Christmas 2021 has some making up to do.
After a lacklustre celebration last year with parties, lunches and all-round merriment cancelled, the pressure is on to make this Christmas the best one yet – and we’re up for the task.
Virtual festivities are no more. Real-life, in-person celebrations are on the cards and so the conundrum of gifting is back - and more stressful than ever. They’ll be no more hiding disappointment by “accidentally” turning your camera off.
But have no fear, the ES Best Shopping elves have been trawling the seasonal selection to carefully curate the failsafe gifts for your partner, parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle, kids, cousins, postman – you name it.
This is our ultimate all-encompassing edit but we have plenty more specific guides catered to age, taste and budget, so head to our dedicated Christmas section to check them all out.
But without further ado, here are the best gifts to give Santa a run for his money, broken down by category.
- Homeware
- Fashion
- Homeware
- Tech
- Fashion
- Beauty
- Food & Drink
- Toys
Best Christmas gifts for mum 2021: Thoughtful and personalised present ideas for your top lady
Best gifts for women 2021: Christmas and birthday present ideas she will love
Best experience gifts for adults: 17 unique ideas
Best gifts for him: presents for men who have everything
Best naughty and nice Christmas gifts 2021 for him and her
Best kitchen gifts for Christmas, from useful gadgets to high end cookware
Best tech gifts for Christmas 2021: New gadgets and cool present ideas for the tech fan in your life
Best perfume gift sets for Christmas: Fragrances they will love
Best toys for Christmas 2021: cute, fun and downright bewildering gifts for kids
Best gaming gifts for Christmas 2021: Nintendo Switch, Xbox and gaming accessories
HOMEWARE: Yellowpop x Keith Haring
Neon light specialist Yellowpop has devoted a collection of eight pieces in homage to Keith Haring. In the late artist signature pop art style, the designs use common motifs like the barking dog, baby sign, heart and LOVE typography, bringing them to life with light. Prices range from £250 up to £850.
Shop our edit of the best neon lights here.
Buy now £250.00, Yellowpop
In Casa By Paboy Patchwork handmade cotton cushion cover
There are so many colours, patchwork and ruffle-edged designs that you’ll be sure to find a cushion at In Casa By Paboy to best suit the interior enthusiast on your gift list. Each piece has been hand stitched by the designer Paboy Bojang and takes inspiration from his current hometown in Naples as well as the floor mosaics of Pompeii. Measures: 45cm x 45cm.
Buy now £130.00, Selfridges
Fisura Lobster Door Mat
For a playful, quirky piece sure to put a smile on their face, this lobster doormat is something they are unlikely to already own but will covet as soon as they see it. It has a red and light pink colourway and is made entirely from natural coil that is not only renewable but is fitted with a non-slip backing to make it fit for purpose. Fashion and function.
Buy now £26.00, Trouva
Bloom & Wild x Sculpd
Letterbox flower label Bloom & Wild is doing things a little differently this Christmas. While it is offering its traditional selection of plant babies, there’s an extra special twist designed to get the creative juices of your giftee flowing.
The brand has teamed up with Sculpd – the pottery kit specialists – to encourage them to craft their very own pot to go alongside the greenery of your choice. You opt for the houseplant then add £15 for the Sculpd kit.
Buy now £28.00, Bloom & Wild
Wilemiem Bardawil Angels Delight Plate
The trend for tablescaping shows no signs of wavering and these plates will certainly past the Instagram test with its vivid hues. The London-based artist Willemien Bardawil takes inspiration from traditional Italian plateware and each and every piece has been handmade and hand-painted by skilled artisans.
