Gift-Giving Is My Love Language — Here Are My Go-To Presents For Anyone You’re Shopping For

Shopping for other people has always brought me joy. I have vivid memories of perusing the tables at school events like the book fair and the holiday market picking out items for everyone in my family.
I also know that finding the perfect gift isn’t easy. Anticipating what someone wants or needs is a game with varying levels of difficulty, depending on the recipient. It’s a challenge I love to face head-on, and solving that puzzle makes me happier than any present I have received. That’s why I made it the focus of my career.
As a member of HuffPost’s Shopping team, it’s my job to identify the products that will resonate most with our readers. When it comes to gift-giving, we all have busy lives, so it’s totally understandable if you don’t have the time or energy to figure out what to buy. I’m here to help. I curated a collection of my favorite products that I have given out over the years. These foolproof recommendations will earn you the same excited gratitude from everyone on your list.
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HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
I’m a bit of a collector of Bluetooth speakers, so I’ve tried many brands of all shapes and sizes. One of Altec Lansing’s most recent offerings, the HydraMicro, offers fantastic sound quality while being compact enough to travel anywhere. You don’t need to know a person’s musical taste for them to make use of this, which is why I find speakers to be a solid choice for a casual acquaintance or a white elephant gift exchange.
When shopping for someone you aren’t very close to, I find going with something practical to be the safest route. We all have devices that require charging, so chances are high that whomever is receiving this gift from you will be grateful. Courant’s Catch:1 wireless charging pad works with several iPhone and Galaxy phone models and fits in well on a desk or nightstand.
If you live in a climate that gets cold in winter, new gloves could go a long way. The Brooks Running Fusion midweight glove 2.0 is a simple design that will keep their hands warm, whether they run or just need to brave the outdoors on cold days.
I have given and received at least a dozen dopp kits over the years, but this one takes the cake. Bagsmart has created the toiletry version of the magical bag from “Mary Poppins,” and I can’t gatekeep it anymore. Between the copious number of compartments and the built-in hanger, this gift is guaranteed to help the person you buy it for become a better traveler.
It’s essentially an unspoken rule in the gaming community to pay it forward when you discover something as entertaining as Vango’s Straight to Jail card game. Each round, a player is tasked with ranking the severity of hilariously terrible offenses like blasting music from a speaker while hiking or ending a work email with a cheesy sign-off line. The rules are simple, so even casual gamers will catch on quickly.
If you’re attending a gathering at someone else’s home and looking to bring something more than a bottle of wine or dessert, consider this wood serving tray from Kamsah. They could use it as a piece of decor or to present a culinary spread if entertaining guests is a common occurrence for them.
My love for candles runs deep, and I return to Harlem Candle Company time and time again. The tricky part is finding the scent your recipient will enjoy most. In my experience, every offering from HCC has been a hit, but my personal favorite is Langston, inspired by poet/activist Langston Hughes. Every one of their candles looks as pretty as they smell.
Your host is having a gathering to create memories for their guests, so bring them something to help preserve photos from the event. The Dragon Touch digital picture frame is affordable and, best of all, easy to use. The last thing you want to do is give someone a gift they can’t figure out how to operate.
Even if you don’t know a single one of your recipient’s interests, they definitely sleep, and they probably also enjoy cozy nights on the couch. Who doesn’t? That’s why I love to give blankets, especially to people welcoming me into their home. They put in a lot of work to make sure their guests leave happy, so they’ve definitely earned that downtime. You can find cozy blankets at many retailers for any budget, but Quince has never disappointed me when it comes to their bedding, and it doesn’t get much better than their 100% cotton Fisherman throw.
This option is especially helpful if you’re invited to someone’s house for a meal. Sure, you could show up with something sweet just like everyone else, or you could shake things up by presenting them with this savory set of four bottles of Enzo specialty olive oils and 1 bottle of their balsamic vinegar. This is the type of oil you serve with a bread basket to really taste the quality. I love gifting this set to the foodies in my life.
In my opinion, the Amazon Fire tablet is a better and more affordable tablet option than an iPad. As an avid reader, I love how simple it is to access ebooks through the Kindle app and watch shows or movies I own on Prime. If you’re considering this as an option for your romantic partner, I also suggest pre-loading their favorite titles onto the tablet so they don’t have to fuss with setting anything up after they open it.
There’s no shame in giving a gift you could end up using for yourself as well. It doesn’t matter how athletic or generally active your partner is; everyone can appreciate a deep massage. Arboleaf’s massage gun falls into a very reasonable price point compared to similar items from other brands, and the device comes with 5 interchangeable nozzles, each offering a different massage experience.
I take great pride in creating music playlists on Spotify, and I take as much pride in selecting the headphones to listen to those playlists. Marshall is a brand I always come back to. Their headphones are more durable than any other brand I have used, which is important considering how often buds tend to fall out of my ear. Their most recent release, the Minor IV, is worth every penny if your partner has been hoping to upgrade their buds.
You may know Frye for their iconic boots, but they offer so much more. Their belts are beautiful, too, and I can’t get enough of their wallets. They have the more traditional bifold option or, my preference, this simple card case/money clip combo.
Shoes are a gift that should be reserved for those you know well. It requires you to know their size and style preferences, which is why I only consider giving them to my husband or another family member. Once you have the info you need, Marc Nolan is the way to go. Their styles range from elevated classic options to more fashion-forward options for both men and women. My favorite part: Nearly every pair is less than $150.
No matter how many things I bring my niece and nephew, they’re always most excited to open their blind boxes. This Disney Doorables Squish’Alots line combines four things kids love: Disney, squishy stuff, miniatures and mystery toys. For what it’s worth, I’m also a fully grown adult man who has to resist starting a collection of these for myself. They’re just too stinkin’ cute!
I grew up in the ’90s and fell hard for my Tamagotchi when they were first released. I’m admittedly a little jealous that kids today get to play with essentially an updated version called Bitzee. This is one of my go-to gifts because it teaches children about responsibility while they interact with their adorable magical pet.
Arts and crafts was always a highly anticipated camp activity for me, so I’m always looking for items to keep kids’ creative juices flowing. The 3Doodler is a much smaller and more budget-friendly alternative to investing in a 3D printer. Kids can use the multi-colored plastic strands to bring their ideas to life and there’s way less clean-up for the adults when they’re done.
This one is a grand slam home run every time. It’s one of the few toys that stays in constant rotation when I visit my niece and nephew. If the whole poop thing doesn’t bother you, it’s a game that will keep them entertained for hours. As long as they keep making it, I’ll keep buying it for the kids in my life. Every home should have a Silly Poopy.
Without question, the greatest part about being an uncle has been introducing a new generation to the games and characters I grew up with. There are other video game systems out there, but Nintendo Switch Lite (and the original Nintendo Switch) offers a catalog of family-friendly titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. You can also sign up for Nintendo Switch Online to access games from their old consoles like NES, SNES and Gameboy.
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