56 Cute Gift Ideas for Friends That You’ll Also Want to Keep for Yourself
Is it just us or does it seem like every time your BFF’s birthday or the holidays roll around, coming up with a cute gift idea for your friend is always a struggle? Sure, they might be the person you know the best (besides yourself), but when it comes to finding something meaningful that they’ll cherish, the pressure is seriously on. But you’ve landed in the right place because we’ve got a bunch of unique gift ideas for all your friends — no matter their interests. Are they always buying TikTok’s viral beauty products? We’ve got great self-care gift ideas. Are they nail obsessed? Consider a small (yet mighty) nail polish gift set.
We’ve included presents that can fit within all budgets, including great affordable picks that are well under $50. Remember, it’s not the cost that matters, it’s the thought that counts. From special jewelry (you can’t go wrong with a personalized bracelet) to creative options that even the friend who has everything wouldn’t think to buy for themselves (does it get any more adorable than this Mochi Plush?!), we’ve got the cutest gift ideas that’ll put a smile on all of your pals’ faces this season.
Teen Vogue’s Top Picks
1. 100 Anime Scratch-Off Poster
Most Popular
You can never go wrong gifting your otaku friend some merch from their favorite anime. So take advantage of all the time you can spend together while playing with this scratch-off poster. It features 100 original illustrations from various anime films and shows.
2. Mini Microphones
Improve their TikTok vlog voiceovers with this set of high-quality mini microphones. They can attach it to their iPhone, which will make a world of difference when it comes to sound quality in their recorded video narrations.
3. BONBOMWHIMS Lucky Ring
Best Jewelry Gift
Is your BFF always keeping you in the loop regarding the coolest jewelry trends? Beat them to the latest and greatest by snagging these clear TikTok viral rings from BONBOMWHIMS. Made with reworked acrylic resin materials, each ring is hand-painted, which gives a stunning shiny finish.
4. Medium Hair Clips
With a 4.6-star rating and over 1,700 rave reviews, these cute hair clips are worthy of a spot on every vanity. The marble pattern is trendy and will look great when clipped onto the hair. It’s also designed to provide hold for all hair lengths, including medium, long, and short.
5. Razer Kraken Gaming Headset
Best for Video Gamers
Whether they haven’t stopped playing Among Us or they just got a Twitch account and started streaming, there are plenty of tech accessories the gamer in your life will always appreciate — like this gaming headset. Its unique features include cooling gel-infused cushions, a noise-isolating microphone, and in-line audio controls.
6. Sunset Projector Lamp
Best for New Apartment
If your friend just moved into their first apartment, gift them this adorable sunset lamp to make their new space feel homey. It gives off a romantic visual effect, can be rotated 180 degrees, and comes with a portable USB for easy and quick charging.
7. Nuuly Clothing Rental
For the BFF Who Seems to Have Everything
We all have that friend who seems to have everything. However, we can guarantee they won’t have the unique clothing pieces that are a part of the Nuuly clothing subscription service. New arrivals are added every week and they can pick out items for daily wear, school, special occasions, and more!
8. 3Stone Mini Projector
Best Overall
Bring the joy of the big screen to their bedroom with one of the best mini-projectors available. This pick has an upgraded lens that offers 50% more brightness than traditional projectors, according to the brand. It also has a bunch of connectivity options so that they can plug in their laptops, USB flash drives, and smartphones to stream movies and shows.
9. Ring Light Kit
Best for the Selfie Queen
If they’re constantly scrolling through TikTok and creating vlogs, it’s time to help your bestie upgrade their content game. This ring light set will help improve the lighting in their iPhone videos, which can help attract more viewers.
10. Carry On Suitcase
For the Friend Who’s Always Traveling
This carry-on suitcase from Away will surely be the perfect companion while they’re on all of their new adventures. It’s lightweight, has 360-degree spinner wheels, and comes with a water-resistant laundry bag to keep all their dirty clothes separated. The new limited edition colorway is also very on trend with #Barbiecore.
11. Scratch Off Map
When they get home from their latest trip, they can use this scratch off poster to mark off all the places they’ve been. It’ll be super fun to watch all the bucket-list spots they visit over time — and it will maybe even inspire you to visit some, too.
12. Personalized BTS Hanging Glass Frame Art
If your BFF is a BTS stand, we totally get it…because we’re major fans, too! So keep your bestie stocked up with all the right BTS accessories for the holiday season. This personalized BTS frame will make a great gift since it combines BTS with an extra special touch from you.
13. Butter Album + Photocard Set
Once you snag the new Butter album set for your bestie, they’ll be playing it all day long, so you better learn the words now for those spontaneous dance parties.
14. Mindfulness Cards
For Your BFF Who’s a Wellness Guru
Hear us out: life can be extremely stressful, and even your friend with the most positive mindset can feel it at times. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to provide some TLC, like with this mindfulness card set. The deck features more than 50 enlightening practices to help bring awareness, joy, and peace, which comes in handy for stress relief.
15. Five-Minute Journal
Reaching for this five-minute journal is a self-care technique your pal can easily incorporate into their routine. Each page is filled with helpful prompts that’ll help them hone in on what’s really important to them.
