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Illustration: Seymour Chwast Here at the Strategist, our gift-giving caps are on all year long — but now that it’s November, we’d say it’s officially time to start looking for the best holiday gifts for everyone on your list. This year, our writers and editors are going above and beyond in their quest to find presents for every person on your list: We’ve been interviewing hard-to-shop-for groups of people — like tween girls, prolific hosts, and frequent travelers — for straight-from-the-source gifting advice and their ultimate wish lists. We’ve also prepped tons of brand-new gifts guides, which you’ll find on our site throughout the month. Below is every single gift guide that we’ve updated (so far) this season, featuring 45 of the most giftable, truly worth-it items from our archive. No matter who you’re shopping for this year, whether that’s your doodad-loving dad, your wellness-obsessed mom, your ever-confusing teen cousin, or your 5-year-old niece on a crafting kick, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll continue to update this list with more expertly vetted, truly delightful gifts as we inch closer to the annual festivities, and I suggest bookmarking this post to stay up to date on all the gift guides we have up our sleeves for anyone and everyone on your list. And, as always, sign up for our newsletter for even more festive coverage. Gifts that Might Sell Out The most sought after items of the year that will go fast. “While the traditional Advent starts the fourth Sunday before Christmas, you won’t find many Advent calendars left by the end of November anymore,” says our writer Ambar Pardilla. So to help you find one that’s still in stock and will make the countdown to December 25 that much more fun, she found the most popular self-care, toy, food, and drink Advent calendars available this year. At the top of our wish lists are Bonne Maman’s Advent calendar filled with limited-edition jams and this one that’s filled with questions and trivia for bibliophiles, but there are 49 others to choose from. Find more Advent calendars here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Strategist writer (and resident beauty expert) Tembe Denton-Hurst rounded up 2025’s best beauty Advent calendars from makeup and skin-care brands like M.A.C, Tatcha, and more. Some, like this one from Belif, include lots of minis, so you can try new products or stock up on TSA-approved versions of things you’re already familiar with. Others, like Amazon’s Advent calendar, are teeming with full-size products, making them well worth the money. Find more beauty Advent calendars here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Gifts for Him A gift for every man in your life, from husbands and dads to brothers and boyfriends. Our writer Erin Schwartz has one gifting rule of thumb: “Never get too far away from something you can picture your giftee using.” But if that stills stumps you — especially if you’re shopping for one of those hard-to-shop-for dads — they recommend drawing from your observations. Say, if your dad ends every night with an IPA, get him this gadget that turns cans into classy cups. If he’s more of the relax-on-the-couch type, this analog wooden foot massager that’s small enough to carry around the house will be just right. But if he’s more of a bird-watcher, Top Chef enthusiast, or single-origin-only dad, Schwartz has 49 other recommendations from numerous cool dads we’ve spoken to. Find more gifts for every type of dad here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. As one of the only husbands at the Strategist, senior writer Michael Zhao is uniquely qualified to find all of the thoughtful and whimsical gift ideas to help any husband feel seen by their spouse. There’s a nose-hair trimmer for the husband who didn’t realize he actually needed one, a handsome lap desk for the husband who works from the couch, and 80 other items guaranteed to impress him. Find more gifts for every type of husband here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Whether you’ve been dating for a few months or a few years, finding the right gift for your boyfriend can be one of life’s biggest challenges. Our associate editor Jeremy Rellosa (who has held the title of “boyfriend” for most of his 20s) says it’s best to pinpoint his interests, so he scoured our archives for all the most unusual, useful, and occasionally splurgy items you can buy for your boyfriend, whether he’s a coffee snob, a bookworm, an aspiring grill master, or a guy who likes to puzzle. Find more gifts for every type of boyfriend here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Gifts for Her Perfect presents for moms, sisters, girlfriends, and more. When shopping for her own mother, our style writer Ambar Pardilla likes to pick out items her mom needs (but hasn’t gotten around to buying) or surprise her with something she would never, ever buy for herself. But we know sourcing the right gift for your mom might still feel like an impossible holiday mission, so Pardilla collected the best options for mothers everywhere — from products Pardilla has personally vetted to the ones beloved by our own writers and editors, an admittedly picky group. Find more gifts for every type of mom here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Similar to shopping for a husband gift, there’s no one gift that works for every type of wife. And while you know her best, Denton-Hurst says there’s a core strategy for picking a gift for her: Mix highbrow and lowbrow. Stuff a makeup bag with some fancy toothpaste. Or go for an indulgently silky sleep mask and some fuzzy socks. To make the process easier, Denton-Hurst put together an edit of more than 50 items for every type of wife. Find more gifts for wives here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. You may have very similar tastes to your sister(s) — or perhaps you’re drastically different. Whatever the case, it’s wise to choose a surprising item that touches on her interests or a memory you’ve made together. Following that approach, Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen compiled a list of presents — many of which are Strategist-tested and -approved by a sister or were successfully gifted to one — whether she kvetches about how hot the subway gets or loves being cozy from her head to her toes. Find more gifts for every type of sister here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Gifts for Tweens, Teens & Young Adults Whether they want video games, beauty products, or clothes. For Tweens Since tween girls (ages 9 through 12) cycle between childlike interests and adult-esque sophistication, they can be especially fun to gift to, says Strategist contributor Youngna Park. To help you navigate this divide, she spoke to over a dozen tween girls around the country to understand what they think makes a great gift, from custom neon signs for their bedroom to bead kits for advanced friendship bracelet–makers. Find more gifts for tween girls here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. When it comes to finding a gift for the tween boy in your life, Park recommends homing