Finding the perfect gift already feels like a gamble. Finding the perfect gift under $25 might feel like a mission impossible. The line between a thoughtful gift and a dust-covered tchotchke is thin, especially this holiday season: Between inflation and quality concerns, there is a healthy fear of the old adage “You get what you pay for.” But fret not, friends: Select has curated a thoughtful, fun and practical list of proven gifts all within that $25 price zone.
With something for everyone on your holiday nice list, these 28 gifts under $25 will be sure to warm hearts, blow minds and leave your family and friends wondering what they did to deserve such extravagance.
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Best gifts under $25
To help you find the best gifts under $25 to buy this year, we rounded up a combination of Amazon bestsellers, Select-reader favorites from our previous coverage, and those highly recommended by Select staff. From tech accessories that will simplify their lifestyle to games that will provide tons of fun with family and friends, these gifts will be cherished all year long and beyond. To help you sift through these various gift ideas, we compiled them into the following categories:
Bestselling gifts under $25
Stress Relief & Selfcare Cards
Give the gift of zen this holiday season with this Allura & Arcia self-care card deck. Developed by a team of therapists, counselors and yogi professionals, it includes 52 mindfulness and meditation exercises to calm the nerves brought on by everyday merriment of the season. The cards can be used at work, the office or school or even on your daily commute.
Hunt a Killer: The Detective’s Puzzle Book
If your friend or loved one has watched enough NBC Dateline to confidently claim they too can solve a murder, here is their chance. Hunt a Killer is an immersive murder mystery puzzle book guided by private eye Michelle Gray, who takes you from amateur sleuth to top-notch lead detective by helping you solve devious riddles and all sorts of intriguing logic puzzles.
Body & Earth Love Scented Candle Set
If there’s someone on your list who could use a bit of de-stressing, this four-candle set may do the trick. Made of 100% natural soy wax, each candle has a different scent — lavender, vanilla, ocean and raspberry — providing a pleasant environment to calm the nerves. Another plus: Each set comes beautifully packaged in a gift box.
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook
A great option for the person on your gift list who is trying to save the world and limit their footprint, the Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook features 36 pages of endless notetaking. Once thoughts are captured, just zoom your notes to your trusted cloud service and wipe the pages clean with a damp cloth and a fresh new notebook is ready for use.
Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer
The Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer seems to make our gift list every year. With a 4.2-star average rating across more than 50,000 customer reviews, this mug warmer is a bestseller on Amazon. Easy to clean and easy to transport, this gift is ideal for any warm beverage drinker and is especially fitting for a new parent who can’t recall the last time they had a warm cup of coffee.
Uncommon Goods Fitness Dice
Spice up their fitness routine with the roll of a dice. Designed for all experience levels, the Fitness Dice will decide whether it’s a leg day, arm day or ab day. Roll six of the die to see which areas you will tackle; the seventh dice will determine the number of reps. Every roll can lead to one of 45,000 combinations.
HEAD LIGHTZ Fleece Beanie Hat
Take a brisk winter walk or go for a run without compromising on comfort with this fashion-forward Bluetooth beanie hat. This unisex hat has an integrated bright white LED light that’s lightweight, removable and USB-rechargeable, the brand says. The light can be adjusted to three different brightness levels. To wash, just pop out the light and throw the hat in the washer.
Video Conference Lighting Kit
Lights, camera, Zoom with this video conference lighting kit. Just clip the kit to your monitor and join the Zoom with confidence. Featuring five brightness modes, from warm warm to cold white, the lighting schematic can be perfectly adjusted to meet everyone’s needs in any situation.
Seven Sparta Cup Extender
The Seven Sparta Cup Extender is the beverage equivalent of fitting a square peg into a round hole. Seven Sparta’s base expands to fit cup holders in different vehicles — it's the answer to securely holding water bottles, coffee mugs and even oversized Thermoses. As someone who enjoys putting her coffee mug into her cup holder, I am personally overjoyed.
Best unique gifts under $25
Back to the Roots Fabric Raised Garden Bed
If you know someone who is low on space but loves gardening, this raised garden bed is just what their heart and green thumb have been waiting for. It has 3 cubic feet of space to grow herbs, vegetables and flowers and is made of breathable fabric that’s durable enough to use season after season, the brand says. Simply unfold, plant and grow.
Uncommon Goods ‘80s and ‘90s Hum the Song Game
If there’s someone on your list who loves music from the ‘80s and ‘90s (and who doesn’t?) this game is for them. Help them “Get into the groove” with this throwback to new wave, arena rock, hip-hop, the grunge scene and more. It's a great gift for Gen Xers and children properly raised by Gen Xers.
Mixtiles
Mixtiles turns that awesome filtered photo you snagged on vacation into a hangable work of art — just upload the picture and pick out the frame. Mixtiles require no nails and therefore no hammer — they simply style and stick. Each one starts at $15, but your recipient can keep adding to them to build an entire gallery wall (the company offers 12 Mixtiles for $99).