16. Lululemon Gift Card
For Your Friend Who Loves to Stay Active
Health is wealth and your best friend knows that well. So, skip the water bottle, and make sure they’re stylishly prepared with a cute new workout ‘fit from one of the most popular athletic wear brands, Lululemon.
17. A Fitness Subscription
Once they pick out an adorable matching set, they can rock it to one of the many, many classes available on this Obé fitness subscription. It has everything from barre to dance classes, so they’ll easily break a sweat (and look cute while doing so).
18. Skincare Fridge
For the Friend Who’s All About #Skin Care
While your friend might already have all the TikTok viral beauty products, there are plenty of things that you can still gift them. For starters, they need a cute place to store all of their skin care products, so this mini fridge will come in handy. It can fit multiples facial creams, mists, gua sha tools, and more!
19. Supergoop! Sunscreen Trio
Another all-around favorite? A set of sunscreen from Supergoop! The pick is composed of the brand’s bestsellers, like the Unseen Sunscreen and the Glow Screen. Both picks work to shield the skin from harmful UV rays while also offering extra skin care benefits like hydration and moisture.
20. Birthdate Book
If your friend is obsessed with all things astrology, some fool-proof zodiac gifts will win them over this holiday season. A personalized book based on their star chart will help them get in tune with their spiritual side.
21. Tarot Cards
Snag them a tarot deck like this best-selling pick on Amazon if they’re looking to take the hobby a fit further. The deck features hundreds of crisp, clear illustrations that can be used for easy interpretations.
22. Popcorn Machine
What’s a movie night without popcorn? This popcorn machine can make up to 12-cup of healthy, air-popped popcorn per batch. Making it perfect for large family gatherings on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
23. Gallery Wall Art Set
For the Friend Who’s Redecorating Their Apartment
If your friend just moved into their first apartment or dorm room and needs some home decor, then getting them some housewarming gifts will be appreciated. Gift them this adorable wall art set to make their new space feel like home.
24. Hot Cocoa Bomb Kit
#CraftTok has made us all want to be more creative and this hot cocoa bomb kit from Uncommon Goods caught out eye. Spend the night making yummy hot coca with your best friend, and don’t forget to top it off with marshmallows and whipped cream.
25. DIY Bracelet Kit
If they’re looking to up their jewelry collection with unique pieces, this bracelet beading Super Smalls kit from Nordstrom is just what they need. The kit comes with beads, pendants, and cords, so they can make as many bracelets as they want.
26. Cold Brew Starter Kit
Best for the Coffee Lover Friend
Grab some trendy Chamberlain coffee for your foodie friend who’s always frothing up some fancy coffee. Want to make it a bit sweeter? Pair it with an adorable coffee mug or a reusable water bottle so they can bring it with them everywhere.
27. Make Your Own Matcha Kit
Yes, they can actually make matcha at home — and it’s easier than you think. thanks to this Golde matcha kit. The kit also comes with a traditional bamboo whisk to create that nice frothy texture. You’ll be saving them a lot of coins with this pick!
28. Streaming Webcam
Those who stream videos on Twitch or Youtube will appreciate this high-quality webcam. It offers high-quality video and audio recordings, plus has a built-in ring ling that can be adjusted. We also love the design and how compact is — you can easily fold it up and pop it into your bag to travel with.
29. Silicone Bookmarks
For the BFF Who Loves to Read
Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite bookworm? You can’t go wrong with a set of handy (pun-intended) bookmarks to help them remember where they last left off. The bookmarks are soft and flexible, thanks to the silicone body material.
30. Book of The Month Subscription
Listen: If your BFF is tired of heading to the library with AirPods in their ear to tune out the noise, they’ll adore getting a book (or three) delivered to them at home every month. This Book of The Month subscription will let them pick their favorites, so they’ll always have something new to read.
31. A Crumbl Cookies Delivery
For Your Friend Who Has a Serious Sweet Tooth
If you and your friend are in a long-distance relationship within the 50 states and you want to give them a treat you know they’ll love, you can’t go wrong with cookies! And, if they end up loving it (which, they will), you can send the sweet treats as holiday gifts to remind them that you miss them.
32. Ice Cream Set
We have to say it: ice cream is a delicious self-care sweet treat. This treat also belongs in your friend’s dorm room freezer. The yummy flavors will cheer up your pal when they’re having a bad day — and remind them that you are always there.
33. TikTok Viral Sunglasses
Another TikTok find that they’ll appreciate? These rectangle sunnies. So they can walk down the streets in style while also protecting their eyes from harmful UVA rays, thanks to the UV400 eye filter built into the lenses.
34. Personalized Name Bracelet
Name bracelets will never go out of style in our book and plenty of Amazon customers will saythe same about this pick. “I’ve had these on for four months now, never took them off, and they still look great. No discoloration, no green skin. I love them and have recommended them to many people,” wrote one satisfied customer.
35. Hiking-Scented Candle
Anyone who loves spending time outside will be grateful for this hiking-scented candle. This natural soy-wax pick is hand-poured in the USA and gives off a powerful scent of sandalwood, pinetrees, and jasmine florals.
