The 27 Best Gift Ideas For People Who Stubbornly Swear They ‘Don’t Want Anything’

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Whether it’s your dad who tells you he just wants quality time with the family or your shopping-obsessed BFF who literally has everything, we all know someone who claims they don’t want anything year after year. While it would most certainly be fair to obey their wishes and show up empty-handed (or maybe with a sweet card and candy), the fact of the matter is that most of us don’t feel comfortable without at least something tangible in tow to give to that stubborn giftee in question.

Every year for the holidays, I bring either a bottle of nice wine or a pair of cozy socks to give my dad, dodging the investigative guesswork it would take to figure out what he’s actually coveting, but this “tradition” of ours recently prompted me to do some further research to find out thoughtful gift options for anyone who says there’s nothing on their wish list. Of course, many of the gift ideas I’ve rounded up below will work reasonably well for those giftees on your list whom you don’t know super well (i.e. your new S.O.’s mom, your boss or a distant relative that you really only see once a year). But there are also more intimate items like a wow-worthy sex toy on the list that will shock and awe your besties.

RELATED: 17 Thoughtful Gifts Your Besties Will Love This Holiday Season

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MasterClass Online Courses

From cooking lessons with Gordon Ramsay to film 101 with David Lynch, Masterclass’s impressive roster of online classes taught by industry pros gives the wishy-washy giftee of yours plenty of unique options.

A Handy Mug Warmer

Any coffee lover needs this device. It’s a mug warmer that keeps your cup of Joe at the optimal temperature. Now on sale for under $15
, it’s an ideal gift for bosses, parents and anyone else in your life who loves a nice and comforting warm cup of anything.

A Digital Picture Frame

Parents are notorious for saying they don’t want anything for their birthdays or the holidays. They usually just say they want photos of the family to cherish the memories you’ve made together. Lucky for you, you can graduate from a couple of framed images to Aura’s digital picture frame
. I’ve gifted Aura frames to each of my parents and they absolutely adore them. Uploading endless snapshots to the Aura app is super quick and simple, so your parents will always have a curated slideshow of memories to look at in their bedroom, office, kitchen or literally wherever they want!

A Chic Weighted Blanket

A cozy, stress-reducing weighted blanket is the home decor upgrade you didn’t know you needed until you have one to cuddle with. I’ve given this very blanket as a gift numerous times and it’s never not been a major hit.

Bombas Gripper Slipper

There’s nobody out there who would be upset about getting a new pair of comfy, cozy slippers. This Bombas style is so much more innovative than the typical pair, though. They fit like socks and feel just as soft thanks to their fuzzy interior lining. Plus, they have grips on the bottom that prevents any slipping when you wear them on flat ground. What’s more, they come in 10 pattern options that are equal parts funky and fashionable.

A Luxe Candle

A fancy scented candle from cult-favorite brands like Diptyque is basically a foolproof gift for just about anyone on your list.

A Vegetable Slicer

Any home chef knows how tedious chopping up veggies can be during the food-prep phase of cooking. Make their life easier with this innovative chopper
that will slice up onions, peppers and more in seconds thanks to its clever design. It’s a time-saving kitchen gadget that anybody will love.

Elevated Stemware

Sure, most people probably already have their basic wine glasses covered, but why not get them a chic set
that will make them excited to drink wine?

A Designer Fragrance

The person who’s the most difficult to shop for likely doesn’t splurge on themselves often. That’s why a bottle of designer perfume is right up their alley. Tory Burch’s new Cosmic Wood fragrance is soon to become their go-to fall and winter scent. Its perfect blend of spicy, woody and warm notes will put this chic bottle front and center in their collection.

A Good Night’s Sleep

Get them a present that’ll encourage better life choices (a.k.a no more binge-watching Succession until two in the morning). Casper’s Glow Light can help them fall asleep and wake up at reasonable times thanks to its warm, self-dimming light. We can’t think of a nicer gift than endless nights of quality rest.  

A Goldbelly Gift Card

Food is the key to most people’s hearts, so why not send them a Goldbelly Gift Card? They can pick out a treat from food icons like Ina Garten and Nancy Silverton (I’ve tried Nancy’s gelato sampler box and it was so much fun to taste each amazing flavor with my family), or they could go savory with something from Guy Fieri or Wolfgang Puck (Guy Fieri’s trash can nachos were delish and a blast to whip up).