Roast Master Card Game
This is an ideal game for the person who thinks of the snappy comeback 10 minutes too late. But beware, it’s not for the easily insulted. The Roast Master Card game falls in the genre of Cards Against Humanity but with a unique take. The red cards set up the burn, and the yellow cards deliver the heat. The combinations are designed to create third-degree insults that are wildly funny.
SparklyPets Hands-Free Dog Leash
For the dog lovers on your list, this 2-in-1 leash offers hands-on or hands-free puppy time. Built for medium- and large-sized dogs, this leash is powered by a flexible bungee and reinforced by stainless-steel clips, allowing for extra sense of security, the brand says.
Etude My Beauty Tool Jellyfish Silicone Brush
This silicone facial cleansing brush could be a great stocking stuffer for the skin-care-obsessed giftee in your life. It’s a personal favorite of Select managing editor Leah Ginsberg, who finds this cleansing brush gentle on her sensitive skin (Etude also mentions this as a benefit). Ginsberg loves its cute, catlike face (though some retailers say it’s a jellyfish). The no-frills brush is easy to wash, compact and costs just $6.
Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm Goldenrod Honey
The honey lover in your life may love this goldenrod option from a New Jersey bee farm. One of the most prevalent flowers in the Garden State is solidago, more commonly known as goldenrod. “When bees pollinate [the flower], it has a really buttery, rich flavor,” said Summer Johnson, owner of Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm. You can purchase the company’s goldenrod honey in a 16-ounce jar.
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Best tech gifts under $25
Apple AirTag Leather Loop
Do you have a friend or family member who relies on the Apple AirTag to keep track of their wallet, keys or phone? Let them carry it in style with this saddle brown leather AirTag Loop that will act as a holder for their tracker. The AirTag Loop can be attached to a purse, backpack or any other belonging the loop can fit securely around.
WearMe Pro Vintage Inspired Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Amazon-verified reviewers love these sleek and stylish semi-wireless frames and their ability to factor out damaging blue light. They're available in a bevy of colors, from classic black to shiny chestnut brown.
SLDawards AirPods Leather Case
Add a level of sophistication to AirPods with this beautiful leather carrying case with optional engraving. Made with thick genuine leather and featuring a sturdy clasp, this case can be hooked to a backpack, gym bag, key fob, belt loop and more. A cutout on the bottom allows you to plug in a charging cable.
GE Full-Color Direct Connect Smart Bulbs
Allow your friends or family members to set the mood in their room in a snap with these GE Full Color Direct Connect Smart Bulbs. There are millions of color options to choose from, with no additional hardware required. The bulbs work with Alexa and Google Assistant so they can control them away from home or dim them while in the house.
Smartish Cable Wrangler
Help your loved ones wrangle those unruly cords with the Smartish Cable Wrangler. Compact and easy on the eyes, the Cable Wrangler uses the power of magnets to reel those wiley cords in every time. It's available in four snazzy colors and includes a lifetime warranty, the brand says.
Tech Accessory Bag
For the person on your list who wants a place for everything and everything in its place, this tech accessory bag will keep cables, adapters and chargers in place without tangling — even when shaken, turned over or dropped, the brand says. Made of waterproof material, this case offers a customizable grid that can be configured in a variety of convenient formations.
Adjustable Cellphone Stand
This stand is a godsend for anyone attempting to multitask. The handy phone stand is easily adjustable and compatible with a wide array of phone models 4 to 8 inches wide, the brand says. It also comes in nine sleek colors.
Best practical gifts under $25
Simple Modern Insulated Water Bottle
Available in sizes ranging from 14 ounces to 128 ounces and with different lids to choose from, the Simple Modern water bottle is highly customizable. It’s made of stainless steel and features double wall vacuum insulation to keep your drinks cold, though the brand doesn’t recommend using it with hot or carbonated beverages.
Goodr The OGs
Who doesn’t love a cheap pair of sunglasses that actually work? These polarized sunglasses offer UV400 protection and have a classic square shape that suits most faces. They come in 35 different color options and with a one-year warranty. The OGs have a 4.6-star average rating across more than 2,700 Amazon reviews.
Travel Sunglasses Holder
This sunglass holder is made with triple-layered vegan leather and strong magnets — just clip the magnetic holder together and go. It's an ideal gift for runners, bikers and people who constantly hang their glasses on to their shirts.
Kitchy Pizza Cutter Wheel
If you have a pizza fanatic on your giftee list, you could pop this pizza-cutting wheel into their stocking. The ergonomic kitchen tool provides stable pressure for easy and controlled slicing, according to the brand. The blade is made of high-quality stainless steel, Kitchy says, and includes a protective blade guard for safe storage. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe.
Hive & Wick Market Candle
Select editor and scented-candle devotee Christina Colizza bought one of these Hive and Wick Market candles at Anthropologie on a whim earlier this year and never looked back. Now on sale for just under $20, these candles “offer the most lovely and distinct scent of any candle I’ve ever owned, and the most consistent burn,” said Colizza, who owns the Rosemary Baguette scent and recently purchased the Handmade Cinnamon Roll scent for the holiday season.
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