The very best friend gifts tend to be the gifts that you’d also like to receive. And if you’re anything like us, gift ideas are all about treats, new decor for a stunning dinner party tablescape, houseplants, and tools to feed our baking obsession. Read below for the best gifts for friends whether you’re shopping for the holidays, seeking birthday gifts, looking for something for ahousewarming, or missing your pal so much due to a long-distance friendship that you want to send them a little surprise.
Gifts to keep their green thumb going strong
Give your best friend who loves to grow their own food a gift set of gardening tools to keep their plants growing strong: Include a pretty planter or garden shears, somegardening gloves, and a watering can attractive enough that it won’t be hidden away. If their pandemic-inspired green thumb has started to go a bit black, maybe encourage them to start over with a sleek beginner hydroponic garden from Click and Grow or a potted herb or two. At the very least, they can handle a new succulent. For more plant gift inspiration, check out our gardeninggift guide.
Teas, drinks, and creams to promote relaxation and self-care
Whether your friend guzzles coffee or sips tea, they'll probably appreciate a gift that caters to their morning beverage routine. Try a good herbal tea, a fruit infusing water bottle, handmade coffee mugs from Etsy, or—if you’re feeling really generaous—a very electric cute kettle or portable espresso-maker to give them the gift of calmer (or more caffeinated) mornings.
Gifts to keep their whole kitchen smelling nice (even when they're not cooking)
Rid your friend's kitchen of lingering onion and garlic aromas with a scented candle—or go for an essential oil diffuser for a little aromatherapy. Plus, we've thrown in our favoriterich hand creamand a golden hand soap packed with natural oils to soothe hands after doing copious dishes.
Aperitifs, cocktail ingredients, and tools (and some fun glasses to serve them in)
Leave the stand mixers, blenders, and toaster gifts to parents and siblings: As a friend, you get to give the fun stuff. And there’s a whole burgeoning world of complex-tasting nonalcoholic cocktail ingredients out there, ideal for a special beverage to unwind post-work without the booze. A fancy carafe and tumbler set will help your BFF—and their dinner guests—hydrate during holiday season hosting. And if your friends have broken all of their wine glasses recently, give the gift of our product test winners, which are sommelier-approved.
Thoughtful gifts for their sweet tooth
Nothing against boxes of truffles, but…there’s more to chocolate than that. Arich barof fair-trade Raaka (or even a whole year’s supply) will surely satisfy, as will a just-salty-enough goat’s milk caramel drizzle to top ice cream…or just eat by the spoonful. Below, the best gifts for friends who arechocolatelovers.
Pretty tabletop and home decor gifts for the kitchen
A beautiful piece of servingware, elegant new table linens, or a homey new ceramic piece will always make a great holiday gift—especially if your bestie loves to entertain.
Baking tools they need
So, your best friend is a baker? You're lucky. You’ve been on the receiving end of fabulous cakes, crispy focaccia, soft-centered cookies, and buttery, flaky-crusted pies. You’d really like to keep that going, and who could blame you? Feed the obsession (and your own cravings) with baking related gifts, like fancy teacake molds, our favorite cake pan, or a useful dough mixing tool. For a super special personalized gift, go for a monogrammed loaf pan (or get a pair for both of you for the bread-lovers' version of a friendship bracelet).
Stocking stuffers
If you and your friends make stockings for one another—well, that’s just downright adorable. Here are some small but meaningful best friend gifts so you don’t have to resort to a bunch of gift cards—including an enduring favorite cookbook from a Netflix star, a jewelry dish for all your trinkets, some stylish bags for the farmers market, and a few of our favorite useful tools. They’re great gifts whether you stuff them in a stocking or not. (Fun free idea: Fill the trendy grocery tote below with a few goodies for a food-themed upgrade to a stocking.)
Need more gift ideas? Check out more gift guides below:
