Holiday gift guide: how to choose the best gift in the world?

We've hacked the Christmas gift-giving system and are ready to tell you how to make your presents elicit a "Wow, how did you guess?" reaction. In just a few minutes, you'll know how to choose a good gift and get some cool ideas for this Christmas.

How to find gift ideas that would make you proud to present

To choose the perfect gift, you must stop thinking about the gift. You need to consider a person's needs, problems, and desires. Our strategy for choosing the perfect gift consists of 4 questions. Your task is to answer them, keeping the image of the person in mind. 

What challenges do they face daily? 

Think about your loved one's daily tasks and how you can help them, and you're sure to come up with ideas for your gift.

• Do they have a lot of chores? A gift card for cleaning their home or car might make things easier.
• Do they work on a laptop all day? A subscription to useful apps might help with their tasks.
• Do they have a sedentary job that causes back pain? A portable massager might help.
• Do they spend a lot of time with kids? A prepaid babysitting service could give them a few hours to themselves.

Daily traffic jams, the need to walk the dog at dawn or prepare multiple meals three times a day... Everyone has challenges, and you can help your loved ones overcome them.

What problems do they have?

Think big and small.

• Thin walls in the house, and they can hear the neighbors all the time → Earplugs for sleeping.
• They travel a lot, and their potted flowers keep wilting → An automatic plant waterer.
• The air conditioner is broken, and they can't get around to fixing it → Prepaid services from an HVACR technician.
• Broken glass on their cell phone → Payment for glass replacement.

Our advice is not to try to solve too personal or sensitive (e.g. medical) problems unless you are asked to do so.

What do they want? What are their plans?

We all have plans that we haven't gotten around to doing. But a little push might help. So, what does your loved one want? Start working out? Start a new hobby? You can help in many ways. For example, if a friend wants to change their style, you can give them various great gifts: a consultation with a stylist or shopping assistant, a gift card to a clothing or jewelry store, an online style course, etc.

What have they tried lately and liked?

A new exotic dish? Horseback riding? A quest in a VR room? A night at a stand-up show? You probably talked about it at a recent dinner. Think back and try to recreate that experience.

What are the best gifts you can give to your loved ones?

This method of selecting presents works, but we realize it takes time and effort. We understand that you may not have them. That's why we offer several ready-made solutions.

The top tech gifts for 2024

This year, tech gifts for the holidays are really trendy.

Setapp Gift Card

Everyone who has a Mac needs a Setapp Gift Card. Setapp is a platform with dozens of apps for work, study, and entertainment. It includes popular tools like DevUtil, ClearVPN, CleanShot X, Bartender, ElmediaPlayer, AdLock, and more.

For an easy start, there are collections created specifically for different people and purposes. Your loved ones can choose from toolkits for developers, managers, content creators, freelancers, and more. 

A subscription gives full access to all the apps with no additional fees and no ads.

3-in-1 charging stand

This 3-in-1 station lets your loved ones simultaneously charge their iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods wirelessly. It plugs into a single electrical outlet, so there are no more tangled charging cables on the nightstand.

Voice assistant

A smart speaker like Amazon Echo or Google Home helps your loved one manage their home. The device lets them control compatible lights, locks, and sensors with their voice. And, of course, they can play music, make calls, and answer questions. It is a great assistant and a nice gift for people of all ages and professions.

Top unusual gift ideas

If you want to surprise the recipient, here are some things to gift.

Bonsai tree kit

With this kit, your loved ones will grow four beautiful little trees. One package contains four types of seeds, durable pots, drip trays, wooden plant markers, soil peat, and a packet of bonsai fertilizer. All they have to do is follow the instructions and wait for the seeds to germinate.

Headband with headphones

This thing is both a sleep mask and a sports headband. On the front, it has a small control panel with only three buttons: louder, quieter, and off. It's a good gift for those who like to fall asleep to soothing music or don't like to work out with headphones because they keep falling out. 

Eye massager

The massager helps relax the eyes after a busy day or to prepare for sleep. The device heats up to 107° F and provides oscillating pressure and rhythmic percussion massage. During the massage, your loved ones can play pre-recorded music or stream their own playlist via Bluetooth. 

Please note that the device is not recommended for people with glaucoma and certain eye diseases. Read the instructions before purchasing.

Gifts under $25

In the under $25 category, we found some really useful and cool stuff.

Digital tire pressure gauge

Every car, moped, or bike owner needs a digital tire pressure gauge! The device has a backlit screen, is easy to connect, and instantly displays pressure in multiple measuring systems. It runs on batteries, has a long life cycle, and fits in the palm of a hand.

Freezer cup

The walls of the freezer mug are filled with a special gel that retains the cold. Place the cup in the fridge or freezer for a while, then fill it with a favorite drink and enjoy. The cool lasts up to 2 hours - even without ice in the glass. Ideal for lemonade, wine, soda, and more.

Rechargeable hand warmer

A rechargeable hand warmer is the best combination of technological and sentimental gifts we've seen. It consists of two pieces that fit in the palm of your hand and warm it. The device heats up to 131° F and provides heat for 8.5 to 20 hours. It can even be taken on a hike because it weighs only 140 grams.

If you're looking for something lighthearted, there are plenty of cute and funny gifts in the under $25 category: pooping pooches calendar, positive potato,  cute measuring cups, hand-holding Socks, or animal paw socks.

What gifts are really good? Solved

So, shall we repeat our rule? To choose a good gift, you just need to answer four questions about your loved ones: What challenges are they facing? What problems do they have? What do they want, what are their plans? What have they tried recently and liked? Yes, you may spend an hour thinking about it, but you'll almost certainly come up with a great idea.

If you're looking for a ready-made solution, our tip is to give a Setapp Gift Card to your loved ones who work or study on a Mac. Give them the relief of checked-off to-dos, the joy of saved time, and the satisfaction of getting the most out of their device. 

Setapp Gift Card can be purchased instantly, even on Christmas Eve. You can add a personal message and send it immediately or schedule it later. It's simple - and your helpful and thoughtful last-call gift is on its way to the recipient.