Here’s the only gift guide you need. Indeed, it’s that time of year again. For some, gift-giving is natural, but it’s the worst for others.

But fret no more. In this article, I’ll give you some unique ideas that are different from Sephora sets or socks, although those are good gifts. Having scrolled through the depths of Pinterest and TikTok, I’ve found that some gifts are unique yet functional and will ensure your satisfaction this holiday season.

Take it from me: I’ve gifted a couple of these myself, and the smiles on my friends’ faces are priceless—precisely what I want when gifting something. Or simply for yourself—who said you can’t gift yourself this holiday season? Below, I’ve listed some ideas and more specific details of where to find the items.

Gift Ideas

Home

Starting with home gifts, our humble abode is where we spend most of our time, especially during the winter. Because of that, we must keep our space clean and looking cute and put together. Here are some gift ideas for your friend who just moved into their new apartment or wants to add a little detail to their home. They’ll love these pieces.

A candle warmer may not seem necessary initially, but once you have it, you won’t return. In recent TikTok, they all have one thing in common: this cute little pop of orange in the corner. And it is a candle warmer. This specific candle warmer can be found on Amazon, and it has a very funky shape to add a little something to your room if there isn’t much color. Not only does it come in an orange color, but it is also white. If you like the shape, that is good for you; plenty of other designs fit your friend’s aesthetic.

Next are mugs. Waking up and having your morning drink in a fabulous mug sets the tone for the day. And let’s be honest, who has enough mugs? Some places that carry cool mug designs are Etsy. You want to go to Etsy for the most unique and personalized gifts. A specific shop you should check out on Etsy is NAFceramic. It’s a small business run by a married couple whose mugs offer the perfect balance of handmade but looking lovely if that makes sense.

Lastly, there are vases. Whether you adorn them with flowers or let the vase take the spotlight, vases can add a lot to a shelf or a home. One of my favorite vases, which does cost a pretty penny but is the season, is from Female Alchemy. I ran across her business on TikTok and loved her art. She makes these vases in the shape of women’s heads, but they all have different personalities, and the way she’s decided to draw the eyes, just everything about is so chic. 

Beauty 

This is for the very nit-picky person with their looks person, which we all know. Only feeding into their obsession is the perfect gift, right? Starting with lip products. Recently, I’ve realized that having a solid lip combo is a must to look put together. A favorite lip product to gift this time is the Kulfi lip stain. The formula sits very nicely on the lips, giving you that subtle color, and you can enhance the look with good lip liners like Makeup Forever’s or Saie’s new lip liner, which I haven’t heard anything but good things from.

Makeup brushes are used daily, and I know not everyone wash them as frequently as they should. Getting a new set this holiday season will save your friends time and elevate their routine. Sephora carries some good essential brushes, but I’d recommend getting the makeup guru in your life the Hourglass brush collection. It’s a splurge, but you know they’ll have a smile on their face. 

You can even make a gorgeous gift basket by putting the items above in a nicely quilted makeup bag. You can find these at Urban Outfitters, but Etsy has the cutest ones. My personal favorite is LyiaShop, which has coquette bags. One of her darling bags has an adorable bunny embroidered, and who wouldn’t want to carry their makeup in that? 

Accessories 

Some accessories that are hard not to love when being gifted are socks. And I know I said they were basics, but these aren’t just socks; they’re stylish socks. Some of my favorites are socks from Double Soul. Their fabric is comfortable, and the various collabs with influencers have socks for every aesthetic. My favorites are from the Eva Meloche collection, which brings colorful patterned socks, and the Orion Carlotos collab, which has that soft feminine touch.

Secondly are balaclavas. These appeared post after post on my Pinterest, but the more I scrolled, the cuter they got. And if you live somewhere cold, these are assured to keep you warm, plus you look adorable if you throw on some cool shades. Since these are trending, you can find them at places like Zara, H&M, etc. But for cuter ones of higher qualities, I would recommend Paloma Wool, which is praised for everything they knit, and, again, on Etsy, Budgie Club has the coolest patterned and colored balaclavas that add a pop of color to your outfit on a gloomy winter day.

Of course, a good bag is always needed. Although purses can be found everywhere nowadays, they are all busy following trends. I recommend going vintage shopping or thrifting for bags. Yes, you heard that right. Vintage bags are where it’s at, and the process is even more remarkable since it is more thought out and genuinely unique.

Trinkets/KnickKnacks

Moving on to my favorite section, trinkets. I’m a trinket girl through and through, and these make for perfect stocking stuffers. We, of course, have surprise boxes. This generation grew up on the Yotubers opening tons of blind box figurines, and we’ve just evolved to cute and more expensive versions of them. Popmart is doing well. It keeps people obsessing over these odd little monsters that look cute, Labubus. The same goes for Sonny’s Angels and Smiskis. They are all little friends to bring with us daily on a keychain phone, etc. And who wouldn’t want a little friend?

As a magazine lover, I wish to bring my Vogue magazine everywhere, but their fragile composure doesn’t allow it. So this year, a magazine purse would be the perfect and unique gift for your magazine-obsessed friend. A YouTuber who has this same love for magazines solved that problem. Lara Violetta, creator of Violet Magazines, created The Paper Bag, which allows you to bring your daily read everywhere and style whatever cool cover it is.

Lastly, we have A24. They are mostly known for their funky indie movies, but their merch shop is Trinket Girl Central. Especially for the film Nerds, it is perfect. Their merch varies from hoodies and t-shirts to stickers and, of course, their film books. So, if you have an A24-obsessed friend, gifting them the book of their favorite film would be a good addition to their shelf on the coffee table or a good read!

Now that you have the ultimate guide and hopefully feel excited to shop for your loved ones, you can go gift shopping. Remember, don’t stress too much about what you buy because, in the end, it’s the thought that counts. I’m sure they’ll adore any gift you get your loved one. Happy holidays.