The Holiday Gift Guide 2021

As Lazy Geniuses, we know gifts have the power to make our loved ones feel like themselves. But we also know the pressure to buy the perfect gift makes it easy for us to feel annoyed, overwhelmed, frustrated or disappointed by the gift-giving process. 

If you’re giving gifts this year, Team LG wanted to make the process a little easier and a bit more fun by suggesting our favorite gifts we’ve given or received in six major categories: Books, Games, Kids, Home, Tonics and Dude-Approved.

Everything on this list, we use ourselves or can vouch for personally. You’ll find an eclectic mix of gift ideas from big-box retailers to local small businesses we love. And if you don’t need item-specific ideas, scroll to the bottom to see some of our favorite brands we shop at over and over again.

Gift Ideas for Readers

1. The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi
   Perfect for: Anyone who needs a new way to make life work.
   From Kendra: I couldn't not include my own book, right?

2. The Lost Man by Jane Harper
   Perfect for: Anyone who loves a good story.
   From Kendra: One of the most perfect novels I've ever read. Set in the Australian outback, two brothers discover their third brother dead. The details are strange, the mystery of the death hangs over them, and everyone's darkness comes into the light.

3. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
   Perfect for: Anyone who loves a good pull quote or advice column.
   From Leah: Imagine my surprise when I discovered Cheryl Strayed (yes, the one from Wild) moonlighted as Dear Sugar. This book is full of wit and wisdom and, most of all, a deep understanding that people can be both beautiful and terrible and we’re all in it together.

4. Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
   Perfect for: Anyone who loves feeling all the things and staying on the edge of your seat.
   From Letoya: Glamourous old Hollywood star details the rollercoaster ride that was her life with many unexpected twists.

5. Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
   Perfect for: Learning to lead with courage.
   From Leslie: I have listened to this audio book multiple times. Brene Brown has such wisdom when it comes to leading with kindness, vulnerability and courage.

6. 4 Winds by Kristen Hannah
   Perfect for: Those that enjoy historical fiction or books about a mother’s love and perseverance.
   From Letoya: Captivating novel that shows life during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl.

7. The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
   Perfect for: Someone who doesn’t mind the question “What if?”
   From Leah: What would it look like if Jesus had a wife? This work of fiction from Sue Monk Kidd cracked my soul open in the best of ways and left me thinking about the story of Ana for months.

8. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
   Perfect for: Lovers of historical fiction.
   From Leslie: This novel gripped me unlike any other book that I have read. Anthony Doerr paints such clear pictures with his words that I could even smell the scenes when I read them. It was breathtaking.

Gift Ideas for Game Night

1. Ticket to Ride
   Great family game for ages 8+.
   From Leslie: Beautiful, simple and elegant gameplay with a small dose of geography.

2. Mexican Train Dominoes
   Great for big families and easy to stop and pick back up later.
   From Leah: The name still feels dubious to me, but it’s the first thing we pack for family vacations (and we all know exactly who we’re not sitting beside when we play!).

3. Hues and Cues
   The perfect family/group game. Enjoyable for every single age.
   From Kendra: It's a game of describing colors and is far more riveting than that description would lead you to believe.

4. Family Adventure Challenge
   When you can't decide what you want to do or have family members of varying ages.
   From Letoya: Create your own adventure for your family!

5. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
   Loud, fun family night.
   From Leslie: This one is an absolute barrel of laughs. It’s fast-moving and involves lots of yelling in the best way.

6. Monopoly Deal
   Great for people who hate Monopoly but live with someone who loves it.
   From Letoya: Quick, fast, fun version of the original.

7. Quiddler
   A different spin on traditional card games.
   From Leah: If Scrabble and Boggle had a baby, they would name it Quiddler. I love this quick word game where making up words and challenging others is half the fun.

8. Blink
   Every age, every skill level, takes literally two minutes at most.
   From Kendra: This speed matching game is like Spit or Spot It, and I am currently undefeated.

