There are so many fun and bright things to get excited about this time of year, but it can be stressful when you don’t know what to get your mom, dad, best friend, co-worker, or your kids’ teacher for the holidays. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, it’s safe to say that we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But as we get closer and closer to the holidays, there’s a lot of hype, junk, and bad deals masquerading as good deals.
Let us at Engadget help you. Here, you’ll find all of our holiday gift guides gathered in one place, so it’s easier to find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Looking for white elephant gift ideas? Struggling to find a good gift for the father figure in your life? Just looking for a good board game to pick up for your family? We’ve got you covered with gift ideas for all these scenarios and more. We’ll be updating this post as more of our gift guides hit the web, so check back for more gift ideas throughout the season.
Contents
The best white elephant gift ideas
Legend has it that the king of Siam would give white elephants to courtiers who upset them. The buyer had no choice but to thank the king for such a rich gift, knowing that they could not afford to keep such an animal. This would inevitably lead them to financial loss. This story is hardly true, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only bring you a few laughs, but also make your recipient feel (a little) pampered.
More details: The best white elephant gift ideas
The best board game gifts
We can all spend more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and connect with friends and family. Now you can find many unique sets out there, from word puzzles to soothing games that show the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to haunted mansions, we’re sure at least one of our offerings will be a hit with you and your loved ones.
More details: The best board games to give as gifts this season
The best gifts under $50
We wouldn’t blame you if you tried to do all your tech shopping over the holidays. This is when you can find the best sales on both relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive technology is worth the gift. Since we at Engadget test tons of gadgets every year, we know there are some hidden (and not-so-hidden) tech gems in the lower price range — you just have to know where to find them.
More details: The best gifts under $50 make great stocking stuffers
The best gifts for gamers
This year may not go down as one of the best years in gaming like 2023, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some great new releases. among such titles Astro Bot and Final fantasy 7 rebirth2024 had plenty of games to keep even the most dedicated gamers busy. And if you’re shopping, especially as a non-gamer, it can be hard to pick out what’s worth buying. We’ve got you covered with these recommendations.
More details: The best gifts for gamers
The best retro gaming gifts
A million new video games come out every week, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you’re into retro gaming but don’t want to hunt through eBay and local stores to add to your collection, we’re here to help. For the nostalgic gamer in your life, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite gift ideas, from video upgrades for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork.
More details: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays
The best gifts for coffee lovers
When it comes to making a great cup at home, coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person you’re shopping for is a newly minted lover or obsessed with every brewing setting, we’ve compiled a list of the best coffee lover gear you can get this holiday season.
More details: The best gifts for coffee lovers
The best food gifts
There are few things more fulfilling than preparing a good meal for your friends and family. But after a while, it’s easy to get bored of the same tried and true recipes. What better way to inject some fun into your favorite home cook’s work than with a brand new kitchen gadget? To help you find the right gift for the chef in your life, we’ve put together a list of our favorite kitchen gadgets across a wide range of prices and categories.
More details: The best food gifts
The best tech toys for kids
We’re all experiencing a bit of a budget crunch this year, but the good news is that when it comes time to give gifts to the young (or the young at heart), you don’t have to break the bank. Our list of our favorite tech, science, and design toys is packed with items under $100 and packed with plenty of reusability to extend the fun well beyond the holiday season.
More details: The best tech toys for kids
The best gadgets for your pets
In Engadget’s Slack rooms, our pets are high on the list of things we talk about — tech stuff at work, crazy current events, video games, and behind the scenes food. We’ve bought plenty of high- and low-tech products to keep our furry friends fed, occupied, safe and happy, and we’ve rounded up the best we’ve tried here. Maybe you’re shopping for your very own best boy or girl, or you’ve got a esteemed pet parent on your list—either way, the gadgets collected here would make great gifts for enthusiastic tail wags (or distant meows). our very own fur babies.
More details: The best gadgets for your pets
The best travel gifts
We have traveled since the dawn of mankind. We have come a long way from traveling on foot laden with animal skin bags. But good travel vehicles have the same goal: Get you and your needs to your destination in the highest level of comfort available. If you know someone who always catches a flight, takes the train to work, or bravely goes on a cruise, some new technology might just help them out.
More details: The best travel gifts
The best gifts for remote workers
There’s a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some way. While WFH life has its perks—no one likes a long commute—it comes with its challenges, from the lack of high-end gear to dealing with domestic disturbances. If you’re looking to gift someone who spends most of their time in their home office, we’ve rounded up a few tech gift ideas that will make their day a little more enjoyable, or at least easier to manage.
More details: 19 best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life
The best gifts for book lovers
There are few things in life better than getting lost in a good book – any book lover will tell you. Here at Engadget, we have some heavy readers, and we all have ideas about gadgets and subscriptions that we think make the reading experience even better. We’ve got gift ideas for e-readers as well as print devotees – and of course, some book recommendations too.
More details: The best gifts for book lovers
The best gifts for mothers
We don’t speak for all moms, but a quick and unscientific survey confirmed a gift that most moms will love: Time. No-nonsense, unstructured, zero-commitment period. While we couldn’t find extra watches for sale anywhere online, we did find some gadgets and gizmos that help save time, and others that make precious free time more fun.
More details: The 13 best gifts for moms
The best gifts for dads
Many dads aren’t known for being open about exactly what they want for the holidays. (No, “peace and quiet” is not an acceptable answer in this case.) If you’re shopping for a gadget-loving dad but aren’t sure what to get, let us help you brainstorm with these gift ideas.
More details: The 15 best gifts for dads
Check out the rest of us gift ideas here.
