Partner, mum or dad, friends, colleagues, and the person who says they don’t want anything.
The usual Christmas mistake is buying for the occasion instead of the person: something festive that has done its job by Boxing Day. Start with who it’s for and what their winter actually looks like, then pick one thing from their section below. Each one ends with the pick to choose if you’re stuck.
You know them best, so this is the one lane where personal beats safe.
usually around £40–100 for two
Good if they’d rather do things than own things, and you can agree a date in January or February.
Skip if their diary is unpredictable and the booking can’t be moved. A vague voucher isn’t the fix either; see experience gifts are great, vague vouchers are not.
usually around £30–80
Good if you’ve noticed the old one is worn out: gloves, a bag, a dressing gown, a water bottle.
Skip if it needs a size you’re guessing at, or they’re fond of the battered old one.
usually around £25–50
Good if you’ve taken plenty of photos together this year and they like keeping things.
Skip if you’d be making it in a rush the week before; it needs time for choosing, checking and delivery. The photo book how-to covers size, paper and how many pages.
around £30–80
Good if the hobby is well established and you know what they already own. For a runner, the winter running accessories how-to helps you pick something they’ll wear in the dark months.
Skip if it’s technical and you’d be guessing the spec. Ask someone who shares the hobby first.
around £20–50
Good if their favourite time is a lazy Saturday at home: good coffee or loose-leaf tea and a proper mug, or a warm throw for the sofa.
Skip if you’re not sure what they drink, or the sofa already has three throws on it.
If you’re stuck, pick this: the planned day out, with a date you’ve both agreed. It’s the one present that also gives you something to look forward to after Christmas.
Most parents say “don’t get me anything”. It usually means “don’t get me more stuff”, not “don’t think about me”.
usually around £20–50
Good if the year’s best family photos only live on someone’s phone. A photo book or one well-framed print both work.
Skip if their walls and shelves are already full of frames; go for a book they can keep on a table instead.
usually around £30–100, more for larger pieces
Good if they cook most nights and their go-to pan has seen better days. The cast iron how-to explains what to look for.
Skip if they find heavy pans hard to lift. Cast iron is heavy, especially full.
usually around £20–50
Good if they feel the cold and keep the heating low: a hot-water bottle with a knitted cover, a soft wool-mix throw, or a pair of good thermal socks.
Skip if they run warm or already have a basket of blankets.
around £30–80 for two
Good if what they really want is to see you: a lunch out, a matinee, a garden or house visit in the spring.
Skip if winter travel is hard for them. Take it to them instead and cook the meal at their place.
around £15–40
Good if they’re the type who says “I really should get one of those”: a bright rechargeable torch, a sturdy umbrella, a winter kit for the car.
Skip if they might read it as a hint about their age or their driving.
If you’re stuck, pick this: the printed family photos. They’re hard to find in a shop, easy to get right, and parents tend to keep them for years.
Dedicated guides for mum and dad are coming soon.
Keep it modest and specific. With friends, a small present that shows you listened beats an expensive guess.
usually around £15–30
Good if you already get together and someone always suggests playing something.
Skip if it needs more players than you usually have, or the rules take longer to learn than the game takes to play.
around £8–12
Good if you trade recommendations and your tastes overlap.
Skip if they only read on an e-reader or don’t read for fun. It’ll become a doorstop.
around £15–40
Good if there’s a specific thing you’ve both said “we should go”: a gig, a comedy night, a climbing taster, a film club.
Skip if you can’t agree a date. An unused ticket is worse than no ticket.
around £10–25
Good if you know their taste and their dietary needs, and whether they drink.
Skip if you’re guessing at any of those.
around £15–25
Good if they have a bright windowsill and already keep plants alive.
Skip if they travel a lot, or have a cat and you haven’t checked the plant is safe for pets.
If you’re stuck, pick this: the ticket for something you’ll do together, booked for January when everyone’s diary is emptier.
For most offices, the office present is the Secret Santa. Our Secret Santa gift ideas cover the under £5, £10 and £20 budgets. For a manager, a mentor or someone who helped you out this year, keep it small and sincere:
around £2–4
Good if they’ve helped you, and you can say exactly how.
Skip if you’d only write “Merry Christmas!” — then a card on its own adds little.
usually around £8–15
Good if you want to thank everyone at once: a tin of biscuits or a box of chocolates left in the kitchen.
Skip if you know there are allergies in the team and you can’t check the label for them.
around £8–15
Good if it’s one person, they have their own desk, and you want something that isn’t food.
Skip if they hot-desk or work mostly from home.
If you’re stuck, pick this: the handwritten card. It costs very little and it’s the one people actually keep.
The hard-to-buy-for usually aren’t hard to please. They just don’t need more things. Give them something to do, something to use up, or your time.
usually around £30–100
Good if you know what they enjoy and can book a specific date or a ticket with free date changes.
Skip if it’s a general voucher they’ll have to organise themselves. The experience gifts guide explains why.
around £15–40
Good if they love food or drink: a really good olive oil, coffee from a local roaster, a spice set for the cuisine they cook most.
Skip if you don’t know their dietary needs or they’re trying to cut back.
around £20–60
Good if you’ve spotted the one item they use daily and it’s tired: a proper kitchen knife, a better flask, warm gloves.
Skip if they’re the kind who researches every purchase. They’ll already have the version they want.
any amount
Good if they’ve said they don’t want presents and you know a cause they already support.
Skip if you’d be choosing the cause for them.
around £0–20 plus a day
Good if there’s a job they keep putting off and you can help: a day of decorating, a garden tidy, a home-cooked meal.
Skip if you won’t actually follow through. Write the date in the card.
If you’re stuck, pick this: the experience with a date already booked. It’s the clearest way to say “I thought about this” to someone who doesn’t need anything.
Cheap Christmas gifts don’t have to look cheap. One good thing at the right price beats several things at a stretch.
| Budget | Good starting points | Where to look above |
|---|---|---|
| Under £20 | A paperback with a note, a handwritten card plus a team treat, a hot-water bottle with a knitted cover, something good that gets used up | Friends, colleagues, mum or dad, someone who has everything |
| £20–£50 | A photo book of the year, a slow-morning set, a game for the group, a practical upgrade | Partner, mum or dad, friends |
| £50+ | A planned day out for two, cookware that lasts, a better version of an everyday item, an experience with a date | Partner, mum or dad, someone who has everything |
There’s no right figure. If you swap presents both ways, agree a rough budget beforehand so nobody’s caught out. For everyone else, decide your total first and split it by person.
If something needs making, personalising or posting, leave plenty of time and check the delivery estimate before you order. Ordinary presents bought in person can wait until December.
It can be, if it’s for one specific place they already use and love. A general voucher can feel like you ran out of time.
Take them at their word about stuff, not about thought. See someone who has everything: an experience with a date, something that gets used up, or your time.
Last updated 2026-10-09.