36. Photography Book
For the Budding Photographer BFF
You simply can’t go wrong with anything photography-related for your bestie who’s always snapping photos or taking videos. Give them some inspiration with this book filled with stunning photographs by Tyler Mitchell.
37. GoPro Camera
Once they master photography, you can let them get some additional experience taking cool videos with this GoPro. FYI: it’s waterproof and durable against pretty much anything, so it’ll be something they can use for years to come.
38. Our Place Always Pan
For That Friend Who Wants To Upgrade From Instant Noodles
Nobody can live off of Instant Ramen forever. That’s why an Always Pan is the perfect gift for your budding culinary artist. This do-it-all pan can braise, sear, steam, saute, fry, boil — you name it and it can do it. Also nice: it doubles as great room decor in your kitchen.
39. A Maman Cookbook
From delicious buttery pastries to flavorful salads, Maman’s cookbook has a recipe for everyone —including your friend who loves to whip up delicious concoctions in the kitchen.
40. Wired Headphones
Best for Music Lovers
If your pal is always jamming to the latest tunes, opt for a nice pair of wired headphones. Amazon customers rave about the deep bass performance and comfortable fit with this pick. It can also collapse into a tiny carrying case, making it easy to travel with.
41. Synthesizer
Those into composing will get tons of use out of this synthesizer. It can replicate the sounds of pretty much any instrument, so they’ll be able to create some personalized sounds as soon as they get the hang of it.
42. Smart Garden
For Your Plant Parent Friend
Let their dreams of becoming a plant parent finally come true with this Click & Grow Planter. It’s relatively low maintenance and easy to care for, so you’ll be able to watch them put that green thumb into action.
43. Chia Pet
IKYK: plants make awesome home decor, so why not add a bit of low-maintenance greenery into their new (or old) space with this fun Chia pet? The brand claims you can see full growth within one to weeks.
44. Ray-Ban Stories Sunglasses
While they might have sunglasses and a camera on their cell phone, nothing beats having an all-one one like these sunglasses. They’ll be able to take photos and videos with an easy touch control located on the frames. It also includes three built-in speakers to capture sounds from all directors. Talk about cool!
45. Fenty Beauty Lip Gloss Set
Best for Makeup Guru
Sure, you can grab your pal a lip balm and call it a day, but you can also invest in some incredible makeup gift sets from their favorite brands like Fenty Beauty. Practical? check. Something they’ll adore? Double check. Need we say more?
46. Charlotte Tilbury Makeup Set
We’re major fans of Charlotte Tilbury at Teen Vogue, so you can bet we’re going to be stocking up on this highlighter wand duo set. It comes with two of the brand’s most popular products and it always sells out, so add it to your cart asap!
47. Lush Bath Bombs
Seriously, what’s more self care than taking some time to relax at the end of a day? Fancy a warm bubble bath? Use this Lush bath bomb set. It comes with 17 limited-edition bath bombs and bars, all packaged in a beautiful reusable box.
48. Laneige Lip Masks
Not everyone has time to partake in a 10-step beauty ritual at night. This Laneige lip mask set is perfect for those who just want to slather on something quickly before bed and wake up with a softer and radiant-looking pout.
49. Candle Care Kit
Yes, candles always make for a good gift, but you should also put some thought into how your giftee will care for them. Add in this cute candle care set to help them manage their new collection properly.
50. Candle Advent Calendar
Hear us out: since candles are the gift that keeps on giving, why not snag your bestie an entire set? This advent calendar from Voluspa will provide your friend with 12 new candles, and honestly, what could be wrong with that? You’ll thank us later.
51. Apple iPad Air
Apple is one of the top-rated brands to gift and this iPad is a fan favorite on Amazon (it got over 4,000 five-star reviews!). Available in a variety of colors, this iPad has an ultra-wide front camera, Touch ID, and stereo landscape speakers. Plus, all-day battery life! This gift is seriously worth every penny.
52. Green Neon Smiles Phone Case
Best Tech Gift
Yes, technology can be super expensive and it’s okay if it’s not in the budget. The good news? Tech accessories like this gorgeous smart phone phone case will be equally as special as a gift.
53. Personalized Jewelry Case
For The Pal Who Appreciates Something Meaningful
Show your friend how much you mean to them with a keepsake gift. This personalized jewelry case with their initials will hold all of their precious pieces.
55. Insulated Tumbler Cup
Water bottles can look so basic. Upgrade your sister’s bottle to this fancy tumbler pick. It has double wall insulation, helping to keep beverages hot or cold for hours, and it comes with a flip lid and straw to help prevent spills.
56. A Matching Pajama Set
This lightweight and cozy pajama set is one of the best gifts to give. The fabric feels super soft thanks to the jersey knit fabric and it has a loose fit for overall comfort. It’s also made with 50% sustainably sourced materials! The only problem here? You’ll likely want to get yourself a matching set.
57. Cozy UGG Slippers
Another gift that you can’t go wrong with? An uber comfortable set of slippers. This pick has a plush genuine shearling lining that is designed to be worn both indoors and outdoors. Warning: you’ll likely want to grab a pair for yourself as well.