Don’t Panic: 42 Gift Ideas That Will *Absolutely* Arrive by Christmas

Raise your hand if you’re starting to panic about what to buy so-and-so but you’ve been working late every day this week, have holiday parties left and right and also can’t emotionally bring yourself to step foot into a store right now. I know it feels like the hours and minutes to get it together before next week are melting away faster than a face full of foundation during a heat wave, but relax. Breath in and out. There’s still time. We dug through some of our favorite gift ideas from this year’s guide (plus some new ones!) to find products that all have free* two-day shipping (*check products/sites for any membership fees or purchase thresholds that may apply), and as long as you complete checkout before the end of the day today—and in some cases, tomorrow—everything is sure to arrive by Monday, December 24. Good luck!

Pom-Pom Beanie, $45: Recycled wool means your gift who dons this pretty cute pom-pom beanie will be snug as a bug in a beanie.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Jelly Tote Set, $35: Sara got this recently and the pink bag it comes with is worth the price tag alone (she also gives her stamp of approval for the products inside).

Food52 Genius Recipes, $23: Both Sara and Arlyn have heralded this cookbook as a must-have for any confident or burgeoning cook.

Stripe Sweater, $55: Fun but neutral in a special way and perfect for any age.

Electric Boot Dryer, $29: Winter is a trying time. It’s even worse when your feet are always freezing and wet because your boots don’t have time to dry between uses. An electric boot dryer is basically a genius (and well-priced) solution for the wet-boot-blues.

Basket Tray, $15: A little rattan is that dose of “earthy” that every room could use.

Women’s Memory Foam Slippers, $20: Do your favorite homebody a favor and scoop up these slip-resistant and memory foam slippers.

Diagonal Zip Kit, $15: A travel toiletry bag is one of those things a lot of people don’t think of buying for themselves until they’re forced to shove all their mini shampoos and toothbrush into a ziplock bag the night before a trip.

Cards Against Humanity, Red Box, $20: By now, you’ve probably played this game and have tons of the cards already memorized. Enter the expansion pack to keep things interesting.

Cuisinart Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 7 Quart, $70: Dutch ovens can be incredibly pricey, but they are nearly always worth the investment. Sturdy, versatile and basically a decorative addition to your stovetop.

Styled, $14: A genius woman we know wrote this book and frankly, $14 is a steal for the vault of knowledge inside.

Air Fryer, $70: All the goodness of fried food, none of the guilt.

Brass Accessory Holder, $20: Umbra makes well-designed, stylish products at a very reasonable price point, including this accessory holder that would be great on a dresser or nightstand to catch jewelry, tech and more.

White Ceramic Vase, $19: A simple but special looking home decor item that will likely work with just about anyone’s home aesthetic.

Perfume Sampler, $65: Perfume can be SUCH a personal gift, which is why samplers work so well for anyone you don’t know intimately. This box set also comes with a voucher that you can exchange for a free full-sized version of your favorite scent.

Ray-Ban Clubmaster Folding, $233: A classic gender-neutral frame that has the added benefit of folding up into half the size you’d expect (great for pockets and small bags).

Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute Cordless Vacuum, $516: A few of the EHD staffers have a version of the Dyson cordless vac, and they all agreed it’s definitely on their list of “things to grab in case of fire”…they’re that precious to them.

Magna-Tiles, $60: Educational, colorful, fun, plus kids seem to be OBSESSED with these.

Sculptural Table Lamp, $50: This one is just plain cool for anyone into home decor. It’s light and art. 

Organic Cotton Quilt Pullover, $149: Available in five colors, we can see this organic cotton pullover quickly becoming a casual-wear favorite.

Kristin Ess 3-in-One Flat Iron, $72: A high-end straightener without the (super) high-end price.

Be Your Own Bartender, $17: A fun, easy gift for any cocktailing adult in your life.

Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser, $22: The holidays can be stressful. Evidently, essential oils are the anti-stressor. To make this diffuser extra special, put together a trio of oils so they can start using it right away (we hear ylang-ylang, lavender and chamomile mellow out anxiety).

Bialetti Moka Express, 6 Cup, $35: “Slow” coffee is cool again, and it doesn’t get more hipster than brewing your morning jo’ on a stove top (or even better, on an open fire!).

Blue Crossbody Bag, $35: The circle bag trend is still going strong, and in a classic “neutral” blue, it doesn’t feel too try-hard.

Recycled Down Insulated Hooded Vest, $179: There really is nothing like down to keep you warm in the winter, but the sourcing of the product would make anyone cringe. That’s why we can wholeheartedly recommend this 100% recycled down vest that’s also made with recycled nylon canvas.

NES Classic Edition, $60: Hearing that classic Super Mario Bros. music is an instant dose of nostalgia for anyone who grew up in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Chunky Knit Throw, $30: The gift of cozy is one that is rarely returned.

Silicone Wine Glasses, Set of 4, $22: Give your favorite host one less thing to worry about with these basically unbreakable silicone glasses.

Ray-Ban Metal Frames, $77: For anyone who likes to rock a vibrant, more daring sunglass frame in a durable metal finish.

Decorative Wooden Tray, $50: Emily loves this tray SO much. It’s perfect for an island or dining table or catch-all.  

Clarisonic Holiday Gift Set, $149: Know anyone whose New Year’s resolution might be “getting my skin under control”? The Clarisonic Mia has serious cult status and normally comes at a much heftier price, so this kit (which also includes three Kiehl’s bestsellers) is a tremendous deal.

Portable Charger, $15: Keep that tech all charged up for hours of YouTubing or ‘Gramming.

Smart Wi-Fi Plug, $17: It’s the future! Anything you plug into this smart plug can be controlled via your smartphone, or you can automate your home with voice control by using with an Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana. 

Women’s Sherpa Fleece Jacket, $159: Patagonia is a company we can stand behind for so many reasons, plus we hear sherpa fleece jackets are totally “in” right now.

Coffee Pot & Mug Set, $19: A great gift for a co-worker, neighbor or close acquaintance because who doesn’t love tea or coffee (with a matching mug!).

Mike’s Hot Honey Packets, 12, $22: Hot honey enthusiasts can’t be stopped. Great on pizza, biscuits, cardboard, old shoes and beyond.

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer, $60: Wielding a hair dryer and a curling brush feels like it warrants a degree in cosmetology some days, but this one-step dryer combines both actions into one really easy-to-use product.

Le Creuset Stoneware French Press, $70: Are “French press Sundays” a thing? They should be…here’s your chance to start that weekly tradition for someone.

Ember Temperature Controlled Ceramic Mug, $80: This beauty has an app-controlled remote and a built-in warmer that keeps your caffeine fix at your ideal temperature for at least an hour.

32 oz Hydro Flask, $40: Get ahead of a friend’s New Year’s resolution of drinking more water and getting healthy (again) with a water bottle that keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for literally the entire day.

Birchbox 3-Month Subscription, $30: It’s the beauty gift that keeps on giving (for three months!).

For anyone looking for more sentimental or experiential gift ideas, we’d love to hear from you readers who are always full of such great ideas. Does anyone have a go-to gift idea that doesn’t necessarily have to come from a store and can be pulled together quickly? Thanks, as always, for sharing! And be sure to come back tomorrow for a RIDICULOUSLY fun post that involves a dollhouse, a “mini” Emily and…well, we don’t want to give too much else away. See ya tomorrow!