A Kourtney Kardashian-Approved Face Tool 

They might not think they need another beauty tool, but that’s because they’ve probably never tried a stainless steel one before, let alone one that Kourtney Kardashian swears by. SACHEU Beauty’s gua sha will soon become their most loved product in their skincare cabinet. Stainless steel is self-cooling, meaning they won’t have to keep running to and from the freezer every morning. The gift of better skin and a contoured face is well worth it if you ask us.

A Luxurious Skincare Essential

Does that say 24K gold? Yup, it sure does. Let them treat themselves to a taste of luxury with these Selena Gomez-approved gold eye patches. In just 10 minutes, their fine lines will appear a lot less visible and their under-eye area will feel as good as new. 

A High-Tech Productivity Gadget

For the one who takes the nicest notes and jots down pretty much everything, get them a more sustainable option. Rocketbook’s Smart Reusable Notebook saves so much paper and lets them upload their handwritten notes to Google Drive, Dropbox and other cloud services, with the app. 

A Blender That Looks So Chic

We can’t help but drool over this aesthetically-pleasing blender that kind of looks like a piece of art. But it’s not all about the looks—the blender is smart and efficient in that it keeps track of the blade speed so that it can constantly adjust. It also tracks the device’s temperature to prevent it from overheating.

A Disney+ Membership

Disney+ is literally all of the rage right now, so why not gift your favorite Disney-obsessed person with one of the most coveted memberships of the year? The Disney+ Gift Subscription Card is just $70 bucks a pop, and you can gift a year’s worth of binge-worthy content.

A Simple Cocktail Shaker

A unique cocktail shaker can make a bar cart, and these styles from Simple Human
are just that. Along with being eye-catching and stylish, they’re made with vacuum insulation and stainless steel construction that will keep whatever concoction you’re mixing ice cold and refreshing.

Stylish Sunnies

These cat-eye glasses will give your gift recipient’s Main Character Energy in seconds. You can take solace knowing that any gift from Garrett Leight will be a show stopper—even for your most fashionable friends.

Customized Jewelry

Give your bestie the exact same necklace from a chic brand Justin and Hailey Bieber have been spotted wearing—and customize it at that. This vintage and funky design is something that can be worn anywhere, any time. It’s so cute, you’ll prob want to snag one of your own (and we encourage you to do just that!).

A Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener

There’s nothing quite as insufferable as struggling to get a new bottle of wine open. This cordless opener takes the stress out of the process and does all the heavy lifting for you. Simply place the mouth around the top of the wine bottle and press down on the device. It’ll cut the foil and scoop up the cork in seconds.

A Genderless Fragrance

An androgynous fragrance is just the gift you need in your arsenal of can’t-go-wrong ideas. This one, from the iconic Maison Francis Kurkdjian brand, incorporates scents from juniper berries, nutmeg, coriander, musks, amber wood and vanilla to create a scent that you truly have to experience to appreciate. It’s warm and inviting, feminine and masculine, and everything anybody could want in a fragrance.

High-End Skincare

This Jodie Comer-approved skincare brand was developed with the help of Nobel Prize-winning doctors, so you bet it’s going to be life-changing. For your favorite beauty obsessive, this will be an absolutely life-changing gift. Each of the 30 individually wrapped packets have the perfect amount of serum for each application. What’s more, it reduces under-eye puffiness, bags, and dark circles all the while smoothing out fine lines throughout the area.

A Remote-Controlled Sex Toy

I know, I know, a sex toy seems like an odd suggestion, but if this is for your bestie, they’ll be stoked. This one is an entire 35 percent off, too.

An Amazon Prime Membership

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you already know how much the service’s ridiculously expansive product range is, and how the one to two-day shipping speeds are a major game-changer. Plus, Prime members get access to special deals and streaming services. You can give the gift of prime for three months at just $45 or the entire year for $139.

A Wine Club Gift Card

If they love wine, consider giving them a gift that’ll keep giving.

A Polishing Peel For Any Skin Type

Everybody was glowing and replenished skin, and this peeling mask will do just that. Designed to work with any skin type (especially those that are aging or acne-prone), this exfoliating treatment uses the power of eight different natural—and gentle—acids to double exfoliate and smooth skin.

A Clutch Fit For a First Lady

This is a statement gift for the leading lady in your life. This wear-anywhere clutch is so chic, Jill Biden carried it with her when she met the Queen of England, of all people!