I’m a Very Good Gift-Giver, and These 38 Ingenious Holiday Presents Are Up to 80% Off

Tamim Alnuweiri
·9 min read

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Top finds from Coach, Chanel, and Apple start at $14.

InStyle / Tyler Roeland

InStyle / Tyler Roeland

I know myself to be a good gifter but it’s always nice to be reassured. I have already begun my holiday gifting since there are friends and family I know I won’t see until after the new year. As the results trickle in, I can happily say I’ve still got it. I’m getting around to the outstanding gifts now that many, perhaps most, are on sale during Black Friday.

The items I’ve picked start at just $14 (a book to get you ready for 2025’s Super Bowl halftime performance), are up to 80 percent off (the GOAT of skin care devices), and from top tier brands like Chanel, Apple, Coach, Merit Beauty, and more.

Best Gifts Overall

Hulken Reusable Bag on Wheels

Amazon

Amazon

New York City’s ‘It’ bag is not a Fendi Baguette or quilted Chanel shoulder bag, it’s the giant and incredibly utilitarian Hulken Bag. It has three straps, which allow it to be worn as a tote or pulled/wheeled on the floor. It has four wheels, a reinforced bottom, is made of (what seems like) industrial-grade tarp, is foldable, and holds (depending on the bag size—small, medium, or large) 33–66 pounds.

I have a large silver one that I use to store miscellaneous things in my apartment, to lug my big plants around the town to get repotted, to trek clothes to Goodwill, and 100 other uses. I’ve gifted this so many times and to great acclaim.

I’ve separated the rest of this gifting cheatsheet into three categories—the best Black Friday deals, my own wishlist, and more editor-approved gifts. I truly think you’ll find something for everyone and in every price range—you can’t go wrong with a pair of Airpods, a chic designer candle, and monogrammed silk pillowcases.

The Best Black Friday Sale Gifts

The following gifts are a worthwhile purchase even when full-priced, it’s simply a little gift for you that they’re discounted during Black Friday. There are steep deals and rare deals. In the former category are Jenny Bird’s half-off zodiac necklaces and Great Jones’s 43 percent off dutch oven. In the latter category, there’s Hill House’s hotel-grade pajamas and Eadem’s skin care set.

Loftie Smart Alarm Clock

Amazon

Amazon

Everyone could use an alarm clock. Even the gentlest of phone alarms are too jarring and reaching for your phone first thing in the morning is not exactly healthy either. The Loftie has smartphone capabilities, a range of alarm tones to choose from, and is a nightlight, sound machine, and bluetooth speaker. As a person obsessed with aesthetics, I also love this purely for the old-school look.

Hill House The Tiny PJ Set

Hill House Home

Hill House Home

I have four siblings so the competition for best aunt/uncle is a pretty tight race. This year I am going to cement my first-place rank with this pajama set from Hill House. There’s also a Hotel Robe in the same print that you can get custom embroidered initials on.

Jenny Bird Zodiac Pendant Necklace

Jenny Bird

Jenny Bird

A zodiac necklace is the perfect quasi-customized gift. It doesn’t require special ordering or anything of the sort but it shows the giftee that you’ve personally picked this out for them. Jenny Bird’s is 50 percent off (the steepest discount I’ve ever seen on any of its products), minimalist but not boring, and layers well with others.

More Black Friday Sale Gifts

On This Editor’s Wishlist

I literally shop for a living which my friends and family lament any time my birthday, the holidays, or any other gifting moments come up. This year I am making it easy with this 10-product wishlist. Although my tastes are expensive (yes, I want a $400 pair of loafers) not everything included here is—the book on Kendrick Lamar’s seminal To Pimp a Butterfly album is $14 and the Eloise ornaments that would make my heart sing with joy are $40.

Clicks Keyboard iPhone Case

Best Buy

Best Buy

I miss pressing the actual buttons and tip-tap noise of the Blackberry phones of my adolescence. The brand is out of business and I don’t have a time machine, so this Clicks Keyboard phone case is my best bet.

