Picture this: You’re a part of your family’s gift exchange and you chose your pickiest cousin. You know the one—they refuse to wear any warm-toned color, they take between three and six months to decide whether or not they truly want that green tumbler from Starbucks (bestie just buy it, you know you want it), and they end up returning a large portion of the gifts they receive during the holidays, simply because it’s not exactly what they’d buy for themselves. We all love that cousin, but you have to admit that you weren’t exactly stoked when you picked their name.
This year, you want to be the gift giver that breaks their picky cycle. The goal is that they won’t even consider asking for a gift receipt. The criteria: unique, but not too far out of the box, high quality, but within your price range, memorable, but not in an “omg I can’t wait to tell my girlfriends about how weird this gift is” way. We’re all picky about something. I’m picky about how many ice cubes are in my glass of Coke (seven is the correct number btw). So, try to put yourself into their shoes when it comes to choosing their gift. Keep reading to take the stress out of what to buy your pickiest loved ones this holiday season.
It can be hard to find a slipper that’s truly different, but these Bombas Gripper Slippers are unlike any other. They are the perfect blend of cozy socks and functional slippers. With grips on the bottom and a soft exterior that makes packing a breeze, your picky giftee might just never want to wear real shoes again.
It’s impossible to go wrong if you’re giving the gift of soup dumplings. This kit delivers everything they need to make their own delicious soup dumplings at home, from a dough roller to a steamer basket.
This cult-favorite bakery has New Yorkers standing outside for hours to get a batch of their heavenly mixtures. Now you can give your loved one a taste of the phenomenon with a four-pack, an eight-pack, or a 12-pack from Levain Bakery and fill it with their customer-favorite originals: chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, and oatmeal raisin.
Instant film cameras are always a holiday favorite. Buy your loved one the camera along with a few packs of film and they’re set to make countless memories throughout the holiday season.
We love this rechargeable photo printer, which allows you to dock and charge your phone while simultaneously printing photos straight from your device. This is a gift they’ll use over and over.
As your picky loved one prepares for the cozy Christmas rom-com vibes all season long, gift them this personal popper microwave bowl from W&P Design. It’s dishwasher and microwave safe, eliminates waste with each use, and holds four delicious cups of popcorn.
You know your grandma’s special chocolate chip recipe? Gift your picky family member this personalized family recipe board from their handwritten heirloom recipe. It’s a perfect blend of sentimental and practical.
Clean up those annoying messes this holiday season with this cordless handheld vacuum cleaner from Amazon. It’s affordable, lightweight, compact, and with the 2-in-1 crevice tool, you’ll never miss the deepest corners of your apartment.
Give your picky loved one the gift of a perfect night’s sleep with the classic sheet set from Brooklinen. It comes with one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and two pillowcases, giving you a breathable, airy, cool bed set up.
For your picky loved one with a furry friend, order this customized pet portrait from Etsy. Handmade with watercolor paints, this gift is a sentimental piece they will cherish for years.
Whether your giftee is an aspiring vlogger or just wants to watch their favorite show while in the shower, this suction cup phone holder will come in incredibly handy. It will allow them to mount their phone wherever they want!
This luxury hand wash from Aesop will heal your dry winter hands all season long. Romanticize your hand washing routine this holiday season, with Mandarin rind, rosemary leaf, cedar atlas, and lavender: the perfect combination to keep hard-working hands soft and health.
As the cold weather bears her ugly head, and the temperature drops to unbearable temps, keep every bestie on your list this year toasty warm with these ankle socks from Barefoot Dreams. I just bought myself 6 pairs.
If your picky loved one could use a little TLC, gift them this heated foot massager that’ll quickly become their favorite thing they own.
I don’t know about you, but right around the holidays is the time I start losing everything. My wallet, my phone, my TV remote, even my Kindle, just seem to seep into the crevices of my apartment, hiding away for the winter. Help your picky loved one keep track of their most valuable possessions with this four pack of Apple Air Tags.
Beís Travel, owned and founded by Shay Mitchell (a classic Everygirl in our eyes), is adored by all generations of travel-goers. The Weekender is debatably the company’s most popular bag, it’s cute, practical, and has tons of space, including a separate shoe compartment and space for a large laptop.
Everyone needs a big water bottle to stay hydrated, and this flip straw tumbler is tried and true. Available in several fun colors, this is the kind of gift that’s an instant people-pleaser, because it’s so useful.
Sometimes you just need to set up a tent in your living room and watch rom-coms on a mini projector. Your picky loved one’s inner child is sure to be revived.
For the book lovers in your life, consider a 6-month or 12-month subscription to Book of the Month. Your loved one can choose one of six books a month and they’ll show up at their door within five to ten days. Then you can just continue to renew their subscription year after year and you’ll never be stuck on what to gift them again.
Never run out of battery again with this 2-pack of portable chargers from Amazon. Whether they’re traveling or spending a long day at a holiday party, up to four of their devices will always be charged.
This quiet air purifier from Instant captures 99.97% of dust, pollen, smoke, mold and more. Once the winter allergies return, your picky loved one will love the comfort this affordable air purifier provides.
Everyone needs some high quality hot chocolate to get them through the colder months. This classic hot chocolate from Williams Sonoma is made of chocolate shavings for an extra rich taste.
As your picky loved one inevitably stocks up on wine for the winter (like the rest of us), they’ll love keeping them chilled to perfection with this Vinglacé wine bottle chiller from Amazon. Every time they decide to get a little tipsy while watching ‘The Holiday,’ this bottle chiller will come in handy.
If your picky loved one is always the photographer at get-togethers, get them this smart digital frame from Aura. It’ll display all their favorite photos all day everyday. You can even invite multiple family members to the app so they can add photos and have a constant update of new photos.
This pan is a longtime favorite of our editorial team, and for a good reason: This nonstick pan is deep enough to boil noodles and shallow enough to fry an egg. It’s the ultimate versatile kitchen item.
Spice up your loved one’s pantry this Christmas with this olive oil set from Brightland. These flavored olive oils will become their dream topping for salads, bread, hummus, baked goods, and fresh greens.
It seems everyone on TikTok is obsessed with Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand, Rhode Skin. Gift your picky loved one this fan-favorite peptide lip treatment. If it’s good enough for Ms. Bieber, it’s definitely good enough for your picky loved one.
For your loved one who works from home, this temperature-controlled self-heating coffee mug is practically screaming their name. Simply choose from the three settings: warm (130 degrees), hot (140 degrees), and piping (150 degrees) and you’ll have fresh coffee or tea for hours on end.
