Buzz
1. A blackhead removal vacuum for your beauty-enthusiast friend who enjoys blackhead extractions. Its potent suction removes blackheads, whiteheads, sebaceous filaments, oil, and leftover makeup, with four interchangeable tips and five adjustable suction settings.
2. A heated back and neck massager to finally put an end to their constant complaints about sore muscles (plus, you can secretly borrow it when they’re not around.)
3. A bottle of Mike's Hot Honey, because you truly understand how much they (and you!) adore the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Drizzle it over pizza, ice cream, waffles, wings, cheeseboards, or even mix it into cocktails to create something un-bee-lievably tasty.
4. Or a Sriracha keychain — the perfect gift for any spice lover. With this little accessory, they’ll never have another bland meal again.
5. *Alternatively*, a bottle of Truff hot sauce, an elevated condiment made from chilies, agave nectar, spices, and, naturally, black truffle, to turn their meals into a gourmet delight. *chef's kiss*
6. A brilliant iPhone adapter case for your friend who always misplaces their dongle. Just imagine how many headphone jack adapters you’ve saved them from buying!
DukeofCases is a Black-owned business!
Get it from DukeofCases on Etsy for $14.
7. A Jeopardy! 2021 daily calendar (RIP Alex Trebek) to challenge your trivia-loving Dad’s knowledge (and yours too!). Alex, what is "the ultimate gift"?
8. A dip powder kit so they can master their at-home manicures and save some cash along the way. The powder dries in just 30 seconds, and reviewers rave about how the color lasts without chipping for weeks — which is great, but also a bit of a bummer because it's so easy to use, they'll want to do it all over again.
9. A pair of ankle socks, because all the bookworms in your life truly want for the holidays is a few peaceful, uninterrupted hours to dive into their latest read.
10. A primer that’ll turn their already gorgeous face into a perfectly smooth, even base for makeup. Packed with green tea extract and collagen, it helps protect and hydrate the skin.
11. A box of British chocolates to give their taste buds a delightful journey across the pond.
12. Or a box of s'mores bites if they’re content to stay put and indulge in a decadent treat made of chocolate cake and whipped icing, coated in dark chocolate, and topped with a graham cracker crumble.
Caroline's Cakes is a family-owned business founded by, you guessed it, Caroline Ragsdale Reutter. It’s also a nut-free bakery, so everyone can enjoy a treat — even those with nut allergies! (All cakes and products containing nuts are made and packaged separately.)
Get a dozen from Caroline's Cakes for $25 (and explore their other cake bite flavors).
13. A customizable organic salad gardening kit for the aspiring chef and novice gardener. Plus, they kinda owe you a salad bowl because this whole idea was really your brainchild.
The kit includes one sachet of organic salad seed mix, a wooden planter with a recyclable leak guard, a bag of potting soil, a glass mister bottle, a bamboo label, instructions, and access to one-on-one support.
Hortiki Plants is a Black-owned business run by Victoria LeBeau, who holds a PhD in agroecology and sustainable agriculture. If receiving seeds from a certified plant expert wasn't impressive enough, Hortiki Plants also donates 5% of its profits to organizations supporting community gardening efforts.
Promising review: "OMG, this is so sweet. It comes with everything needed to start growing and includes an incredibly helpful book of instructions. Love it." —Lacey Rouse
Get it from Hortiki Plants on Etsy for $29.99 or on Hortiki Plants' website for $29.99.
14. PhoneSoap, a nifty device with disinfecting UV light, perfect for your germaphobe friend. Get ready for many debates over who gets to use the smartphone sanitizing station first.
15. An over-the-sink makeup mat because they could use some extra flat space in their tiny bathroom to organize their makeup. No more watching that pricey foundation slip away into the drain. 💸
16. A mini Bob Ross bobblehead to bring some happiness into their life *and* their work desk.
17. Alternatively, a screaming goat perched on a tree stump that shrieks every time you touch it (honestly, relatable) if that fits their vibe more.
18. A set of 20 hair clips to help them recover from any bad hair days. With so many different styles in the pack, they'll always find the right hair clip to match their outfit.
19. A Bad Bunny–endorsed enamel mug for your boss friends (and maybe one for you, because you're a boss too!).
Hija de tu Madre is a Latinx- and woman-owned business founded by Patty Delgado.
Grab it from Hija de tu Madre for $22.
20. A Revlon hot air brush so they can transform their wet, tangled, and frizzy hair into a sleek, shiny blowout in no time.
21. A satin-lined hoodie designed to safeguard natural hair from breakage and friction, minimize frizz, and lock in moisture.
KINApparel is a Black woman–owned business founded by Philomina Kane.
Purchase it from KINApparel for $54.99 (available in sizes S–4XL as well as toddler and youth sizes).
22. A straightforward five-year one-line-a-day journal that only takes a few minutes each day to fill out, yet provides them with years of cherished memories and moments to look back on.
23. A hair finishing stick to tame those pesky stray hairs that escape from ponytails and buns. Think of it as a mascara wand for your hair, coated in natural plant oils. Consider this one of those unexpectedly practical gifts you didn’t know you needed.
24. 642 Things to Draw, a creative art journal designed to keep them engaged all year long. The prompts vary from simple tasks (like drawing a bicycle) to quirky challenges (such as illustrating the sound of girlish laughter).
25. A cold brew maker for those who can’t function without their daily coffee fix and need at least three cups before they can even think straight.
26. An cruelty-free lengthening mascara for the friend who’s tried every mascara out there but still hasn’t found one that won’t flake, smudge, or leave streaks. Spoiler alert: This is the one that works wonders!
27. A scarf knitting kit that gives them the joy of two gifts in one: the excitement of opening it and the pride of completing their very own handmade scarf.
This knitting kit comes with three skeins of petite wool (100g), 8mm knitting needles, a pattern, a small sewing needle, an embroidered label, and the signature WAK packaging.
Purchase it from We Are Knitters for $63 (available in seven color options).
Be sure to check out my colleague’s We Are Knitters review for more details and pictures of the adorable sweater she made.
28. A splurge-worthy set of 14-karat chunky gold hoops because your mom might say she "doesn't need or want anything," but you know she'll be seriously disappointed if you don’t get her a gift, even though she won’t admit it.
That’s me on the right, and I adore these hoops. I’ve been wearing them non-stop since I got them. I don’t usually wear a lot of jewelry and typically prefer subtle, delicate earrings. But these hoops strike the perfect balance—they’re not too bold for my taste, but not too plain either. I’ve worn them for about a month now, and they haven’t irritated my sensitive ears. They’ve also held their color, unlike some earrings I’ve worn that change after some time. They’re incredibly light, too, so they don’t weigh my ears down. In short, these hoops are simply gorgeous!
Grab them from Oradina for $265 (available in three colors).
29. A National Geographic geode kit that will make a truly smashing gift. Get ready for a rock-solid experience—just don’t forget the goggles!
30. A 5-in-1 wine stopper that will instantly upgrade the inexpensive $7 bottle of wine you're giving them. It works as an aerator, stopper, pourer, filter, and re-corker—basically a wine lover's dream tool.
31. Or, grab Hand Lettering 101 if your friend has a flair for penmanship. And yes, Meghan Markle was into calligraphy before meeting Prince Harry—while I can’t guarantee this book will help them find their prince, I’m not ruling it out either.
32. A pore-tightening, skin-lifting face mask that adds a little drama to their self-care routine. It will 1. make them look like a zombie while it’s on, and 2. provide ridiculously good results.
