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Everyone has that person who’s impossible to shop for. Every year you hear them say, “Oh no, you don’t need to get me anything!” while you know they’re filling their Amazon cart with stellar gifts for everyone you know.
If you want to impress them this year, you’re going to have to get creative. But don’t lose hope — we’re here to help. We’ve compiled 23 out-of-the-box gift ideas sure to wow even the pickiest people. From personalized maps and custom paintings to massage guns and, yes, a bidet, we’ve got you covered with tons of unique gift ideas for everyone on your list. Looking for more ideas? Check out all of our gift guides here.
Grafomap Custom Map (starting at $49; grafomap.com)
The place you grew up, your college town, the city where you met… We all know someone who feels all warm and fuzzy about a certain place. With this service, you can create a map of any city in the world and then tailor the final look of the print with the colors, stickers and descriptions, with the zoomed-in view of your choosing.
Storyworth ($99; storyworth.com)
Buy the sentimental types a subscription to Storyworth, a company that will compile a year’s worth of sweet, funny and surprising stories about their life into a hardcover book.
Tushy Classic Bidet ($89, originally $109; hellotushy.com)
Bidets are finally taking off in the US, and we couldn’t be more excited. We tried the Tushy Classic and couldn’t say enough good things about it. If you want to give a memorable gift that they’ll use all the time, you just can’t beat a Tushy bidet.
Bialetti Express Moka Pot ($22.93, originally $24.99; amazon.com)
Shopping for the coffee lover in your life can actually be hard, especially if they’re already geared up and believe they have the optimal brewing system. However, if they’ve never tried out a moka pot, it’s a fun and niche way to brew that produces full and delicious flavors.
Snoopy USB Heated Slippers ($32, originally $40; smokonow.com)
These Snoopy slippers are truly adorable and can be charged up with a USB cord to heat your feet while you wear them. They’re perfect for cold days chilling on the couch, perhaps watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
Custom Painterly Pet Portraits (starting at $180; uncommongoods.com)
Sure, their Instagram feed may be bursting with cute pictures of their pet, but a custom painting will let anyone on your list take their adoration to a new level. Each one-of-a-kind work of art is made from a photo by pet portraitist MG Stout in San Francisco. It arrives in a kiln-dried wood frame.
Polaroid Originals Now I-Type Camera ‘Star Wars’ ‘The Mandalorian’ Edition ($99.09, originally $119.99; amazon.com)
Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” is in full swing, and since the big Star Wars fan in your life probably has 18 Baby Yoda toys already, try getting them this Polaroid camera styled after the popular show.
Bearaby Napper (starting at $249; bearaby.com)
If there’s ever been a year to invest in a blanket that makes it feel like you’re being hugged, it’s 2020. Weighted blankets have become more and more popular, and this option from Bearaby is hand-knit, creating a breathable blanket that distributes weight evenly over your entire body. They look quite beautiful too.
Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit ($40; uncommongoods.com)
Thanks in part to the popular YouTube series “Hot Ones,” hot sauce is officially the new mayo. This kit makes it fun and simple for any of your giftees to whip up a custom batch of the spicy stuff, exactly to their liking. Ingredients range from the traditional (cayenne) to the nouveau (guajillo peppers). If they don’t want to make their own sauce, check out our favorite hot sauces.
Homesick Candle ($34; homesick.com)
Many of us can connect with feeling a little homesick this holiday season. Homesick Candles come in a variety of countries, cities, states and even places dear to your heart like Grandma’s Kitchen. They can help your loved ones feel like they’re home sweet home, even if they’re far from it.
Theragun Mini ($199; theragun.com)
Everyone could use a massage after the year we’ve had. If you want the luxury of getting a massage whenever you want and in the comfort of your own home, check out the Theragun Mini, a small and portable massage gun that can help you bust those knots and relax at the end of a long day. Check out our review of all the most popular Theragun devices here.
Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker ($49.99; amazon.com)
Working from home means a lot more opportunities to cook breakfast for yourself, but even if you’re waking up five minutes before signing on, you can still whip up a quick sammie with this clever breakfast conqueror. After all, who doesn’t go for a good bacon, egg and cheese?
Baseball Park Map Glasses ($35; uncommongoods.com)
Raise a glass to America’s favorite pastime. Though the baseball lovers in your life may have tons of memorabilia, here’s something that pays homage to their favorite teams that they can actually use: a pair of whiskey tumblers bedecked with a map of their favorite major league stadium.
Paint Your Life (starting at $189; paintyourlife.com)
This service allows you to turn any photo in your camera roll into a beautiful work of art hand-painted by a professional portrait artist. Whether it’s last year’s family portrait, the picture you took together on your last vacation or even a silly picture of your dog, it’s easy to turn memorable moments into an art piece you’ll cherish forever.
Masterclass All-Access Pass ($15 per month; masterclass.com)
If you can’t come up with the perfect tangible gift, that’s a sign you should think about gifting an experience. A perfect example: Masterclass, which gives direct access to today’s industry elites. So, for instance, if your giftees are looking to sharpen their culinary skills, they can take virtual cooking classes from none other than Gordon Ramsay. Or maybe they want to try their hand at cinematography, so who better to teach them than director Ron Howard?
Tomte Elves Swedish Dishcloth ($6.95; etsy.com)
We’ve raved on and on about Swedish dishcloths, which can drastically cut down on your paper towel use and waste. If you want some holiday accents, check out this dishcloth that has cute little elves and Christmas trees in its design.
D’aplomb Hand-Carved Flower Himalayan Salt Lamp ($44.99, originally $59.99; amazon.com)
Said to purify the air in a room by releasing negative ions, salt lamps have become one of the trendiest gifts. Casting a warm, pinkish glow, they’re soothing and just plain pretty to look at. This one, carved into the shape of a rosebud, is extra tempting.
Long-Distance Friendship Lamp (starting at $99; uncommongoods.com)
It can be tough not seeing your best friend for months on end. If you’ve been apart, these long-distance friendship lamps can help you feel like you’re together again. When you tap your lamp, your friend’s lamp will also glow, letting them know you’re thinking about them.
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook ($27.66, originally $34; amazon.com)
This reusable notebook will be the last one the fervent notetaker in your life will ever need. Equipped with a special pen, the notebook allows you to digitize everything you write to save it forever, and when the pages fill up, you can simply wipe it clean to erase everything.
Dash Rapid 6 Capacity Electric Cooker ($15.99, originally $19.99; amazon.com)
This little egg cooker works wonders for a hurried breakfast or when you’re desperate for a midafternoon snack. Cook hard-boiled, poached and scrambled eggs or even omelets in just minutes with this little wonder machine.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2 ($99.99, originally $109.95; amazon.com)
If you’re a slow coffee drinker, this smart mug is a must-have for your home office. It will automatically keep your beverage between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 1.5 hours, or all day if you keep it on its included charging coaster.
Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion ($129; purple.com)
Office chair a little uncomfortable? Add some extra comfort with Purple’s Ultimate Seat Cushion. Purple’s proprietary grid technology evenly distributes your weight while staying cool so you can stay comfortable even if you’re in your chair all day.
Stitched Notebook Set ($15; riflepaperco.com)
These beautiful notebooks would make a great journal, or they can add a floral flair to a home desk setup. This pack comes with three notebooks, each with full-color covers, stitched binding, gold foil accents and 64 ruled pages.