It’s expensive for a phone case, which for some reason makes it a hard purchase to justify myself but a gift I would be over the moon with. This niche subcategory of gifts—things people want but won’t buy for themselves—is always a hit.

Nomasei Trench Loafers

Nomasei

Nomasei

I am wearing a pair of loafers 92 percent of the time. But I need a pair that is a little more dressed up and I’m eyeing Nomasei’s Trench Loafers. First off, they’re never on sale. Second, the brand’s celebrity fanbase includes Bella Hadid (my queen), Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes, and Kristin Stewart, per the brand and its Instagram. (To access the sale use the code NOMAVP20.)

Editor tip: When I need to know someone’s shoe size I use one of these methods: I ask something like “I have a holiday party but no shoes for my dress! What size are you? Could I potentially borrow a pair?” Another option: “You have a pair of Adidas Sambas, right? I’m thinking about ordering a pair—do you like them? Are they true to size?” The second option doesn’t specifically ask for their shoe size but nine times out of ten it's offered up in their response.

Béis The 21-Inch Carry-On Roller

Nordstrom

Nordstrom

My carry-on suitcase is so busted that I operate it with less dexterity than I do playing a very rigged claw machine game. I need a new one and Béis is the new gold standard for luggage. This has four 360-degree wheels, compression straps, and built-in organization. Plus it’s light which means I don’t have to suppress my overpacking tendencies.

More Editor Wishlist Gifts:

Best Editor-Approved Holiday Gifts for Her

If I haven’t fulfilled your gifting needs yet, the following options are bound to fix that. My problem solvers include Chanel’s makeup set, which you can order gift-wrapped, an advent calendar that isn’t corny, and a detergent update that will have the receiver happy to go to the laundromat.

Chanel Ultimate Allure Makeup Set

Chanel

Chanel

A Chanel gift set is one of the best things you can give a beauty lover because every part of it is covetable—the woven white pouch with the gold snowflake zipper pull, the classic black mascara, and the iconic red lipstick. This season’s Chanel gift sets also come wrapped in a limited edition gold and white box or bag.

Tory Burch Reva Bangle Watch

Tory Burch

Tory Burch

A watch that does more! Yes, you can use this to tell the time but it’s also a piece of jewelry in and of itself. It’s a statement piece yet everyday wearable. My favorite part is the five interchangeable top rings—it lets your giftee switch between classic golds and pops of pink, red, and blue colors.

Camp Snap Screen Free Digital Camera

Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters

I’ve been hearing a lot about turning your smartphone into a “dumb phone.” The idea is to reduce phone usage to the essentials like phone calls and texts. The Camp Snap takes care of the camera angle. It’s a screen-free digital camera that functions like a film camera, but without the repeated cost of buying and developing film.

It’s compact and light—it fits into pockets and small purses. It takes and stores up to 500 photos which you transfer to your computer via a USB-C wire. It’s wildly popular, the brand’s website says they have very limited stock and are working to produce more ASAP. Get yours on time—and in a limited edition leopard print—at Urban Outfitters.

More Editor-Approved Holiday Gifts for Her

The holidays are approaching fast so get your shopping done now to make the most of Black Friday sales on things like Apple Airpods, a baby pink dutch oven, and luxe laundry detergent. If your gifts are not Black Friday deals—like a Chanel makeup set or Prada candle—you’ll still want to order asap to get them in time.

Great Jones Dutch Baby Dutch Oven

Great Jones

Great Jones

Santa Maria Novella ​​Melograno Bath Salts

Saks Fifth Ave

Saks Fifth Ave

Chanel N°5 L’Eau Eau de Toilette Purse Spray

Chanel

Chanel

Slip Silk Initial Collection Pillowcase

Anthropologie

Anthropologie

Prada Infusion d'Iris Candle

Bloomingdale's

Bloomingdale's

DedCool Laundry Day Detergent Set

Dedcool

Dedcool

Tamim Alnuweiri is a senior beauty writer with a decade of experience in the beauty industry. She has tested hundreds of skin care, hair care, and makeup products, many of which she has written first-hand reviews on. 

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