Buy now £52.00, Liberty
Our Place Always Pan
This is no ordinary pot. In fact, it combines eight cookware items in one space-saving shape. It can do everything from baking to roasting and even crisping and steaming. Use on the stove, in the oven without fear of straining your wrist – it’s so lightweight. Oprah Winfrey called it “the kitchen magician” and if it’s good enough for Oprah…
Buy now £100.00, Our Place
Anna + Nina Bounty Glass Candlestick Holder
The popularity of candlestick holders has taken a life of its own and Amsterdam lifestyle label Anna + Nina is front and centre of the trend with luxe pieces without the luxe price tag. This homeware essential may be transparent but it’s anything but plain, adorned with textured accents and with a vintage look. Pair with a colourful tapered candle to match your table setting.
Buy now £20.00, Liberty
Papier 2022 Diary
With a seemingly endless selection of colours, patterns and styles, Papier has established itself as the place to purchase your diary for incoming year. They also make great gifts with the ability to personalise the cover with the name of the lucky recipient. Honourable mention also goes to Smythson for its ultra-luxurious range of leather-bound designs.
Buy now £18.99, Papier
Apple iPhone 13
Each September, Apple launches a new crop of iPhones that are always at the top of gifting wish lists the world over and for Christmas 2021, this is no exception. There are four models to choose from; the iPhone 13 (£779), iPhone 13 mini (£679), iPhone 13 Pro (£1049) and iPhone 13 Pro Max (£1,349) at all different price points with the specs to match.
Buy now £779.00, Currys
Shark WandVac System 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner with Anti Hair Wrap
Now, before you scrolll away in disgust at seeing a vacuum on a Christmas gift list, hear us out. We know they aren’t the sexiest present but with adulthood comes a greater appreciation for cleanliness.
If your houseproud recipient loves nothing more than checking out the latest gadget that will clean their home in half the time, you’ll be their new favourite person for making the task that much easier. Shark boasts some of the best vacuums on the market with innovative features like lights at the base so you can see under furniture. No dust bunny is safe.
With the WandVac, you’ll benefit from both a traditional floor cleaner as well as a handheld - simply unplug the handle to unlock the smaller cleaner, perfect for awkward areas like the car and stairs. Plus they come in an array of chic hues your giftee won’t mind keeping on full display: think rose gold, gold, blue, and purple.
Buy now £179.99, Shark
Ninja Foodi MAX 15-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker
There’s an air fryer revolution going on but if kitchen counter space is a concern, this 15-in-1 Multi-Cooker packs the healthy cooking alternative as well as 14 other all-encompassing features. We’re talking slow cooking, grilling, steaming, and even pressure cooking where there’s even a digital cooking probe for precise monitoring of your dish – no more over or undercooked meat again.
You can fit an entire roast chicken in the device and cook it faster than traditional ovens and more efficiently as well as with little to no oil.
At a lower price point, the brand is also offering the 9-in-1 with a more compact design.
Buy now £299.99, Ninja
Nintendo Switch OLED
Nintendo broke the internet with the release of its latest Switch device – the OLED. It is the first console to use this enhanced technology that gives a more vivid, richer visual experience. It can display the truest blacks, has the lowest levels of blue light and is more energy efficient. The screen is also bigger – measuring at 7” for more immersive game play. If you can’t get your hands on the sold out model, the Nintendo Switch model is still as covetable as is the newer PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles.
Buy now £363.99, OnBuy
instax Link Wide Printer in Mocha Grey
When it comes to choosing a gift, no matter who you are shopping for, an instax camera or printer is a failsafe option. For the technophobes, it brings back the power of simple photo taking with tangible results. Look to models like the Fujifilm Instax SQUARE SQ1 Instant Camera or the Mini 11 Instant Camera.
For the tech aficionados, there’s the options of pairing the former with the phone app to maximise the features even further or you can opt for the brand’s latest launch, the Wide Print that transforms any and all of your snaps into physical hard copies. For the latter, you can add URLs, sounds and messages in the app and they’ll print through in a larger format. It provides high quality images and couldn’t be easier to use.
