorite scent is fresh linen, but there are so many wonderful options to choose from. The scents add a fresh scent to your room without being too overpowering. The candles are made from soy and crafted in America. Honestly, you might want to purchase two – one for your friend and one for yourself. 

If your friends love watching TV, movies, and sports on their TV, and already have subscriptions to major streaming services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, and HBO Go, they’ll appreciate this all-in-one, easy-to-use tool.

This might not be the most original gift—especially since it ends up on most Christmas gift lists—but it’s a great pick for your entertainment-loving friends.

Compared to the other tech gifts on this list, you can’t get a better price on one of the hottest gifts of the 2016 Christmas season.

Customers who’ve used this claim that it’s a lightweight and a much more convenient way to carry a toolbox around with them. So if your friend likes to be prepared and to have a great set of tools always handy, this gift will mean a lot to them.

Swiss army knives and multi-tools aren’t necessarily an original gift—especially for the DIYer in your life. But it doesn’t make this all-purpose tool any less thoughtful or useful.  

Considering the alternative (you buy your friend a hefty toolbox and a new set of tools), you’re getting a great deal with this multi-tool.

For anyone who loves listening to loud music, appreciates lots of bass, and wants to look stylish while doing it, these headphones can’t be beat.

These are definitely not the most original gift idea for the music-loving friend, so make sure you check with those close to them first to make sure no one else has the same idea.

These are pricey, but they’re definitely worth the investment.

This built-tough cooler will make for a great Christmas gift for the friend who appreciates a practical and useful gift.

When you think about all the gifts you could give to your best friend (the hikers, the workaholics, or even the road warriors), I don’t know that a cooler is typically the first gift you’d consider.

This is definitely an expensive gift, but you get what you pay for with these sort of things. The 41-liter version of this is only $20 cheaper, so you might as well go for the upgrade.

It might be a tiny gift, but your creative friends will love that you took their inspirational sources into consideration.

Most creative types receive tools to help them do their work: pencils, paints, books, etc. This is definitely a thinking outside-the-box kind of gift.

If you can get this on sale, it’s a great deal for a gift your friend will be able to use often.

Rather than thinking about what sort of “things” you can give to your reader, writer, or researcher friend, you could focus on giving them something to increase their comfort while partaking in their favorite activity.

Books and notepads tend to be the go-to gifts for the scholarly types. This Lambswool blanket will be a nice (and warm) surprise.

This blanket may cost more than some of the tech gifts on this list, but it’s an original pick and an investment your friend is sure to appreciate.

If you’ve got a friend who travels a lot and has a need for drowning out screaming babies, loud eaters, or just the general ambient noises on public transportation, they’ll be a big fan of this gift.

There are actually two pairs of noise-cancelling headphones that made this list, but these ear buds put an original twist on the typical over-the-ear sets people use.

These are definitely expensive for in-ear headphones, but with their guaranteed noise-cancellation capabilities, they’re worth the price.

Unless you’re willing to drop $9K on a retro skeeball machine (because I bet this friend doesn’t have one of those already), this is an affordable way to give them a gift they can personalize.

If your friend really does have everything, they may receive similar “experience” gifts. If you go the route of the voucher, however, you can leave it up to them to pick and choose what they want to do with it.

It’s up to you how much you want to spend. Pay for an experience that fits your budget or purchase a voucher. The cost of this gift is up to you.

For friends always looking to discover a new blend, they’ll appreciate the MistoBox—especially if you opt for the Discovery Box of tasters.

Many review sites recommend the MistoBox as a gift for this Christmas, so you may run the risk of giving a duplicate gift if other friends and family members know about your friend’s appreciation for java. That being said, if they really love coffee that much, they won’t mind.

The cheapest subscription offering is $20, so you can spend as much on this as your budget allows or stick to the minimum.

Got a health nut friend? If they enjoy counting steps taken and monitoring their heart rate, they’ll love all the built-in functionality of this watch.

The Apple Watch Series 5 is on most gift lists for gadget geeks. Nevertheless, it’s a sharp-looking watch that your fit friends are sure to enjoy.

This smartwatch is definitely more expensive than other fitness tracking watches, like the Fitbit, but it’s still a solid investment.

If your friend loves Apple products, then they already have a good appreciation for anything styled with simplicity and class.

iPhone cases are, surprisingly, a popular gift suggestion around the web. We haven’t seen this one show up on too many lists though, so you shouldn’t have to worry about anyone else copying your idea.

Considering how expensive Apple products and accessories tend to be, this is cheap!

Virtual reality may be the next level of gaming, but it’s also a pretty expensive investment to make for something that’s not totally perfected just yet. That being said, if you have the funds to buy this for your gamer friend, they’re sure to love this immersive and unique experience.

