The holiday season is here again. Doesn’t it feel like just yesterday you were wracking your brain for a budget-friendly gift for that special someone? Whether you’re buying for your Mom, Uncle, or BFF, I found over 20 gifts to help you make quick work of your holiday shopping this year.
Food & Drink
Almost Tea Box ($33 per box. Subscription also available)
Nothing beats a soothing cup of tea on a chilly day, and these teas are like nothing you’ve ever tried. These 6 “never-before-seen” tea blends taste as good as the yummiest dessert, satisfying even the sweetest of sweet tooths. Each tea bag contains 30 percent more tea for a super flavorful cup, and the box contains 5 sachets each of caffeinated and non-caffeinated teas in scrumptious flavors, like Cinnamon Toast Munch and Double Chocolate Chunk.
atōst American Apéritif Gift Box Sample Pack ($50)
A fun gift for a cocktail or wine lover, this set of American aperitifs is packed with delicious and unique flavors that showcase local ingredients. The blends, named Bloom, Citrus, Earth, and Woods, contain less alcohol than common distilled spirits, and the flavors are complex, yet totally approachable. The stylish bottles and gift box are ready for gifting!
The Community Spirit Cocktail Book VAP ($27.99)
A fun gift for the cocktail enthusiast, this boxed duo of a cool Community Cocktail Book that highlights unique recipes from eight star bartenders and a 750ML bottle of Community Spirit Vodka will instill a little fun into their cocktail game.
Not just co. Pantry Staple Mixed-Pack ($35)
The ideal gift for someone with very little time on their hands, this Mixed-Pack has 4 healthy staples that will allow them to throw a delicious meal together in no time. The kit includes 10-veggie pasta sauce, nut-free tomato pesto, lemon miso salad dressing, and coconut sugar caramel.
Sorel Liqueur ($38.49)
I had the pleasure of experiencing this delicious liqueur hand-served by the founder, Jackie Summers, who is the first African American in the US to hold a distiller’s license. Summers explained that “Sorrel” is a term for hibiscus flowers, which are known to have a variety of health benefits, including improving circulation and respiratory health. For generations, Sorrel has been blended with a variety of spices, sweeteners, and sometimes booze, through family recipes that have been passed down through generations. Jackie grew up with Sorrel as a kid and his adult version is a delicious blend of African hibiscus, Brazilian clove, nutmeg and Nigerian Ginger.
This shelf-stable liqueur can be sipped warm, on ice, or blended with other spirits. Its warmth makes it a perfect holiday drink to sip before or after dinner.
Wolferman’s Bakery Christmas Morning Gift Box ($49.99)
Make breakfast on Christmas morning a breeze with this gift box. The box includes 3 varieties of super-thick (and super delicious) English Muffins, a jar each of Strawberry Preserves and Triple Berry preserves, and two 2oz bags of Tiffin blend ground coffee, all packed in a festive box.
On-the-go
Anne Cate Skyline Emergency Kit ($25)
We’ve all had those moments when we wished we had a band-aid, pain relief medicine, stain remover wipe, or a spare earring back! These portable emergency kits come with 20 essentials nestled in an adorable vegan leather pouch featuring your recipients’ favorite city. There is also a men’s version!
Knog Frog Bike Light Set ($47.50)
This set of two powerful bike lights is a great gift for the cyclist on your list. The lights come with a versatile silicone strap that allows the lights to be mounted on a bike, but they can also be easily attached to a backpack, helmet and more. Safety first!
Health & Beauty
Athena Club Smooth Skin Trio ($31)
For your favorite grooming addict, this box contains three full sizes of Athena’s gender-neutral best-sellers; Cloud Shave Foam, Dewy Body Lotion, and Creamy Body Wash. The packaging is simple and chic and the products smell and feel great.
BeautyBio Lights Out Mask On Set ($25)
Who doesn’t need a little R&R at the end of a long day? This kit of a silky eye mask and 5 sets of collagen-infused, depuffing eye gels is the perfect duo to help your recipient (or you?) unwind at the end of the day.
