Favorite Gifts

Anyone who has shopped for holiday gifts can attest to the fact that it’s simultaneously fun and stressful. Whether you’re shopping for close friends, family members, or colleagues, it can be difficult to narrow down the options and decide what’s right for each person on your list. The best gifts are most often fun and functional. They balance utility and good design to bring a dose of modernism – and maybe even whimsy – to everyday living.

The first step to mastering the art of gift giving is to review your budget. Ask yourself how much you can allot to each person on your list. This exercise will help you tailor your shopping approach. However, don’t box yourself in! Be sure to account for a little wiggle room in the budget.

Next, think about each person on your list. What are their likes, dislikes, and hobbies? Think about their lifestyles, too. Do you have a friend who constantly travels and works remotely on the go? Or a family member who enjoys entertaining at home? Don’t just beeline for the most popular gifts. Instead, take the time to think about clever and unique options for each recipient – creativity always makes for the best gift ideas. Read on to discover thoughtful gift ideas for everyone on your list.

Best Gifts for Everyone

No one knows your best friend like you do, which makes it all the more fun to shop for best friend gifts. Consider an ultra-functional home gift that will help them keep their home organized. Or reference an inside joke with a more lighthearted gift.

Shopping for a coffee or wine connoisseur? An airtight storage tin for beans, a porcelain coffee pot, and a hand-painted stoneware jug make some of the best gifts for men and women who take their morning and evening beverages seriously. If your loved ones like to share their culinary passions with friends and family, consider gifting them items to dress up their dining table – a new tablecloth, a set of colorful placemats, a set of embroidered napkins – or culinary gifts that will spruce up their kitchen: a new apron, a set of playful salt and pepper grinders, or a pastel-colored coffee pot.

Know someone who lives by their jam-packed social calendar? The best gifts for women and colleagues who are always on the go fuel their busy lifestyles. Consider an insulated travel cup for their caffeinated drink of choice; a chic, reusable shopping tote for squeezing in a grocery run between meetings; or a new bathrobe to remind them to slow down.

This year, give your parents the gift of rest and relaxation. These are some of the best gifts for moms who need to take a breather after the holiday season: a scented candle, a new pair of slippers, and a cozy bathrobe. Or, give the gift of family time, with board games like chess or backgammon that can inspire some old-fashioned family fun.

Best Gifts at HAY

It’s no secret that people have been spending more time at home, so help them make their spaces a little cozier – and more functional – with HAY’s home decor gifts and organization gifts, like blankets, throw pillows, and storage bins.

Home office gifts are an excellent choice, too. Bring organization and cheer to your loved ones’ workspaces with everything from wall art and mirrors to decorative objects and desktop accessories.