32 Thoughtful and Practical Christmas Gifts for 2022

We love practical gifts – after all, we spend a lot of time thinking about what constitutes a perfect example of any given product. So when we find the best travel pillow ever or the absolutely perfect cooler, we want everyone we know to have one.

When giving a practical gift, no matter how well-intended or well-thought-out, you risk disappointing the recipient—or worse, offending them outright! When it comes to giving practical gifts, our general advice is to find the best place to find items that are useful but feel like real gifts for friends and family. We’ve rounded up our favorite gifts for the future. Need more ideas? Check out our gifts for him, gifts for her, Nordstrom gifts, favorite Amazon gifts, and gifts for everyone else on your list.

$15 on Amazon

Note gift box marked by sticky notes printed

We live in an increasingly paperless world, which is great, but sometimes you just need to jot things down manually. This gift set from Post-it includes a circular notepad, a to-do list notepad, a pre-numbered notepad, and five felt-tip pens, all in a festive red and pink colorway.

$6.95 on Etsy

ThreeBlueBirds3 Winter Cardinals Swedish Rag

Swedish wipes are a versatile reusable cleaning wipe that can replace sponges, cotton wipes and paper towels. They also come in tons of colors and patterns, like this Winter Cardinals theme, which makes them feel more festive and lively than a pile of flour-sack dish towels.

$25 $12.99 at Amazon

SameTech Pineapple Corer

As an organization specialist, I generally avoid disposable kitchen tools like the plague. But I bought this pineapple corer and slicer after seeing The Real Housewives of Orange County and fell madly in love with it right away. It quickly hollowed out the pulp of the pineapple into rings, and by my rough calculation, it paid off in three pineapples. (Pre-cut pineapples are expensive!) As a bonus, the tool leaves the outside of the pineapple intact so you can serve drinks in it, I’ve done it a few times, and it’s my most impressive party trick yet!

CNN emphasizes best testing

$49.99 $39.99 at Amazon

Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

The Pure Enrichment MistAire is our pick for the best humidifier for the bedroom because it’s so quiet. A good humidifier can improve your skin, sinuses, and sleep, making it a practical gift for almost everyone on your holiday shopping list.

$19.99 $18.99 at Amazon

Tundras Hot Hand Warmers Long Lasting, 40-Pack

If the person on your gift list lives in a cold climate, or is a fan of cold weather events, a set of hand and toe warmers is indeed a very welcome gift.

$11.95 at Amazon

Oxo Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer

Everything you need to prepare an avocado—from slicing to pitting—in one compact, dishwasher-safe tool. This is a favorite for underlined readers.

$12 on Amazon

W&P Peak Silicone Water Bottle Ice Tray with Protective Cover

Items that are ubiquitous like mugs or water bottles aren’t great gifts, as most people have enough. But items related to these things make useful and thoughtful gifts, like this silicone tray that makes perfect ice cubes for use in a water bottle.

CNN emphasizes best testing

$129 Tushy $99

Tushy Classic 3.0

A gift for someone you know very, very well…to say the least. Our pick for the best bidet attachment, the Tushy 3.0 is super easy to install on a variety of toilets and even easier to use. It’s a complete bathroom game changer and we couldn’t recommend it enough.

$18.95 Amazon $15.95

Drill Brush Power Scrubber

If the odds are high that the person you’re buying has a drill, this toolset can turn that device into a cleaning machine. If they’re a neat freak and eager to make grout and those baseboards look brand new, this is the gift for them. This is a true Underscored reader favorite.

$99.95 $82.99 at Amazon

AeroGarden Sprout with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit

The indoor LED grow light garden is the perfect gift for the budding home cook, providing fresh herbs when you need them. The easy-to-use gardening system comes with a gourmet seed kit containing six herbs – Genoese basil, curly parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil and mint.

Pula $44

Pura Smart Fragrance Diffuser

I received the Pura Smart Diffuser a few months ago, but I put it aside because I already have a traditional plug-in diffuser and I don’t think there’s much difference. I was wrong! When I finally set up the Pura, I was totally blown away by it. I love the scents, I love that you can program them to keep playing at specific times, I love that it lets you adjust the potency of the scents, and I especially love the customizable night light feature. This stuff is so cool I’m going to give one to everyone I know this year.

Thrive $35

Thriving Multipurpose Plant Food Kit

If you have plant parents on your holiday gift list, this organic plant food kit is perfect. The set includes Flourish’s organic plant-based foods and limited-edition dilution containers to make feeding plants feel like a formal affair.

CNN emphasizes best testing

$39.99 at Amazon

Cabeau Evolution S3 Travel Pillow

In our test of travel pillows, the Cabeau Evolution S3 stood out from the competition: Our reviewer called it “the Goldilocks of travel pillows.” They praised its design, which is strong enough to support the head and neck, yet soft enough to sleep in, noting that it’s very portable, thanks to its stretchy memory foam that allows you to put it Compressed to half size.

$16 at Liberty

Liberty Margaret Anne Print Square Measuring Tape

A small tape measure is one of those handy items, and a nice tape measure, like this Liberty print, makes a great little gift idea. Throw it in a bag or junk drawer and marvel at how many times you reach for it!

