Parenting

These Picks Take The Guesswork Out Of Good Gifting

by Rita Templeton
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
finfunmermaid.com sodastream.com westpaw.com

Christmas is fast approaching, and if you’re like us, you’ve still got a few gifts to buy — but after all the holiday planning, you’ve got no energy left in your brain to make a thoughtful, creative choice. Which is why we’ve done it for you. This gift guide is sure to have something for everyone left on your list … even those of the four-legged variety.

Circuit Scribe Drone Builder Kit

circuitscribe.com

Drones are awesome, but there’s something about a drone you built yourself that makes it next-level. Use the conductive silver ink to draw “wires” to the motors and take to the skies!

Emalco Enamel Plain B Tumbler Set

emalco.com

These simple but unique enamel tumblers keep drinks icy cold, are available in six colors, and – most importantly – are dishwasher safe (because who likes to hand wash? Ugh). The Plain B collection also has mugs, if you prefer something with a handle.

Sodastream Fizzi One Touch

sodastream.com

Press a button, get water that turns from flat to fizzy – with three levels of carbonation! – in a snap. If only everything in our lives could be this much of a breeze.

Sunday Afternoons Kids’ Swallowtail Trucker Hat

sundayafternoons.com

The whole dang collection of hats from Sunday Afternoons are absolutely adorable, but we’re particularly taken with the vibrant art (from local artists!) on the kids’ trucker hats. When they wear these, our children look more fashionable than we do … but hey, what’s new?

West Paw Hurley Dog Bone

westpaw.com

These durable, floatable dog bones stand up to even the strongest chewers, for those of us whose pups are as destructive as our kids. Trust us – they’re Lab tested. As in Labrador Retriever, who routinely annihilates lesser dog toys with ease.

Limited Edition Rescue Runts Unicorn

walmart.com

Available exclusively at Walmart, these adorable plushes come to their “adopters” looking ragged – and turn into perfect pets with a little TLC. There’s nothing better for the kid who’s always dragging home strays (or wanting to)!

Klean Kanteen Classic Water Bottle

kleankanteen.com

Get your daily recommended water intake, and make a positive environmental impact to boot, with this 27-ounce beauty. It comes in 10 gorgeous colors, one for every outfit we (pretend to) work out in, and features a super-durable finish and spill-proof cap – and it’s under $25.

Here in the Middle: Stories of Love, Loss, and Connection from the Ones Sandwiched In Between

amazon.com

You’d think we’d have it all figured out by the time we reach the middle years of our lives, but no; things like kids and aging parents and marriages and careers throw us for a loop. Which is why we love this collection of totally-relatable essays, 32 voices echoing our own experiences and making us feel like our “messy” lives are comfortingly normal.

LunchSkins Reusable Sandwich & Snack Bag

lunchskins.com

Packing your snacks and sammies in one of these replaces 500 plastic bags in its lifetime. And if that isn’t enough incentive, how about this: It comes in a variety of cute patterns, you can write on it, and you can toss it in the dishwasher when you’re done.

Shred Dog Girls’ Xena Hardshell Coat

shreddog.com

Cold climates are “snow” problem with this weatherproof, waterproof, breathable coat. It’s got a ton of great features, but our favorite is the capacity to shorten or lengthen the sleeves for a custom fit.

Vine Oh! Subscription

vineoh.com

The wine lover on your list will flip over a subscription to these boxes filled with two bottles of wine (white, red, or mixed) and other carefully-curated goodies. They’re sent four times per year, and each box contains over $120 worth of stuff for a mere $59.99. There’s also a wine club that delivers monthly if you (er, we mean your gift recipient) are too impatient to wait for a quarterly delivery.

FinFun Mermaid Leggings

finfunmermaid.com

This company is known for its realistic looking mermaid tails (yes, really!), but we prefer to channel our inner Ariel with leggings. You can get a pair with more subtle undersea accents or go full-on mer-person with scales from waist to ankle. They’re mid-rise, to hold in any wobbly bits, and come in kids’ sizes too.

Twee Unicorn Horn Chalk Set

tweemade.com

The handmade, small-batch chalk sets at Twee (among them, pizza, doughnut, and sushi sets that look good enough to eat) are made for kids, but let’s be real – we couldn’t wait to get our own hands chalky.

Amongst the Liberal Elite: The Road Trip Exploring Societal Inequities Solidified by Trump (RESIST)

amazon.com

For all the “woke folks” in your life – or those who like to fancy themselves as such, anyway – this hilarious tale by humorist Elly Lonon will give them a much-needed reprieve from raging against the current political regime.

Karina Garcia Make Your Own Bath Bomb Kit

target.com

If you know a fan of DIY YouTuber Karina Garcia, or just a fan of DIY-ing in general, this kit is the (bath) bomb. It has two molds and two scents, and even comes with plastic gems to tuck inside the bombs for some bath time bling.

Every Man Jack Sandalwood Body Gift Set

target.com

Even the least-rugged dudes you know would like to at least smell that way. And with aluminum-free deodorant, hydrating body wash, 2-in-1- shampoo and conditioner — plus a sturdy canvas toiletry bag to boot — he can layer up the lumberjack scent.

Slimeblaster by Guava Toys

target.com

Every kid’s dream: A mechanism to launch slime up to 16 feet. Comes with easy-load cartridges so you don’t have to do it for them every single time. (A good gift option for the friend who bought your kid that loud harmonica for his birthday, perhaps?)

Whether you’re making someone else’s holiday merry and bright, or gifting yourself a well-deserved reward for doing all the things, these picks are going to be the recipient’s favorite gifts of the season.

Editors may receive samples and/or a share from purchases made via links on this page. All opinions are our own.

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