Virtual reality headsets show up on most Christmas tech gift lists, though it’s usually the cheaper, smartphone-compatible headsets that make it to those lists. So while the idea of VR isn’t original, this system will stand apart from the rest.

This virtual reality system comes with everything you need—headset, two wireless controls, and free games—so it’s a fairly good value for everything you get. Many customers will tell you to purchase this straight from the manufacturer though since it’s cheaper there than on Amazon.

If you’re giving this gift, it’s more about aesthetics and price than about giving something meaningful.

Many websites (like Elle) are recommending the S’Well water bottle for this holiday season. I’m recommending this one because it’s an overall better bottle that’s well made, sturdy, and doesn’t lose its paint coating after a few washes.

It’s not the cheapest gift on this list, but it’s a good pick for anyone who wants to buy something that looks nice without breaking the bank.

Anyone who’s stressed out, could use a little break. Rather than give them the typical gift of candles or a spa gift certificate, branch out and give them something that’ll help with relaxation and sleep at home.

You probably won’t have to worry about anyone else coming up with this same exact gift idea for your friend.

Get this while it’s on sale and then you can spring for extra oils, too.

While you may not always support your friend’s workaholic nature, this gift will at least show them that you’re thinking about their needs.

Not sure that many people would think about giving a friend a keyboard (unless it’s a gag gift for that coworker who types too loudly), so you’re almost guaranteed to get a thumbs-up on originality.

If you’re working with a tight budget and you think your friend could make good use of this, then this is a great value gift.

Foodies love everything about food, but that doesn’t mean they don’t fall into a rut in the kitchen every now and again. If you want to help them spice things up, these dice will do the trick.

You know your friend loves to cook and eat, but you don’t want to give them the expected gift or something that’ll go to waste. These dice are definitely a more original gift idea.

These are a little pricey for such small dice, but they’re a practical gift your friend can put to good use. Plus, it beats having to pay for an appliance they may have already.

You know how much your friend likes to take pictures of their kids, their food, and the beautiful landscapes they pass by on weekend trips. This three-in-one lens gift will be much appreciated.

I’ve seen a lot of gift lists this year include smartphone lens attachment gifts, so you may not be the only one with this idea.

These are super affordable! Just make sure you’re giving them to someone who would want to use them.

If your friend needs a good TV mount for their binge watching sessions, this will be a gift that keeps giving. Not only is the mount easy to install and very versatile—thanks to its articulated arm, which offers 15 degrees of tilt and 180 degrees of swivel—but it’s a user-friendly mount that is easy to install (provided the wall studs are exactly 16″ apart). The mount comes with a bubble level and all the hardware required for installation, and it’s made of heavy-duty aluminum and steel. All in all, one heck of a durable gift!

If your friend already has a TV, a Netflix subscription, and a gaming console, this is the best gift you can give them. It’s a highly original gift, one they’ll use every day!

At $21, this is an excellent price for a great product. The heavy duty materials will handle TVs between 22 and 55 inches, and it’s a user-friendly tool that will come in handy any time they want to watch TV.

For those friends who want to graduate from selfies to real photography, this is an amazing gift. The camera is the modern version of the old Polaroid cameras, mixing instant photo printing with the high tech options and features only available in modern digital cameras. With settings like brightness auto-detect, bulb mode, shutter speed adjustment, double exposure mode, macro mode, fast moving mode, high performance flash, and brightness control, the camera provides everything required for amazing pictures.

This little camera is the perfect gift for a shutterbug, as it allows them to practice their photography skills and see the results in an instant. It’s the perfect blend of old school charm and a modern product.

At $120, this is slightly on the pricier side. Quality control issues (camera not turning on, developing errors after a few uses) are unfortunately a problem from time to time, but overall the camera is well worth the price tag for someone who wants a high-tech instant camera.

For new parents, any and all baby gear will be an amazing gift. This baby carrier is as good as it gets: sturdy construction, machine washable, and doesn’t ever make parent or baby too hot. It’s exceptionally comfortable and it features easy to make adjustments so many different care givers can use it to carry baby around. Better still, it’s designed for natural hip development, so parents can feel great about putting their baby in it. No matter how the little darling sits—in one of the 4 different positions: front facing, front back facing, back and hip carrying–the infant’s spine curves in the natural (and desirable) C position.

This is a gift that your new parent friends are guaranteed to love! Not only is it a super practical gift, but it’s stylish—it comes in 18 different colors, and it’s a sleek-looking baby carrier. It’s also beautifully easy to clean, with a machine-washable shell and cotton padding for the little one.

Yes, $160 is a high price to pay for a gift for your friends. However, it’s a good way to make up for not showing up to their baby shower or getting them a congratulatory present on the birth of their little one. Plus, the carrier is worth every penny!