Hyperice $799

Normatec 3 legs

One way to actually give gifts is to get big! Our reviewers love the Normatec 3 Legs Compression System, which provides a customizable massage experience that helps improve athletic training and recovery.

$12.99 hex

Hex Performance Double-Acting Gear Cleaning Kit

Maintenance of sports equipment, such as protective pads, gear bags, sports gloves, etc. Often overlooked, resulting in bad-smelling gear. Designed to deep clean all kinds of gear and apparel, Hex’s Gear Wash Kit is a great gift for the sports category on your holiday shopping list.

Clevr $18

Perfectly prepared Clevr aerator

A milk frother is a simple tool that can elevate a morning cup of coffee into a work of art. Our beauty assistant editor Sophie Shaw loves Clevr’s bubbler, which she praises is super easy to clean, store and recharge.

$12.50 on Etsy

TheNorthBeeShop Wax Bag

Sachets are small scented deodorants designed to be used in drawers or closets to keep the contents smelling fresh. Usually, they’re made from bags filled with botanical ingredients like lavender, but these pressed wax bags are a more modern way to make a surprising and lovely gift.

CNN emphasizes best testing

Patagonia $149

Patagonia Women's Torrentshell 3L Jacket

In our raincoat test, the Patagonia Torrentshell outperformed all other jackets in key areas. Our reviewer called it “extremely poor waterproof” and praised it for being “extremely breathable, durable, and backed by Patagonia’s lifetime Ironclad guarantee.”

CNN emphasizes best testing

Parachute from $189

Parachute Linen Sheet Set

Very good sheets, such as Parachute’s linen sheets, our pick for the best linen sheets, make a great gift. For more suggestions and gift ideas, check out our guides to the best luxury sheets and the best cooling sheets.

$199 Therabody $179

Theragun Mini

Massage guns are a popular tool for post-workout recovery, making them a great gift for the runner, weightlifter or Pilates enthusiast in your life. While many massage guns are bulky, loud, and expensive, the Theragun Mini gets high marks for being quiet, small, and comfortable to use, and its sub-$200 price tag makes it a reasonable gift option.

$138 Buffy $117.30

Buffy Wiggle Pillow and Cover

Buffy, the maker of these cloud duvets, took the pregnancy pillow and redesigned it for the masses. The Wiggle Pillow is a fluffy yet supportive strappy pillow that provides full body support for sleep or relaxation. The removable, machine-washable lid is available in three colors: cream, puff and toast.

Rare Item $289

Sarah Burrows and Nick Behr Growlight Frame

For indoor gardeners, this framed shelf with grow lights is a practical display. The frame also features a timer and is the perfect way to keep houseplants and herbs happy and thriving in low-light environments.

$45.99 Amazon $35.09

Asakuki Essential Oil Diffuser

An essential oil diffuser serves two functions: it fills your home with the aroma of essential oils — which are considered a major mood booster. The diffuser features multiple fog modes, seven different LED colors and an auto-off safety feature. It comes with six bottles of lavender, lemongrass, eucalyptus, tea tree, sweet orange and peppermint essential oils.

$12.99 at Amazon

AWinjoy Gold Kitchen Scissors

Kitchen scissors are a very useful item, but giving them as a gift is a little practical—unless you opt for a luxurious style to elevate your look. These gold-handled kitchen scissors fit the bill perfectly.

CNN emphasizes best testing

$28 Frontgate from $26.60

Frontgate Resort Cotton Bath Towel

In our test of bath towels, Frontgate’s Resort Cotton Bath Towel was one of the most luxurious-feeling bath towels and our pick for the best bath towel. “Thick, soft, and snug,” our reviewer said, “this product truly feels like a sophisticated hotel bathing experience,” elevating the towel from a home basic to a luxurious gift.

Magic Linen $125

Magic Linen linen bathrobe

When asked about our own favorite robes, senior lifestyle editor Rachel Lubitz said of the linen number: “The sleeves are the right length and it drapes off my shoulders very well. Elegant. If you’re looking for a linen robe, get this one.” The robes come in three colors: light gray, ash blue or wood rose and ash pink.

Target price of $11.99

Aquaphor Ointment Body Mist and Dry Skin Relief

Here’s my personal advice: I’ve never come across an ointment that I don’t like, and I rolled my eyes when I learned that Aquaphor offers their beloved ointment in spray form.this thing is amazingI honestly think you should buy a case and put a can in everyone’s socks you know.

CNN emphasizes best testing

Lululemon $88

Lululemon Double Sided Pad

Exercise pads have a lifespan; when they lose their loft or start to show signs of wear, such as scratches, chipping, or curling, it’s time to get a new one. Our pick for the best overall yoga mat, the Lululemon mat is a great gift for the home workout enthusiast or yogi who is so excited to be back for studio classes.

CNN emphasizes best testing

$29.99 at Amazon

Emart 10

The Emart Ring Light is our pick for the best ring light. It comes with a fully adjustable tripod, giving users a lot of flexibility, it has three light modes and 11 levels of brightness. Think about how great you’ll be in your everyday Zoom.

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