Buy now £129.00, Jessops
Theragun Mini 4th Generation Percussive Therapy Massager
Whether they’re into their fitness or suffering from muscle pain, give the gift of relief and recovery this festive season with Theragun. The Mini is the smallest and most portable of all the devices with a hand-held size. It uses the same percussive massage therapy as the more costly devices with vibrations of short pulses of pressure. There are three speeds and the option to customise treatments. It’s also quieter than the previous generation models. Prices from £175 to £549.
Buy now £175.00, John Lewis
FASHION: Olivia von Halle Contessa Romance slippers
We spent the best part of a year in our timeold slippers and now is the time for an ultra-luxe rebrand with none other than Olivia von Halle. With exquisite craftsmanship from an artisanal second-generation, family-run factory in Tuscany, they combine style with comfort and in the signature brand’s aesthetic, luxury. The pieces have been hand-stitched with pink feathers and are made from a GOTS-certified cotton and repurposed rubber.
Available from November 12
Shop more slippers for women and men here.
Buy now £595.00, Olivia von Halle
Claridge's Pyjamas
There are few things more luxurious than a night at Claridge’s. The London hotel is an institution particularly around Christmas time. Bring that five-star hotel feel to their home with these luxurious pyjamas. They were created by Rebecca Marks of Green Wolf Studio with an art deco styling. The sumptuous cotton jacquard fabric is embellished with the hotel’s crest in a gold embroidery and mother of pearl buttons. They are available for women, men and kids in a range of colours.
Buy now £225.00, Claridge’s
Fair Isle Crew Socks
Give back this Christmas while gifting your family, friends and loved ones with Bombas. The brand has operated on a ‘One Item Purchased = One Item Donated’ model since 2013 and has since provided over 50 million items to those in need – particularly the homeless.
While there are many designs to choose from including the Christmassy style pictured, it’s the specs where these socks hit their stride. Stay-up technology, arch support, seamless toe and blister-free high quality materials: what more can you ask for in your everyday essentials?
Buy now £13.00, Bombas
Ugg Fuzz Sugar Slide
UGG has made a commitment to more responsible and sustainable practises with its latest drop of footwear. The slides double up as both cosy slippers but are complete with terrain-ready outsole to sustain far more than just taking out the bins or popping to the shops. As part of the brand’s newly launched Impact Collection, the shoes are made up of reclaimed wool, renewable sugarcane and recycled PET – saving 350,000 plastic bottles in the process.
Buy now £100.00, UGG
Chelsea Peers Christmas family pyjamas
For adorable family snaps this December, a set of matching PJs for mum, dad and the kids will go down a storm. Chelsea Peers has a variety of festive designs to choose from, with women’s sizes up to 28, men's to XL and kids from infants to 14 years-old.
We love the whale print on the sea pyjamas - the underwater giants are given a festive spin with jaunty Christmas details.
Prices from £18.
Buy now £18.00, Chelsea Peers
VEJA Esplar rubber-trimmed leather sneakers
Fashion’s favourite shoe brand Veja is a failsafe gift whether your family, friend or loved pays close attention to trends or not – white trainers always have and always will be en vogue. The brand is known and loved for its eco-credentials where close attention is paid to the construction process from start to finish to ensure responsibility and sustainability. They are available for women and for men.
Shop more new trainer releases here
Buy now £90.00, Net-A-Porter
House of Sunny Peggy Faux Fur Trimmed Knitted Cardigan
Supporting smaller fashion labels and treating your loved one to a piece they’ll treasure, now we call that a win, win. House of Sunny is based in East London and do small limited drops but this design has remained a staple in its seasonal offerings and is oozing with glamour. It is made from a knitted yarn with fluffy faux fur at the trims.
Buy now £95.00, Selfridges
JW Pei Gabbi Bag
Gigi Hadid, Jasmine Tookes, Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski – the long list of celebrities donning JW Pei goes on and on and yet the brand is both affordable and accessible. The Gabbi is one of the most popular silhouettes and comes in a rainbow array of colours. The label is vegan with a hobo crescent shape.