For a friend who loves board games, this is the gift they are guaranteed to love. It comes with 15 different games: Checkers, Chess, Chinese Checkers, Parcheesi, TicTacToe, Solitaire, Snakes and Ladders, Mancala, Backgammon, Poker Dice, Playing Cards, Go Fish, Old Maid, and Dominos. Built of beautifully finished wood, it comes with two slide-out drawers and reversible tabletops that provide all the boards for the games. The drawers provide organizational space for all the pieces, and there’s everything your friend needs to play all their favorite games.

Instead of gifting them just one game, give them all 15 in the same set. Talk about original and awesome!

At just under $30, this is a very well-priced game set. The pieces are simple and small, and it’s certainly not the highest-end chessboard. However, for a 15-in-1 collection, it’s well worth the price and as good as it gets.

For a friend who wants to reduce their energy use, these smart lights are the perfect solution. The LED light bulbs provide the equivalent of 60-watts of light, using 20 percent of the energy! Your friend will get about 15,000 hours from the light bulb (roughly 4 years), and they can use their smartphone and/or tablet to adjust the brightness or hue of the bulb. They can use up to 50 Hue light bulbs with the same bridge (the controller device), and the starter pack is fully compatible with a number of home automation systems.

The lights work with the Philips Hue app, or Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, IFTTT, or Nest systems. The Philips Hue hub plugs into a Wi-Fi router, making it possible to connect to the lights from anywhere in the world. The lights deliver 800 lumens, more than bright enough for any home.

Not only will this gift allow your friend to go green, but they’ll be able to automate their house. The HUE app makes it possible for them to remotely switch their lights on and off.

This is an excellent option for a friend who wants to cut energy use and make their home more “cutting edge”.

If your friend is a Star Wars fan, this is a gift they are guaranteed to love. This little droid is designed to run on hardwood and concrete floors (though it’s not great with carpets), and can be controlled using Bluetooth-enabled voice commands. Your friend can talk into their phone (Android and iOS both work) to get it to move around, or set it to follow, patrol, or even customize its movement.

Not only will the droid recognize voice commands, but it responds in its classic whistles and beeps. Expect60 minutes of play time before the droid needs to be recharged. The gyroscopic propulsion keeps it moving around—and we’re sure your children will want to get in on the fun too.

An actual replica of the BB-8 droid from the new Star Wars movie? Does it get any more original than that?

The toy is pricey at $120. However, it’s a small price to pay for something that a Star Wars collector will love to add to their collection.

For the friend who likes to try new beers whenever possible, this is a gift that will bring a smile to their face every month. As a beer club member, they will receive 4 different selections of beer each month, with 3 bottles per selection (a total of 12). All of the beers are hand-crafted microbrews from award-winning breweries, and they are as high-quality as it gets. If your friend is the kind of beer drinker who stays away from anything too commercial, they’ll love this gift.

You can get your friend beer, but nothing will beat these handcrafted microbrews delivered directly to their house every month. Definitely a gift for beer lovers to enjoy!

At $350 for the cheapest 12-month subscription, this is on the pricier side. However, once your friend gets a taste of the microbrewed beers, they’ll be happier than a pig in a mud puddle.

If your friend likes to plan their day, week, month, or year, this is the Christmas gift they’re guaranteed to love. Bound with vegan-friendly faux leather, the handmade planner comes with all the organizational tools (gridded pages, blank pages for notes, 30-minute segments, calendars, etc.) required to keep their life organized. The paper is super smooth and high quality, and the journal will feel solid and comfortable in their hands. There are even quotes to help keep them motivated and inspired through their busy days!

It may not seem like a great gift for an average person, but many people will be thrilled to receive a journal like this for Christmas. If your friend likes to stay organized, this is a gift they’re going to appreciate a lot.

At $25, this is slightly on the pricier side. However, considering that it’s handmade, it’s worth every penny!

For a guy or girl who gets their Yoga on every day, this is a gift they’ll use on a regular basis. The mat is eco-friendly, made with fully sustainable materials, and the fact that it’s thinner than average (just 3/16″ thick) makes it the ideal choice for excellent stability while still offering good cushioning. It’s useful for men of any size and weight, and is a highly durable, long-lasting choice. Trust us, it will hold up under a lot of heavy use. Though the traction slips a little with VERY heavy sweat, for the average practitioner, it’s an excellent option under both wet and dry conditions. It feels like a sturdy, resilient piece of equipment that will last for years of regular practice. It’s also very easy to keep clean–just a simple wipe-down and you can let it air-dry.

It’s definitely a gift that your buddy will appreciate, even if it’s more practical than sentimental. Once they try this mat, they’ll never go back to their old mat again!

At $60, this is on the pricier side of the scale for Yoga mats, but it’s eco-friendly, durable, comfortable, and a Yoga lover’s best friend.