Gifts for Kids & Teens

1. Hoverboard
   Perfect for: Older kids who want something cool like a phone but you're not ready for them to have a phone.
   From Kendra: The best Christmas morning activity is watching all the adults try to not fall off this thing.

2. Bath Bombs
   Perfect for: A kid who loves bathtime or needs something to make bathtime more special.
   From Kendra: Just prepare yourself mentally if your kid uses a yellow bath bomb; it looks like they're bathing in not-water.

3. Small Portable Bluetooth Speaker
   Perfect for: Teens that like to have music everywhere they go.
   From Letoya: The 34,000 reviews speak for themselves.

4. Goodminton
   Perfect for: Outdoor fun.
   From Leslie: The birdies in this set have long feathers that make them much easier for kids to hit. My kids and I have spent hours playing this game in the cul-de-sac.

5. Happy Giftcards
   Perfect for: When you want to buy a gift card but don't know which one to get.
   From Letoya: One gift card, multiple options.

6. Lands End Tote Bags
   Perfect for: Kids of all ages (and even adults).
   From Leslie: Practical, sturdy and cute… and easily customizable with their name, initials or hobbies.

7. Blockaroo
   Perfect for: Littles who can't do Magnatiles just yet.
   From Leah: I gave these to my 2-year-old nephew last year for Christmas, and he’s still reaching for them on a regular basis.

8. Kids' Monogram Hat by Good Scout Supply 
   Perfect for: A niece or nephew who loves a good fashion statement.
   From Leah: I love Good Scout Supply and these hats are a fun way to add personality to a kid’s outfit without keeping up with a bow or sunglasses.

Gifts for the Home

1. Akron Honey "The Sweet Three: Freak Yo' Food"
   Perfect for: Foodies and people that love supporting Black small business.
   From Letoya: Artisan honey that's helping save the bees.

2. Olive & June Mani System
   Perfect for: Anyone who doesn't splurge on themselves.
   From Kendra: Pick the six that you think someone would like, but if you want an all-around box for an all-around person, I'd choose CV, CS, MG, Hot Strawberry, Study Hall, and CCT.
   (Pro tip: Use code LAZYGENIUS for 20% off a Mani System or Pedi System)

3. Owala Free Sip Water Bottle
   Perfect for: Drinking water, man. It's for water.
   From Leslie: Perfectly designed and super fun colors (and shout out to our Lazy Genius Facebook Group for this find!).

4. Cuisinart Air Fryer & Toaster Oven
   Perfect for: Someone who wants quick and easy meals.
   From Leslie: So much faster than my oven, and I love all the the cooking options.

5. Scott Erikson Art
   Perfect for: Anyone who is contemplative, loosely spiritual, and appreciates beautiful, unique art.
   From Kendra: I have three of Scott's pieces in my house, and I love them more and more every day.

6. Literary Mug
   Perfect for: Bookworms and coffee/tea lovers.
   From Leah: I love a mug with personality (and this one is great for the ‘gram too!).

7. Pendleton Olympic National Park Throw
   Perfect for: Families that like investing in heirloom pieces and people that want to be cozy all winter.
   From Letoya: The last throw blanket you'll ever need to buy.

8. Nespresso
   Perfect for: Breaking a Starbucks habit.
   From Leah: Extravagant? Yes. Necessary? For me, also yes. I love that you can make hot or iced espresso with matching foam with this system. I use mine daily.

Gifts for The Body

1. Farmacy Green Clean
   Perfect for: Someone who wants a holy grail skincare product.
   From Kendra: One of my favorite products of all time. Taking off your makeup has never been so luxurious.

2. Laura Mercier Caviar Cream Eyeshadow
   Perfect for: People who want lazy but polished makeup.
   From Leslie: These are foolproof to apply, and the colors are gorgeous.

3. Scrubee
   Perfect for: Your friends who complain about dry skin in the winter.
   From Leah: I always have a Scrubee in my shower. It smells divine and keeps dry skin at bay.

4. Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink
   Perfect for: Someone who wants to wear lipstick but doesn't want to have to think about it all day.
   From Kendra: This stuff does not budge. It's magnificent. A new find for me. I highly recommend the colors Lover and Self-Starter.

5. Mizani Press Agent
   Perfect for: All the curly hair goddesses.
   From Letoya: This entire line is everything my curly hair needed that I didn't even know.

6. Dr. Bronner’s Organic Lip Balm
   Perfect for: A stocking stuffer or favorite things party.
   From Leah: Dr. Bronner’s recently kicked my 20-year-long love for cherry Chapstick to the curb. It’s SO GOOD.

7. Elta MD Tinted SPF
   Perfect for: Protecting your skin, even in the winter.
   From Leslie: I would absolutely give this to someone as a gift because I would be thrilled to receive it myself. Suncreen that feels light and smooths out my skin tone.

8. The Naked Bee Hand & Body Lotion
   Perfect for: Anyone that likes clean beauty or suffers from sensitive or very dry skin.
   From Letoya: Super moisturizing and smells amazing!

Lazy Genius Dude Approved Gifts

1. Life Is Good T-shirts
   From Leslie: Awesome designs, high-quality tees, perfect for my Jeep guy.

2. Portable Charger
   From Letoya: Great for everyone with a phone (so... everyone).

3. Klein Multi-Screwdriver
   From Letoya: If you've ever needed a screwdriver, this is the one you wish you had.

4. Needlepoint Belt from Smathers and Branson
   From Leah: A lifelong gift for someone who loves their hobby or sports team (or even the Grateful Dead!). I made a custom one for my guy for our wedding.

5. Countertop Icemaker
   From Leah: A fun gadget to have on cocktail night.

6. A hot sauce subscription
   From Kendra: I realize this is niche, but Kaz really wants this now that he's thought of it.

7. A knife sharpener
   From Kendra: This is perfect for a cook who likes to take care of tools or a partner who just likes gadgets.

8. Sink Soap Pump Kit
   From Leslie: Give the gift of never having to refill your soap dispenser ever again.

Brands We Love & Support

1. PlanetBox
   A kid-friendly favorite. Kendra has used Planetbox lunchboxes for her kids for years. Expensive, but worth it in the long run.

2. Xoan Candle Co.
   We love Xoan Candles! They made the gift guide last year, and they’re a go-to when someone needs a housewarming or thinking of you gift.

3. R-KI-TEKT
   An online shop full of fun and quirky designs and unexpected delights. The wooden necklaces are especially gift-worthy.

4. Dad Day Box
   A subscription kit full of activities for dads and kids to do together. Each box comes with everything you need to complete that month’s games, experiments and projects without running out for anything extra. Kaz and the kids had a blast with this.

5. Kingdom of Threads
   We’re obsessed with Throne of Glass and with Chelsea from Smart Money Mamas. She has a super fun merch store for all things Throne of Glass. And if that’s not your thing, consider this your inspiration to look for merch that revolves around your favorite book, show or hobby!

6. Windblown Jewelry
   Every piece of jewelry Kendra wears is by Wind Blown. Their Joyful Studs are a crowd favorite!

7. Able (use this link for a 20% off code)
   Leah lives and breathes Able clothing and bags, and almost always shops there for gifts for her sister and sister-in-law. She’s planning on gifting her beloved “taco wallet” to her gals this year (h/t @whatkatefinds).

8. ThinkBoard
   An easy stick-on whiteboard/dry erase solution for the home and office.

Looking for more words about holiday gift-giving?

• The Lazy Genius Guide to Buying Great Gifts

• How to Be Happy with the Gifts You Give

• Holiday Gift Guide 2020 Edition

P.S. You likely know this because you’re a smart internet person, but some of the links above are affiliate links. This means if you click on through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting The Lazy Genius Collective. Love you. Mean it.