Shop more affordable handbag brands here
Buy now £69.00, JW Pei
Novel Mart Cap Pickle Cap + Colours
Emblazoned with words like ‘Pickle’, ‘Cacio E Pepe’ and ‘Lasagne’, Novel Mart is changing up the dad hat to make it more covetable than ever. The hats come in a range of colour with an adjustable strap and sits perfectly on the line between gag gift and something they’ll actually wear.
Buy now £35.00, Novel Mart
Soft Soufflé Knit Middle Gauge Half-Zipped Jumper
‘Tis the season after all and you can really never have enough knits. Uniqlo has value for money in spades with quality pieces that will stand the test of time at an affordable price tag. The silhouettes are simple but effective – case in point, this half-zipped jumper – and they come in a range of neutral hues.
Buy now £34.90, Uniqlo
JEWELLERY: Simone Rocha Initial Pendant Necklace
Personalised presents for the win. You can opt for the initial of your choice with this pendant from Simone Rocha. It pairs a gold-plated sterling silver chain with the pendant and the added embellishment of a white faux pearl in the designer’s signature style.
Shop more jewellery labels here
Buy now £195.00, MatchesFashion
Tada & Toy Superstar Shooting Star Studs
Bring the magic of Christmas with these sparkling earrings courtesy of Portobello Road-based jewellers Tada & Toy. The shooting star studs make a real statement piece to get their jewellery game up to scratch for the party season and beyond.
Buy now £95.00, Tada & Toy
Martha Calvo Be Happy gold-plated signet ring
Mood-boosting pieces have taken the jewellery world by storm and Martha Calvo has tapped into the trend with this smiley face engraved signet ring. The gold-plated metal construction keeps it looking sophisticated despite the playful embellishment. They’ll have a smile on their face every time they look down.
Shop more joy-inducing jewellery here
Buy now £80.00, Liberty
Missoma x Harris Reed North Star Hoop Earrings
Harris Reed, the designer maybe best known for creating one of the looks for Harry Styles’ Vogue cover and tour ensembles, has teamed up with Missoma for 64 product strong range of jewellery designed to be worn by all. With so many pieces to choose from, it can be hard to choose just one but the North Star earrings are a delicate choice, set with elegant pearl cabochon and glittering cubic zirconia.
Shop more diamond jewellery here
Buy now £135.00, Missoma
BEAUTY: Special Edition Dyson Corrale straighteners
Dyson is offering its Corrale wireless straighteners in a new limited-edition Blue and Copper hue. The device uses the brand’s pioneering flexing plate technology that offers an even distribution with less heat. The cord-free tool is great for styling on the go where the battery lasts for up to 30 minutes and charges up fully in 70.
Shop more wireless hair tools here
Buy now £399.99, Boots
Diptyque Christmas Candles
The luxury French fragrance house is offering not one but three scented candles this festive season, designed to bring the magic of Christmas. A truly unique olfactory experience, there’s Biscuit creating the aroma of holiday baking (no elbow grease necessary) with a combination of patchouli and spices. Next up is Sapin that has notes of fresh woody pine and Flocon designed to replicate falling snow with white musks and mimosa. All the containers are embellished with a limited-edition gold sequin design.
Shop more scented candles here
Buy now £33.00, Space NK
Jo Malone Limited Edition Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne
Jo Malone always goes all out with its Christmas collections with a limited-edition offering eagerly anticipated by its loyal base each and every year. The Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne has had a seasonal embellishment with the flacon engraved with celestial star design. The fragrance itself is perfect for the colder temperatures with a cool freshness intermingled with woody earthiness.
Shop the new fragrance launches here
Buy now £105.00, Jo Malone
Slip Silk Eye Mask
The gift of a good night’s sleep? You can’t put a price on that. But you can make it a more luxurious experience by incorporating a silk eye mask into their bedtime routine. Slip use a sumptuous mulberry silk, free from any chemicals or toxic dyes. It’s super soft and yet durable. It also comes in a range of colours and patterns.
