41 Foolproof Gifts for People You Don’t Really Know

Let’s face an age-old problem head on here: There are times where we feel compelled, or are obligated by social conditions, to buy gifts for acquaintances we don’t know very well. And we may simply…not care enough to try very hard. Sure, you can, in the words of this perennially relevant SNL skit, “go into your closet just to see what crap is in there,” excavating a crappy candle to offload on a poor unsuspecting victim before calling it a day. But the truth is, the act of gift giving is really about you, the gift giver, more than it’s about the gift receiver’s material gain. The gift you give is a demonstration of your capacity for thoughtfulness and a measurement of your taste. If you give a crappy candle, you risk a crappy reputation. And this holiday season we should all be concerned with our own reputations first and foremost.

Given the high-stakes social politics of “gifts for acquaintances” this time of year, it’s no wonder people suffer from analysis paralysis and throw in the towel, dubbing themselves “bad gift givers.” Luckily, I’m here to help you escape that fate. In my opinion, a bad gift giver is merely an unprepared gift giver. So let’s get you prepared.

Below you’ll find a list of foolproof gifts for people you don’t know super well—your coworkers, your boyfriend’s mom’s friend who randomly showed up at your holiday dinner, your sister’s new girlfriend who you don’t think will be in the picture very long but who your mom begged you to make feel welcome, and so on. You’ll notice there’s an emphasis on food and food-related items, because, well, we are a food website. But also, here’s a great point: Everybody eats, which makes food perfect for cordial and not-so-intimate gifts. Don’t worry, though, you won’t find any tacky fruit baskets or edible arrangements in sight.

“Let’s do this right now!”

The gifts in this category work best when deployed in an active party situation. You know, when that unexpected guest arrives as a plus one, and you’ve got gifts for everyone else and don’t want this person to feel left out. Or when you’re showing up to a party and you’re not even sure who the host is, but you don’t want to arrive empty-handed. Keep your closet stocked with a few of these festive favorites and never find yourself unprepared for the Season of Giving (a.k.a. the Season of Looking Thoughtful).

Every party needs crackers, and these are holiday themed and gift-ready.

Surprise balls perform triple duty: They look great as decorations on a holiday table, and they serve as both a gift and an activity for party guests. The beauty of this gift is not so much about the ribbons and stickers contained within, but the joy of opening a charmingly-packaged mystery.

Take a cue from all of the best weddings and bring the gift of photo memories (and the activity of posing for them) to every holiday party you host or attend this season. I suggest a black-and-white disposable camera for the following reasons: It’s more unexpected than your typical color disposable; the film is much more forgiving to over- and underexposure; and the photos are also almost always flattering, even in poor lighting scenarios.

Ignore the fact that these are technically advertised as wedding sparklers. Rolling up to a party with sparklers (at least a party not happening in a windowless room) is a great way to literally brighten a party.

I love swigging an Underberg after a heavy holiday meal, and this collector tin is an especially suitable as a gift for the host of your next seasonal dinner party. When everyone overindulges, you come to the rescue.

If a party invite mentions a firepit (lucky you, getting that elite invite), showing up with a Swedish torch is a real pro move. They’re easy to light and they produce a long-lasting and compact flame, so you lift the burden of difficult fire-starting from the host.

Daruma are Japanese folk dolls that are particularly popular as gifts around the New Year. The daruma’s purpose is to bring good fortune and help the recipient realize a particular goal. Upon receiving it, the recipient should make a wish and color in one of the eyes with black ink. When the wish is fulfilled, they should fill in the other one.

Space-conscious practical objects that work for anyone

If you’re going for a gift that will potentially exist as a permanent object in the recipient’s home, you want to aim for practicality. Here are our favorite practical gifts that work for almost every kind of person (that versatility also means these object are prime in a regift situation).

If you know that your recipient drinks coffee, go for an AeroPress, which produces a delightful cup of espresso-like coffee when a $1000 machine is out of reach.

This bottle opener doubles as a bottle sealer, and it comes in a nice little box, like a piece of jewelry. If you feel like this is a little small, pair it with a large sharing bottle of Chimay or Delerium Tremens.

A calendar is always useful, and the charming risograph fruit prints on this one are bright and hard to hate. Worst case, they can always hang it on the inside of their pantry door—and it’ll still come in handy.