Good Juju Holiday Bundle ($49.99, value $60.97)
For the lover of all things natural, this brand of plastic-free home & body care products is offering a gift set with your choice of award-winning shampoo & conditioner bars and a handmade maple wood dish. Solid shampoos and conditioners are a great way to be kind to the environment, with each set saving 6 plastic bottles from entering the waste stream. Even the gift box is zero-waste!
Rituals The Ritual of Ayurveda Medium Gift Set ($45.50, value $57.50)
This gift pack is exquisitely wrapped and comes with generous sizes of Ritual of Ayurveda body scrub, body cream, foaming shower gel, and a candle. The soothing and calming products are based in Indian Rose and Sweet Almond Oil and smell divine. This set is an incredible value and looks like it costs at least twice as much.
Sunday Scaries Holiday Scaries CBD Spice Drops ($34)
These are stressful times, so I’d be remiss if I didn’t include a CBD product in my roundup! Sunday Scaries, known for their high quality and tasty CBD products, introduces the limited-release Holiday Scaries, which are cinnamon and spearmint CBD spice gummies infused with a proprietary blend of Vitamin B12, L-Theanine, and 10mg of broad-spectrum CBD. Pop one or two to scare the stress away.
Unhidden Beauty Custom Makeup Palettes ($28 and up)
These custom eye shadow palettes are available in 8, 12, or 20 wells, with a vast rainbow of matte and glittery colors to choose from. You can even customize the cover from several pre-made designs or you can upload your own photo or design. If you’d prefer a ready to wear palette for the beauty junkie on your list, there are dozens of pretty pre-made palettes to choose from.
Home
Ferry Morse Kitchen Herb Kit with 7” Self-Watering Planter ($19.99)
This kit is an easy way for your favorite foodie to grow their herb of choice. The kit comes with 4 different herbs to choose from – basil, peppermint, lavender, and dill – soil, nutrients, and a self-watering receptacle, making it practically goof-proof!
The Adventure Challenge Couples Edition Keepsake Book ($49.99 at Francescas.com) This fun game is for your favorite couple! It features 50 scratch-off adventures, that encourage memory-making and disconnecting from devices, in a keepsake book. There’s also space provided for documenting the experiences and a sticky strip to affix a photo for each. Also available in editions for friends, family, or dinner dates.
Full Herizon Lightweight Passionate Earrings ($18.99)
These beautiful earrings add a splash of color to any outfit. They are available in a variety of colors and are deceivingly lightweight (and affordable). They are a great addition to an earring collection and can be worn with both dressy and casual attire.
JIGGY Puzzle ($40+)
These artist-designed puzzles come in a variety of designs. Once completed, they can be disassembled or glued to serve as home decor! Each JIGGY puzzle comes in a reusable glass jar and includes a tube of puzzle glue, a straight-edge tool to spread the glue, and a print of the art to follow along.
Skeem Mulberry Match Cloche ($36)
A perfect gift for a candle lover or anyone with a fireplace, Skeem has updated their classic cloche in your choice of four gorgeous jewel tones. The cloches are handblown glass and hold 120 wooden matches with a strike-on-bottle flint.
For more gifts under $50, visit Truetrae.com
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This article originally appeared on TrueTrae.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Tech gifts even Boomers will love
Parents and grandparents are typically the ones doing the gifting in their lives, making sure their children, and even friends, are getting that perfect present. This year, why not come up with new gifts to celebrate them during the holiday season?
Yes, parents spend a majority of their time focused on creating a great home for everyone, but they still have their playful side, too. In our holiday tech gift guide for parents and grandparents this year, we put together this list of gifts that are sure to please parents you know, whether they have a very young baby at home (or are helping you take care of one!), want to curl up with some Netflix in the evening or are hoping to create a perfectlyy cozy space for them and their family.
Ring
Aura is a brand of digital frames that not only stores digital images you upload yourself, but allows others to send photographs to the device from wherever they may be. And considering the social distancing almost everyone is facing today, we think digital frames make a wonderful addition to anyone’s life, particularly parents.
However, this year, besides images being beautifully lit, Aura photo frames will support video and sound. Their new smart photo frame, Mason Luxe, comes with the company’s highest resolution display. It supports video and sound, has a craftsman-inspired frame design and free unlimited storage for photos and videos, making sharing memories effortless. Mason Luxe frames are priced at $249, but you can still get other Aura Frames, like Aura by Carver which are also clean and well-designed. All Aura Frames are worth considering as a holiday gift if for no other reason than to help make people feel a little bit closer to each other today.
Amazon.com
Miku Pro Smart Baby Monitor is a smart baby monitor that tracks a baby’s sleep pattern and breathing, as well as the room temperature. Miku uses a technology it calls SensorFusion, which follows and then analyzes an infant’s breathing and sleep patterns in real time — and without the use of a wearable. This smart baby monitor allows you to easily monitor and talk with your child from your smartphone or tablet.
The camera has exceptional video resolution and night vision, and the device has a number of sounds and lullabies for you to choose. This smart baby monitor kit costs $399 and is available on Amazon and the company website. This might sound like a lot, but keep in mind you don’t pay any monthly fees to store your videos, and no wearable on your baby is required to track your infant.
Amazon
For the parents who get a lot of home deliveries, we have the perfect holiday gift. It’s the Yale Smart Delivery Box, a locked cabinet that your deliveries can be placed in and locked while you are away from your home.
This smart connected delivery box comes with a Yale lock, Yale Smart Keypad and Yale Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, which you use with the Yale Access App (iOS and Android) for remote access. It’s easy to assemble and can be stored on your porch or wherever your home deliveries are made. The Yale Smart Delivery Box is available in Manor Gray or Carbon Brown and costs $229.99 ($279.99 with Wi-Fi and Smart Keypad).
Amazon
Amazon updated their Alexa-enabled Echo smart speaker this year with a cool new design, plus an added bonus: a Zigbee hub inside. For any parents on your list who are busy building a smart home, this extra perk is a great one, opening up the number of smart products they can add into their living space. Of course, the new Echo is also an exciting update with a great look, solid sound and all the regular features you can expect, including the ability mute the microphone when you just want some privacy.
Amazon
The Meural Canvas II, which starts at $399.99, is one of those connected devices that’s a joy to have. It does one thing — send images, mostly art, into your home — and it does that very well. It’s pretty simple to set up, it’s easy to use, and it evolves: You can get new art frequently and change up what you see.
You can choose between four different kinds of frames, including wood. Images play to really any viewer, from those that are more into colorful graphics or nature, both of which are perfect for a child’s bedroom, to playlists designed for fans, like the curated set focused on HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” There are also images from National Geographic, The New York Public Library and even Magnum Photos, which represents famous photographers.
Amazon.com
Robot vacuums are time-saving friends; they are able to clean your floors and rungs while you tackle other things in your home. The Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI is one of the latest from Ecovacs, a sleek-looking robot that is a champ at vacuuming but has one significant hidden feature that really makes this a standout: a hidden camera that can watch your home from an app. That’s a security feature parents may really appreciate.
One of the features touted by Ecovacs is also the ability of the $799.99 T8 AIVI to remove bacteria through mopping and vacuuming. During GearBrain’s testing, the vacuum worked extremely well, could be scheduled to clean and could even avoid obstacles in its path, like cables. It’s a splurgy gift, but one parents, who are constantly working to keep a home clean, will likely adore.
Amazon
Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet is exactly what it sounds like: a responsive connected baby bassinet that helps your baby sleep. It gently rocks as white noise plays to soothe a baby who is swaddled in a sleeper attached to the bassinet.
Created by Dr. Harvey Karp, the $1,295 Snoo was designed to recreate the calming sensations a baby experiences while in their mother’s womb. The primary feature, however, is its ability to sooth an upset baby without waking parents. The sleeper does this by responding gradually to a baby’s cry with increasingly more motion and sound from inside the bassinet. For brand new parents, or those about to become parents, this may be one of the most indulgent gifts you can imagine giving them this year.
Amazon
The new HomePod mini speaker is two years in the making, and the radical updated design belies that effort. A speaker with sound on its mind, the new HomePod Mini has a full range dynamic driver, a pair of passive radiators for optimum bass and an acoustic wave guide for 360-degree sound experience. There’s also a three-microphone array inside, plus a fourth that faces inward to help it better detect speakers talking to Siri even while music is playing.