Buy now £37.50, lookfantastic
FOOD + DRINK: Fortnums & Mason Hamper
Christmas, hampers and Fortnums – the holy trinity of gifting. No matter who is on your gift list and whether they are a friend, family, loved one or a business associate, there’s an F&M hamper to suit. The iconic wicker baskets are filled to the brim with the bestsellers from the royal warrant holder’s famed halls with afternoon tea-ready nibbles, toast-worthy tipples and a larder galore. There’s something from all price points ranging from £16.95 to £6,000.
Buy now £75.00, Fortnums & Mason
Kocktail The Monthly Collection
The gift that keeps on giving, you can invest in a monthly subscription service from cocktail delivery service aptly named Kocktail. The brand will deliver fresh mixes and the garnishes to match created by award-winning bartenders. The ingredients are of the utmost quality to take thirsty Thursday up a few notches. There’s also gift boxes spotlighting popular cocktails; banoffee old fashion, chocolate negroni, espresso martini and cherry cola old fashioned.
Buy now £29.00, Kocktail
Snow Globe Orange & Gingerbread Gin Liqueur
You may remember the snow globe gin that earned viral status last year and now the brand is back once again with a brand new design. It has been illustrated by Edwina Buckley with a beautiful flickering fireplace scene that actually lights up (cue shock, awe and gasps). Of course, it’s not all style over substance. The contents are filled Orange & Gingerbread Gin Liqueur created with Seville oranges, cinnamon, cloves, gingerbread spices and sprinkles of 23 carat edible gold leaf.
Buy now £26.00, Harvey Nichols
Veuve Clicquot Tape exclusive limited-edition Brut NV champagne with personalised tin
Toast to the festive season and the New Year with an extra special bottle of bubbly. This Veuve Cliquot special is housed within a cassette case box that can be personalised with the words of your choice.
Buy now £59.99, Selfridges
Liberty Christmas Suitcase Hamper
Wicker baskets may be the traditional box of choice for hampers but Liberty has put its signature luxe twist on the seasonal special by housing delicious goods within a suitcase, adorned with the iconic Mitsi Valeria floral print. Designed specifically for Christmas, this exclusive hamper is packed with chocolate truffles, chutney and other festive treats.
Buy now £99.00, Liberty
Words with Wine Subscription
How has nobody thought of this sooner? Each month, a box is delivered to the home of your giftee containing both a full-size bottle of wine and a book. The contents are decided on a thematic basis and gives them a chance to discover new literature as well as expand your horizons booze-wise. There’s also a bi-monthly subscription available and a one-off gift box.
Buy now £25.00, Words with Wine
TOYS + GAMING: FIFA 22
Gamers everywhere eagerly anticipate the launch of the new FIFA game each year and according to those in the know, 2022 doesn’t disappoint. There’s updates to the game, of course, with new ball physics, better acceleration and developments in Career Mode and FIFA Ultimate Team. It is available for all consoles.
Buy now £49.95, John Lewis
LEGO The Friends Apartments
Could we BE any more excited about this LEGO set? For your loved one that can’t stop watching FRIENDS on repeat, it recreates both Monica’s purple living room complete with Phoebe’s aflame dollhouse and a giant poking device to nudge Ugly Naked Guy as well as Joey and Chandler’s space with recliners, a Thanksgiving turkey headdress and the corridor floor cheesecake.
Buy now £134.99, LEGO
Magic Mixies Cauldron
Featuring on almost all ‘top toy’ lists this Christmas, the Magic Mixie Cauldron puts the magic in the most magical time of the year. Using the “potion” and wand provided, your little witch or wizard cast a spell to create a furry friend. After a puff of smoke (vegetable glycerine) and sounds, their Magic Mixie appears.
Buy now £69.99, Very
Sunnylife Shark Attack Underwater Camera
This kid-ready 35mm film camera is housed in a durable and waterproof casing and so can be brought along to any beach, pool or holiday adventuring for them to capture fun and underwater excitement.
Buy now £19.00, Liberty