in on their interests. Have they recently decided that science (rather than recess) is their favorite subject? Go for Randall Munroe’s big book of “serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions.” But if he can’t ever quench his appetite for adventure, a drone will help him discover new places he’s never seen before. (Just make sure he lives somewhere with enough room to fly it.) Find more gifts for tween boys here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. For Teens It can feel like doing high-level math shopping for teenage girls — so writer Arielle Avila chatted with teens about which gifts they’d actually like to receive this holiday season (and she did some obligatory scrolling on “GRWM” and shopping-haul TikToks). From the most popular skin-care products featured in Sephora-haul videos to crafts that are indubitably adult, the list covers a range of gift-giving categories, including jewelry, tech, clothing, and more. Find more gifts for teen girls here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Video games like NBA 2K25 or the latest Call of Duty might (predictably) be on your teen boy’s holiday list. But if he’s satisfied with his current game collection, Avila uncovered other items that will speak to your teenager, including TikTok-worthy room décor and games that will be the star of after-school hangouts. Find more gifts for teen boys here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Finding a sweatshirt that your teen girl will actually like feels like a challenge as old as time. There were the Abercrombie sweatshirts of the early aughts and the Victoria’s Secret Pink zip-ups of the 2010s, but today’s “It” sweatshirts often come from small sweatshirt-focused brands with drops that sell out in minutes. To help you find the sweatshirt your teen will want to wear on their first day back from winter break, I chatted with girls from across the country about their favorites — notably, the beachy ones from Pink Palm Puff that are taking over middle schools and the mock-necks from Parke that are seeping into high schools. Find more sweatshirts for teen girls here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Gifts for Kids Age-appropriate recommendations, from this season's hot toys to classic crowd-pleasers. The key to delighting 1-year-olds involves finding open-ended toys that will stimulate and surprise their growing minds, says Strategist senior writer and parent Liza Corsillo. When compiling our gift guide, she kept those guidelines in mind and uncovered 48 items to entertain curious toddlers while engaging all five senses. Find more gifts for 1-year-olds here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. “The best holiday gifts for 2-year-olds are things that give them a chance to be in charge, or at least pretend to be in charge, of something,” writes Corsillo. It’s also the age when children begin to participate in pretend play, so our experts recommend gifts that let toddlers imagine themselves in the roles of adults, whether that’s with easy-to-use tempera-paint sticks or magnetic foam blocks that even work in the bathtub. Find more gifts for 2-year-olds here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. At 3 years old, kids are finally clued in to the lead-up to Christmas and Hanukkah, but they might not know which toys they’ll enjoy playing with the most. After talking to child-development specialists, toy buyers, and stylish parents, Corsillo has found that toys that encourage physical activity are best, whether your little one is the future Michael Jordan or frequents the indoor play spaces where these sensory floor tiles abound. Find more gifts for 3-year-olds here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. As critical thinking and motor skills sharpen around 4 years old, Corsillo says children are also becoming verbally advanced and more independent. In more practical terms, conversing with a 4-year-old feels like talking to a little person with strong preferences, interests, and an actual personality. That’s why items that encourage curiosity and creativity are ideal for these rapidly growing humans. Find more gifts for 4-year-olds here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. At 5 years old, kids are learning how to play in groups and what it means to cooperate — two skills they’ll use daily as they start kindergarten, Corsillo says. That’s why she rounded up tons of toys to support these milestones that will make memorable gifts while also helping these early learners expend some of their seemingly endless energy. Find more gifts for 5-year-olds here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Gifts for Extended Family and Friends (and Grandparents, co-workers, best friends, and everyone in between. For Extended Family After chatting with grandparents and great-grandparents, I’ve learned that most grandparents will insist that quality time is enough, but a thoughtful present is still a meaningful way to show you care. They’ve already received decades and decades’ worth of gifts, so I recommend leaning into their role as a grandparent or finding a little doodad that’ll help improve their life. Find more gifts for grandparents here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. For Friends Whether you’re heading to a dinner party or preparing for a long-overdue visit to see family, deciding what to give a host is always challenging. To help you find the right gift for whatever kind of host you might be thanking, I chatted with the most tasteful, prolific host extraordinaires I know about their go-to gifts, whether it’s a food cover for the host who likes plein air dining or a trivet for the host who’s serious about serving dinner piping hot. Find more gifts for hosts here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Gifts for Every Hobby For the artist and crafter, the outdoors fanatic, the jet-setter, and more. Sports and Outdoors Gifts Writer (and resident travel expert) Katherine Gillespie says the best gifts for frequent travelers are often the most practical. Along with interviewing flight attendants and travel agents about what they recommend, Gillespie collected highly giftable yet functional items from our Travel 100, which features our absolute favorite pieces of gear for all sorts of trips. Find more travel gifts here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Gifts for Every Budget Whether it's $10 or $100, we've curated lists by price. Buying a standout gift doesn’t have to break the bank, especially in this economy. To prove it (and help you shop for everyone on your list), I combed through all of our gift guides to pull together a list of 50 of our favorite items under $50 — all of which have also been best sellers among our readers this holiday season. Find more top-selling gifts under $50 here. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. Saved View Want to be emailed when products you’ve saved are over 20% off? Success! You'll get an email when something you've saved goes on sale. Yes New! You can now save this product for later. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Every Holiday Gift Guide From the Strategist (So Far)