There’s also a new Apple S5 chip inside, which allows the device to tap into something that the company calls computational audio. This allows the HomePod Mini to analyze audio and then tune the drivers and radiators in real time. The speaker comes in space gray and white, just as the original HomePod, and will be priced competitively at $99, placing it right up against the Nest Audio and the Amazon Echo (4th Gen), both priced at $99 each.
Apple
The $230 Philips Hue Sync Box can treat parents to a fun and impressive addition to their home by syncing the lights around this device to whatever is playing on their TV. You can adjust the brightness, pick from three modes (video, music and game), and select one of four intensity levels, ranging from subtle to extreme.
Plus, for smart home families, the device can be controlled by speaking to Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant, and it works with anything plugged into a TV using an HDMI cable. That means video game consoles, streaming sticks, satellite boxes, Blu-ray players and other media devices. And yes, it’s great for gamers, too.
Amazon.com
If your are a Google Home or Google Assistant house, you have to consider the new Nest Hub (2nd gen). This is Google’s latest smart display, and it has many unique features. If familiar with the Nest display, you already know this deice can be used as a communication device, controller for your smart devices and even as an alarm clock.
The Nest Hub 2nd Gen is a solid, well designed smart display with robust voice assistant capabilities. When linked to your other Google accounts from email to calendars, and also Google Home app, turns this display in to a very efficient personal and home manager. Mom and Dad will really like this new versatile smart home controller.
Store.google.com
The Coway Airmega 250 is the largest air purifier made by Coway. We tested this device and found it to be efficient, especially for large rooms. It’s solid and kicks into gear on its own, and it even increase the intensity if it senses that’s needed. It’s easy to setup and comes with child safety lock. It costs $399.99 and works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant enabled devices.
Coway Airmega
Stadia is a blast. Let’s start there. Once you’re set up, having the ability to play anywhere you want is pretty great. The games are fun, well-rendered, hook you quickly, and we had really good experiences in terms of resolution on our TV … and frankly our Chrome browser, too. The entire set up for Google Stadia is $99 — and that includes one month free access to games, which is $9.99 a month after that. This is a fun option for families particularly as a budget entertainment option at home — and a great treat for the holidays.
BestBuy.com
The Lenovo Smart Clock Gen 2 is a follow-up to Lenovo’s popular Google Assistant powered smart clock, Lenovo Smart Clock Essential. This Gen 2 version still has the stripped-down retro look but comes with a wireless charging dock instead of charging ports. This makes it easy for your grandparents to easily charge their smartphones at night.
The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 also has icons that are easy to read and features you’d expect in a bedside clock like setting an alarm. But this new version does have extra features like voice commands using Google Assistant, better speakers, 4-inch touch display with ambient light sensors and powerful microphone which you can muted for privacy. It retails for $89.99 when bundled with the docking station. It’s available on Lenovo website for only $69.99. You can also buy it on Best Buy ($89.99) or on Walmart for $89.
GearBrain
Another great gift for your parents or grandparents is a smart baby monitor, but it must be easy to setup and use. One smart baby monitor we would recommend for your grandparents epecially is Cubo AI Plus Smart Baby Monitor. It’s a smart baby monitor with artificial intelligence (AI), which helps track the baby’s sleep and activities during the night.
Cubo AI includes a security camera, a free app, a mobile and floor stand, cables, a crib stabilizer and a temperature and humidity dongle. But the AI in this smart baby monitor is perfect for grandma or grandpa because they can be alerted when the baby’s face is covered or has rolled over. It even can notify them when their grandchild is crying. Cubo AI costs only $199 for the wall mount set, or you can get Cubo AI monitor and three-stand set for $299.
Amazon
Muse S is one of favorite devices we’ve reviewed this year. It’s a way to make meditation almost a game. The soft band is easy to put on, the app easy to install and, together, they can help train your mind to relax and quickly move to a state of calm. You’re actually taught to try and get birds to sing — the more they sing, the more your mind is calmed. The device is $350, plus you’ll spend about another $95 to subscribe to the app. But we think anyone, especially your grandparents, will find Muse a wonderful gift and a way to step away from any stress this year has brought.