Felt coasters don’t get stuck to the bottom of a glass, they’re soft and wont scratch surfaces, and, believe it or not, they’re easy to clean since the material rejects moisture. Give these with or without the leather tray, depending on how much you like the gift recipient.

Dusen Dusen are the authorities on colorful, squiggly design, and these oven mitts boast just enough whimsy to charm anybody.

Air fryers have become a bonafide kitchen staple—and along with them, so has oil in spray form. Having a refillable oil sprayer means less waste from store bought disposable spray oils, and even fat distribution over your air fried vegetables.

A portable bluetooth speaker is an easy crowd pleasing gift that anybody with a phone will use at one time or another. Your recipient can hang it on a kitchen cabinet while they’re cooking, or hook it on their belt loop and bring it to the beach. Oh, so it turns out they’ve already got one? Who cares! The regifting possibilities here are significant.

A Hedley & Bennett apron is definitely a higher ticket item, but it’s a surefire way to charm any person who likes to cook. These aprons are beloved by chefs and culinary personalities for their sturdy construction and utilitarian pockets.

A good gift rule to follow: fancy hand soap >>>> fancy hand lotion. Soap is so much more practical, and washing your hands with this vetiver scented variety, which also has little natural exfoliating beads for a good scrub, is an everyday luxury.

Very interesting ‘cookbooks’

In general, cookbooks are a safe bet for a gift for anyone who’s interested in cooking. However, there are some cookbooks that offer more, whether it be domestic wisdom, cheeky missives, alluring images, or for the true gourmands, elusive collectibility. I think vintage is the way to go here, so here are some gems from years past.

With the relatable chill affect Martha Stewart’s rocking these days, it’s easy to forget that her name used to be synonymous with inaccessible domestic perfection. Released 40 years ago, Entertaining is still a trove of practical advice for engaging conversation, setting the mood, and making a canapé worth its salt. Martha thinks of literally everything when it comes to entertaining, and it’s an endless source of inspiration, and also, in many ways, unintentionally hilarious.

A few years ago, Taschen republished Salvador and Gala Dalí’s infamously bizarre cookbook. Its pages hold a collection of peculiar and extravagantly-plated recipes, like Veal Cutlet Stuffed with Snails or a Bush of Crayfish with Viking Herbs, plucked from the lavishly strange parties the couple was known to throw.

Sandwiches are universal, but even if you happen to give this book to someone who doesn’t like them, Tyler Kord’s cheeky and irreverent writing and recipe names like “This Will Be Our Year” and “Sandwiches Fall Apart,” are satisfying enough on their own. Also, the photos were taken by none-other than William Wegman himself. (Don’t worry, none of the sandwiches contain Weimaraner meat.)

If you really want to impress someone with a splurge, MoMA’s Artists’ Cookbook is an out-of-print rarity that documents the idiosyncratic dining habits and recipes of some of the most prominent visual artists of the 20th century. You’ll find Louise Bourgeois recipe for Oeufs a la Neige, and Willem DeKooning’s Dutch Beans and Pork Dinner. Andy Warhol is in there too, with a recipe for—you guessed it—canned tomato soup.

I fell in love with this cookbook when I found it at Bonnie Slotnick’s Cookbooks in the East Village. Originally published in 1968, Sara Kasdan provides a wry and personable compendium of Jewish-American cooking from the Southern United States.

Food that’s actually good

With food gifts, presentation definitely matters. You just have to make sure that the quality of the contents match the packaging it comes in. My beef with readymade gift baskets is that they often come filled with no-name blind labeled goods that taste…bad. Here are some better options.

I tried this olive oil earlier this year, and it was fresh, bright, and peppery. It’s ideal for a finishing drizzle on a soup, some fresh avocado, or a couple scoops of ice cream. The painted glass bottles are not only beautiful, but they protect the oil (unlike many olive oil containers) from light and heat.

Fiasconaro Panettone aren’t your regular grocery store panettone. These come straight from Sicily, from a family operated bakery that does a southern Italian twist on this traditionally Milanese specialty. Their version contains candied fruits and nuts. And would you just look at those gorgeous tins?

