Anyone — Yes, Anyone — Would Be Thrilled To Open These Foolproof Holiday Gifts

Anyone can get good use out of a mug, and this striped cutie from Anthropologie also allows you to pick one with their first initial. It’s a thoughtful extra touch that can take the gift to the next level. Each mug has colorful stripes (the colorway varies by letter), and is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.

Add some flair to their fridge with a mini photo gallery in the form of these customized Polaroid frame magnets. This one requires just a bit of advance planning: You choose the frame styles, colors and quantity, then message the seller the photos you want to include. They’ll print them for you on Fujifilm Instax mini film for a retro feel, and now your recipient can display their favorite memories and loved ones.

When it comes to food-based gifts, Italian food is a pretty safe bet. This gift crate features a collection of delicious pantry staples like balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, pesto, spaghetti, olives and a block of pecorino romano. Whether your recipient is a novice cook, a whiz in the kitchen or just a giant foodie, these items can be used for sandwiches, charcuterie boards and more involved dishes alike.

Everyone’s lips can use a little TLC in the dry winter air. Jack Black’s lip balms are a good unisex option. I’ve used them before and found the shea butter and vitamin E formula intensely moisturizing; I also appreciated that they’re untinted and contain SPF 25 for extra protection. This gift set contains four limited edition holiday flavors: spiced wine, frosted buttercream, cherry bourbon and apple crisp. The other great thing about a set like this is that it comes in a gift-ready package, so you don’t even have to wrap it.

The L.L. Bean Bote and Tote remains iconic for so many reasons: It’s a genuinely practical bag whose understated, unisex look and durable construction make it a good get for anyone, no matter if they’re taking it to the beach, to the grocery store or on their next trip. It’s also wildly customizable to your recipient’s preferences and needs: Choose from a bunch of different colors, sizes and handle lengths. For $10 more, you can also get it monogrammed to make the tote uniquely their own.

If you think your recipient will prefer a zippered bag over the classic open top, L.L. Bean sells a zip-top version of the Boat and Tote too.

This sliding cheese board is the perfect gift for anyone who likes to host, or just loves cheese, crackers and dips. The top slides, as shown in the photo, to reveal the four cheese knives underneath, and there are also little ceramic dishes for dips, olives and other accoutrements. If you really want to take it over the top, you can head to your local grocery and purchase some yummy food items to pair with it when you gift it.

When in doubt, I’ve found that a fancy candle always makes for a great gift. If you’re shopping for someone you don’t know that well and you’re unsure of their scent preferences, a festive holiday-themed scent is probably safe. I’ve smelled this Volsupa crushed candy cane candle for myself, and can confirm it smells just like the real thing. The striped glass jar is also gorgeous and elegant, and would look great on any side table, mantelpiece or desk.

If your recipient hasn’t yet had the pleasure of trying the massive, delicious cookies from New York City staple Levain Bakery, now’s their chance. You can purchase an eight- or 12-cookie gift set, complete with a limited edition holiday-themed cookie tin. The design features a festive winter scene complete with snow and ice skaters, and the cookie flavors come in a variety of assortments. I’ve given (and received) Levain cookies as gifts before, and each time, the reaction was utter and total delight.

If someone you know is always on 10% battery life, then this power bank keychain will be very well received as a gift this year. Compatible with Androids and nearly all Apple devices, including AirPods and Apple Watches, this pocket-sized gadget features two retractable USB-C cords designed to carry enough power to fully charge an Apple Watch up to 10 times, the newest generations of iPhones once, and a pair of AirPods up to eight times. It can even charge two devices simultaneously. It comes in 14 colors.

If you too are a proud owner of one (or several) Baggu reusable shopping bags, then you would already agree that you can’t ever have too many. Give the gift of good-looking convenience this year with one of these iconic rip-stop shopping bags that folds down into a small square pouch that can easily be thrown in cars or purses so it’s always there when in need. Half of the fun with shopping for these bags is choosing from the enormous collection of patterns and colors. They also come in three sizes.

This classic, ultra-soft crewneck sweatshirt is the gift that keeps on giving, and will likely be grabbed for again and again by anyone you choose to gift it to. Reviewers and editors alike pick it up in droves anytime it's featured, largely in part because the price simply cannot be beaten. This unisex item of clothing from Hanes is a great tried-and-true basic made of soft, strong cotton-blend fabric that stays plush, cozy and warm no matter how many times you wash it. One reviewer noted that "the sweatshirt is warm, fluffy, and soft. It fits just right and launders well without pilling or shrinking."

It features double stitching at the neck and armholes and has ribbed cuffs, neckline and hem, all of which help it hold its shape and structure. The iconic silhouette and drape of the sweatshirt are what make it so highly coveted and versatile, and the high-quality construction keeps it all intact. It looks and feels much more expensive than it actually is.

It comes in a large selection of colors in sizes S through 5X, so pretty much anyone can find that perfect fit. Multiple people pointed out that it "doesn't fade after washing," and the general consensus seems to be that it's a wonderful piece of clothing.