ChooseMuse.com
If your grandparents are using Google Assistant enabled devices in their home, the perfect smart video doorbell to get this year is the new Google Nest Doorbell. The Google Nest Doorbell is a battery powered smart video doorbell with all the expected features you need to secure your front or backdoor. It’s easy to install and comes with a 1.3-megapixel color sensor, PIR (Passive Infrared) motion sensor, 6x digital zoom capabilities, a 145-degree field of view (FOV) and 3:4 aspect ratio.
The 3:4 ratio is perfect for your grandparents since they don’t have to tilt their smartphone to get a full glimpse at the person at your door. They will be able to see the visitor from head to toe on their screen. It costs $179.99 and comes in four colors (Ash, Ivy, Linen and Snow). This doorbell is available on Best Buy, Walmart, ABT Electronics and other electronic outlets.
Store.google.com
Another good video doorbell to consider this holiday season for grandma and grandpa is Ring Video Doorbell 4, especially if they are using Amazon Alexa enabled devices. The reason: Ring is owned by Amazon, and Ring devices work seamlessly with smart displays and speakers with Amazon Alexa voice platform.
Ring Video Doorbell 4 is resourceful smart Wi-Fi video doorbell packed with the latest technology and security features to protect your smart home. It features a 1080p HD camera, 160-degree field-of-view (FOV), two-way communication with noise cancellation, a Live View of your doorbell in the free Ring app, color night vision, and customizable motion controls. It also works on a Wi-Fi connection using either a 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz setting. And setup is quick and easy whether you have an existing wired doorbell or not. This smart video doorbell by Ring costs $199.99 and is available on the company website, Amazon, Best Buy, The Home Depot and other consumer electronics stores.
Ring
Robot vacuums make great gifts since they are easy to setup and can do one thing well: clean your floors. Some of these smart robot vacuums can vacuum, while others just mop. And if you can afford it, there are robot vacuums that can vacuum, mop and self-empty the robot. These are called 3-in-1 systems and normally run $600 and up.
But we found one that is affordable and less than $500. It’s the Yeedi Vac Station. This device is a self-emptying vacuum and mop cleaner that can intelligently identify the type of floor to clean and choose the right cleaning method. It has powerful suction (3000Pa), smart mapping and navigation features as well as works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant enabled devices. It costs only $499.99 and is available on Amazon.
Yeedi
A smart button is a fun little add-on that lets you add a switch anywhere in your home, even on a piano. With the Philips Hue Smart Button, you just click, and your lights turn on and off. You don’t need to add wiring, and you don’t need to call in an electrician.
And the entire device costs just $20. You do need to be using Philips Hue smart lights (which you could spring for if they don’t already have any), but after that, your grandparents or parents have an easy way to just turn off the lights before they go to sleep or turn them on before they get out of bed and never stumble around a dark room again.
Amazon
This is the TV of all TVs. The Samsung Terrace, which is designed for outdoor use, making it perfect for any parents or grandparents who live in climates where their backyard is like a second living room. The TV starts at a 65-inch size and goes up, and each screen has Ultra HD 4K resolution, even outside. Of course, it’s weatherproofed, and it also connects to Wi-Fi so you (or your grandparents) can stream Netflix, Apple TV and more. The TV starts at $5,000, so this may be one of those gifts where everyone in the family (hello, second cousins) may want to chip in for this big (very big) gift.
Amazon
Nest Audio is a good upgrade from the original Google Home, a speaker that first introduced people to the idea of having a smart assistant in their space. It’s got a great design and solid sound quality; music sounds full, round, and, when put in a location where sound is directed forward, it sounds quite clean and bright. For grandparents who have adopted Google Assistant, whether they’re Android users or Google Home fans, the new Nest Audio, at $99, is a fun gift this year.
Related:
This article
originally appeared on GearBrain.comand was
syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
BestBuy.com
Featured Image Credit: AlexRaths / istockphoto.
