The 25 Most Popular Christmas Gifts You Can Buy Your Friends and Family in 2021
Surprise them with trending presents and best-sellers they're sure to love.
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Everyone has a different holiday gifting strategy. While some people prefer to take the road less traveled with very unique gifts they've never seen before, there's also something to be said for gifting hot-tickets items, perennial favorites and classic gifts that everyone is sure to love. To help you shop this year's biggest trends (like wellness gifts, delicate jewelry, athleisure, squishy toys and work-from-home essentials) and gift with confidence, we've put together a list of the most popular Christmas gifts of 2021 that Good Housekeeping readers and Amazon shoppers are stocking up on.
These best-sellers cover everyone on your list: There's some of the best gifts for men and women, creative gifts for teen girls and tweens, the hottest toys of 2021, gifts under $20, camping gifts, tech gifts and more. And because so many of these are actually personalized gifts that can be customized with their name, zodiac sign or favorite color, you don't have to worry about anything feeling generic. (Personalization remains a huge trend across jewelry, home goods and more.)
Keep in mind that even this year's most popular gifts will sell out quickly and may take longer to reach you because of supply chain issues and international shipping delays — shop early to make sure you get everything by Christmas.
For more Christmas ideas, check out the Good Housekeeping 2021 Holiday Guide for holiday decor ideas, Christmas games and activities, holiday recipes and popular gift ideas.
Made with recycled paper briquettes and wax, this highly-rated portable campfire offers three hours of burn time they can enjoy anywhere.
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Elago 3-in-1 Apple Charging Station
Help them keep their nightstand or desk organized with this popular charging stand and cable management system. It holds an iPhone, a pair of AirPods and an Apple Watch (or a normal watch, if they don't need to charge a third product!) and comes in white, black, indigo and metallic finishes. Keep in mind they'll still need cables to run through for each product.
RELATED: 28 Best Tech Gifts That Are Cool Enough for Your Gadget-Loving Relatives
Everyone loves a good sweatshirt. This cotton and polyester blend Hanes pullover is the most popular men's sweatshirt on Amazon, and because it's available in 16 colors and a wide range of sizes, it suits just about anyone on your list.
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This surprisingly roomy crossbody can fit everything she needs within two interior pockets. The bag comes in 40 colors, has over 18,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, and is super affordable, too.
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If she's all about astrology, she'll love this personalized gold and cubic zirconia constellation necklace. When ordering, just enter her zodiac sign and pick the desired length.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2
Keep their coffee's temperature consistent throughout the day with the super-popular Ember mug. It comes in sleek black and white finishes and can be controlled completely from their phone.
If they don't already own this iconic Carhartt beanie, we guarantee they'll appreciate one. It's warm, trendy and has over 90,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. Suited for men, women and teens and available in nearly 40 colors, there's a knit out there for them. (This writer got one as a gift for Christmas 2020, and it's just as popular now).
CaitlynMinimalist Name Earrings
Does she already own a nameplate necklace? Add a pair of personalized earrings to her collection. This dainty set can be customized to include her name, nickname or any other short phrase.
Enno Vatti 100 Movies Scratch Off Poster
Gift the movie buff in your life this scratch off poster and they can keep track as they work their way through some of the greatest movies ever made. Letterboxd is fine, but this poster doubles as a unique talking point in their dorm, apartment or home office.
Choose from a wide variety of bonsai (flowering or non-flowering, big or small, indoor or outdoor) and gift them a potted tree that will bring them joy all year round.
This 3D moon lamp can add a warm glow (and fun talking point) to any bedroom. Charge the battery in full to get up to 10 hours of light, and toggle between different glow colors with an easy touch control. It's great for teens, tweens and astronomy fans alike.
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She'll love toting a personalized tumbler to class or the gym. Choose from a variety of fonts, colors and styles — or bulk order for bridesmaids gifts and other group events.
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Amazon's latest offering pairs up with Alexa to set timers and alarms, play music, answer questions and recap the news. It's bigger than older versions of the Dot, so they can see the time clearly, no matter how far. It comes in white and twilight blue finishes — and has nearly 100,000 5-star reviews.
Pair this Roku streaming stick with any Alexa device, and they'll have all their streaming services at their fingertips. (Roku works faster and smarter than the streaming channels they have built into their TV.)
TeeTurtle The Original Reversible Octopus Plushie
This adorable octopus plushie was all over TikTok this year —and it's one of the most popular toys on Amazon right now. It's available in nearly 30 color combinations and can be reversed from happy to sad (and one color to another) to reflect their mood.
RELATED: These Are the Best New Toys of 2021, According to Top Toy Experts
Crazy Forts Custom Fort Playset
Time to upgrade those blanket forts! This set for ages 3 and up comes with rods and connectors, which they can drape with their own sheets and blankets over to make cool structures. Kids can get creative and use them to build towers, castles, pyramids and more.
Educational Insights Artie 3000 The Coding Robot
Mix coding into arts and crafts with Artie the coding robot, an educational toy that allows kids 7 and up to learn coding basics while making cool designs.
RELATED: The 30 Best STEM Toys for Kids, According to the Scientists at the Good Housekeeping Institute
Give them the gift of a good night's sleep with this touch-sensitive device (with over 3,000 5-star reviews) that teaches them how to fall asleep naturally using a metronome and light system.
Help them start 2022 right by diving into a new hobby or existing passion with MasterClass. With an all-access subscription, they can learn skills like tennis, fiction writing and cooking from the best of the best like Serena Williams, Neil Gaiman, Thomas Keller and more.
RELATED: 35 Unique Gift Experiences That Prove Quality Time Is the Best Present You Can Give
Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager
Give them the gift of relaxation this holiday season with this portable massager that has over 28,000+ five-star ratings on Amazon. The heated massager can be used on their neck, back, legs or feet and taken just about anywhere.
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