This past year, it’s clear HuffPost readers have been steadily dodging the Apple tax, and we can’t really blame them, given all the news surrounding tariffs. One of the clearest examples: these Bluetooth locators. For about $20, you get a pack of four trackers that work seamlessly with Apple’s Find My network.

Each tracker has a built-in keyring slot, making it easy to clip onto car keys, backpacks, luggage, purses, or even a chunky wallet. You can ping them to help you find items nearby, get alerts if a tracker gets left behind (beyond 200 feet), and they support Lost Mode through Apple’s massive Find My network.

These would make the perfect stocking stuffer for frequent travelers or those who tend to misplace items like keys and bags.

The holidays are a great time to grab gift sets from popular beauty brands, like this L’Occitane travel duo. For under $20, you can score a travel-sized almond shower oil and shea butter hand cream. If you’re shopping for someone who travels a lot, has dry skin or just enjoys smelling nice, this duo is a winner.

For bedtime readers or hobbyists, you can’t go wrong with gifting this well-made book light senior shopping writer Tessa Flores actually owns and loves. It has a sturdy, high-quality feel, and the lengthy, flexible arm is impressive, making it easy to position the light high above the pages for a wider cast of light. It’s important to have warm, gentle lighting on the eyes for perfect bedtime use, and these heatless LED bulbs deliver. They actually offer three light temperatures, each super effective, without being harsh. You can even adjust the brightness using its dimmer.

Moleskine’s soft-sided, premium-bound journals are a time-honored choice among writers and notetakers and this scribe’s companion is sure to please. It’s filled with 192 pages of acid-free ruled paper, a woven bookmark, and an internal accordion pocket to keep important documents compactly in place.

A smart gifting philosophy is to buy your recipient something they wouldn’t ordinarily get for themself, and a plush bathrobe to help them relax in comfort and style certainly fits the bill. This Brooklinen bundle takes it to the next level by not only including the brand’s Super Plush Turkish cotton robe, but also a set of Super Plush cotton slippers and a cotton terry pouch for your recipient’s toiletries. You can mix and match the colorways on each component of this bundle. The robe comes in unisex sizes XS-XXL, and the slippers in unisex sizes S-L.

Perfect for anyone on your list who loves to romanticize their life, Euthymol’s whitening toothpaste is gaining traction as one of the brand’s most iconic products, packaged in a sleek, fully recyclable aluminum tube with a retro-inspired design that reflects the brand’s more than 125-year history. The formula works as an everyday toothpaste while targeting stains from several fronts: it contains fluoride to strengthen enamel and help protect against cavities, and sodium hexametaphosphate, which can help to prevent stain-causing particles from sticking to the enamel. The formula also includes hydrated silica, a polishing ingredient that helps lift plaque and surface discoloration as you brush.

This gift set comes with two tubes of this display-worthy pink paste and a reusable squeeze key that’ll ensure your recipient can get out every last drop from the aluminum tube.

The Aura Carver was named the best digital picture frame by Wirecutter in 2023 for its stylish look and ease of setup. The frame has free, unlimited storage and family and friends can send new photos in any time through the Aura app, so your recipient can have an endless rotation of memories to display. This is also a smart frame, which has features like auto-shutoff at night, automatic brightness adjustment and smart photo cropping (it'll show two vertical photos side by side so there's no ugly black bars on the sides of the screen). It even has a built-in speaker for videos.

While the Carver is a nice option for any space at 10 inches, my parents have also gotten great use out of the Walden, the largest 15-inch option, which can be portrait or landscape.

I adored my Shed Rain Vortex V2 compact umbrella until I accidentally left it in the backseat of an Uber, and if I hadn’t lost it, I think I could’ve gone the rest of my life without having to buy another umbrella. Not just out of my own stubbornness, but because this one is truly built to last. The heavy-duty steel frame is anti-inversion, and the vented canopy allows for airflow, also preventing inversion. Together, this design allows the umbrella to withstand winds of 75 miles per hour without flipping inside out, according to the brand.

I’ve seen this in action for myself during some of New York City’s windier days, as well as during a trip to Chicago. Before, it wasn’t uncommon for me to be fighting with my umbrella on a street corner after it had gotten flipped (and defeating its purpose of keeping me dry in the meantime). With the Vortex, I’ve never had this issue and it’s been a huge weight off my shoulders. Anyone who lives in a rainy, windy climate knows the value of a good umbrella — get them one they’ll want to talk about with everyone they know.

On the hunt for a practical gift that any traveler will get real use out of? Try the Everything Cube, Calpak’s 8.25-by-7.25-inch storage bag. It can fit right in their carry-on or luggage, and hold all types of items, thanks to the multiple pockets and water-resistant lining. Reviews mention using it to pack a quick change outfit for after a flight, storing tech items or snacks, or using as a toiletry bag. You can choose from a bunch of colors and even pay $25 extra to personalize it.