If you haven’t consumed a Levain cookie before, know this: They are a New York institution. Give the gift of an exceptionally rich and luxurious cookie with a gooey, just-baked interior.

Frankly I would be happy with the nothing special popcorn tin from the grocery store with that neon orange cheese, but the combination of BjornQorn’s classic, maple, and chili crisp flavors are certainly bringing the couch-side snack bucket to a whole new level.

Any tea drinker will appreciate this high-end purveyor’s organic blends. Everything is whole leaf, and they go to great lengths to source rare and specialty teas from around Asia and Africa.

Acid League changed my relationship with vinegar entirely. I was never one to splash vinegar into soda or mix it into a cocktail until having this stuff. There’s no artificially flavored anything here, and they are constantly brewing new and innovative stuff. The Strawberry Rosé is complex and tart, and works spectacularly well with some amaro and seltzer.

Real dijon mustard is so much fun when presented in a bucket, no? Also, you get to say “I got you a bucket of mustard!” and that’s priceless.

Amarena cherries are a preserved cocktail cherry from Italy. Compared to the firm richness of a Luxardo, these are softer and have a brighter zing. Both are fabulous in a Manhattan, but Amarena’s blue and white ceramic jar makes it a first-rate gift.

Games that say, “I’m fun and have taste”

Games always make a great gift, but classy games with a little sense of design flare are even better. Here’s a selection of game gifts that are both aesthetically pleasing and also offer some good, wholesome fun.

Artists and friends Alistair Matthews and Michael Hunter created the puzzle brand Le Puzz out of a love for vintage puzzle design. Many of the puzzles feature items from Matthews’ immense collection of playful objects, which she often shows off on her popular TikTok account. These yellow boxes are a mainstay in trendy downtown homegoods stores, and often sell out.

Since mid-century design is so ubiquitous these days, chances are that this deck of playing cards—designed in collaboration with Eames Office—will look keen on just about anybody’s coffee table.

Here’s a chicer game of Yatzy—spelled wrong on purpose. It’s the same game but with a sleek, minimalist look and compact box.

This is another absurd splurge, but the visual impact of a lucite tower game is undeniable.

“Haha…what is this?”

Novelty gifts are a risk, and not everyone is game, but if you want to go for it, here’s what I suggest: First, remember that there’s a difference between a pun-heavy popsicle stick joke and a well-crafted and cleverly told story. Think of this distinction when embarking on novelty gift-giving. Don’t go for an obvious gag item that immediately loses its novelty. Aim for subtle weirdness, and try for an element of unexpected practicality. Or, opt for something that’s truly novel, interesting, and uncommon rather than outright funny. Here are some examples:

Asparagus tapers are obviously more fun than regular tapers.

When I close my eyes, I see the vacant stare of this diatomaceous earth odor absorber staring back at me. Also, apparently when it stops working you can set it out in the sun and it will restore itself. This one is probably not for everyone, but if someone gave it to me I would be over the moon.

Yes, these are made from the very same miracle berry that captivated the internet 10-ish years ago. If you don’t know, this fruit temporarily alters your tastebuds so that sour things taste sweet. It’s fun, and weird, and a one-of-a-kind experience.

I encountered one of these at a rock shop this summer while on a road trip, and I played with it for like 10 minutes until my friend yelled at me to leave. Ulexite is called a TV stone because its aligned crystals act like optic fibers, projecting any image or words beneath it to the surface. So no, it’s not just a clear rock—it’s very different than that and very cool.

Really, these matches are designed for someone who has a fire pit or wood burning fireplace as gift that’s plainly practical. But there’s something undeniably cool about matches that can stay lit underwater. Giving a casual acquaintance a set of heavy-duty matches meant for, like, wilderness trips is definitely an unhinged choice, but a great one.

I think it would be very funny to be like, “I heard you like cooking, so I got you this” and then hand someone the tiniest cast iron skillet available. When they ask what to cook with it you can just say “Egg!”

If you’ve ever struggled to get the smell of onions or garlic off your hands after cooking or eating a sandwich, you’ll be pleased to know that rubbing them on stainless steel will neutralize those sulfuric, odor-causing compounds faster than regular soap alone.

You can rely on that rude afterthought candle, or get this one, which is luxe and smells delicious and is genuinely thoughtful.