Apple AirPods Pro
Any music lover will be delighted to receive Apple’s in-ear, noise-cancelling wireless earbuds. They’re a comfier fit than the already popular AirPods, and deliver excellent sound for the price range. Also they’re waterproof, so those shower-time sing-alongs just got a lot easier.
Cit-E Backpack
This collaboration between Google’s Jacquard wearable tech brand and fashion giant Saint Laurent allows you to control various devices with a simple gesture, thanks to its interactive strap. It can even let you know that you’ve left your phone behind through its light indicators. This is — depending on your disposition — either the coolest wearable tech so far or the dystopian herald of the end times. Either way, it’s a nice talking point over dinner.
PhoneSoap Cell Phone Sanitizer
What could be more 2020 than a sanitization gift? Even without the COVID-19 pandemic, this UV phone cleaner is probably worth considering, since studies have reportedly shown that your smartphone can be dirtier than your toilet bowl. And when you take into account our current situation, this might just be the gift on this list that, more than any other, says “I love you.” Or, at least, “It would be inconvenient for me if you died any time soon” — which is pretty close to “I love you.”
RazorX DLX electric skateboard
Whether you’re buying for a teen or a hipster adult, this electric skateboard is bound to go down a treat. The rear-wheel motor can get you moving along at around 19kmh — which should be enough thrust to get even the least-daring rider up and over a ramp. This should score you some serious brownie points with any students living on a college campus too — offering them a precious few extra minutes in bed before heading to lectures.
Saatchi Gallery art subscription
For a minimum layout of a mere $30,000 (!), you can present the culture vulture in your life with “the ultimate art subscription” from the famed contemporary art gallery. What do you get for your cash? Besides some serious bragging rights, the subscriber will receive a new, original artwork every month for a year, selected by an expert curator. Bear in mind you might also need to buy them a bigger apartment in 12 months time.
Artie 3000
Sure, most kids are going to be clamoring for a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X this year, but if (a) your budget won’t stretch that far and (b) you’d like to have your children pass their time doing something more conventionally educational (and that may result in them eventually designing games that keep other kids away from the conventionally educational), then this cute Wifi-enabled drawing robot might be the ideal gift. The user can learn to code in various computer languages and see the results immediately as Artie draws them out on paper.
Budsies customized stuffed toys
Who’s not going to want a personalized plush toy, seriously? Maybe you want to gift your spouse a toy based on one of your kid’s drawings? Or confuse your pet with a stuffed version of itself? Or nauseate your friends by treating yourself and your partner to doll-sized lookalikes so you can be together even when you’re apart. Whatever you choose, Budsies will turn your ‘art’ into a custom stuffed toy (or pillow/cushion) and deliver it to your house (and yes, they ship overseas).
DIY Mochi ice-cream kit
Mochi ice-cream (ice-cream inside the traditional Japanese rice cake) has been on-trend for a few years now. Combine it with 2020’s resurgence in home cooking/baking/whatever the correct term for ice-cream making is, and you’ve got yourself an undeniably great gift.
That Trump biography
Amazon’s bestseller of 2020 is this portrait of the outgoing US President Donald Trump written by his niece, Mary. The author — a clinical psychologist — has said she didn’t try to diagnose the president, but she certainly doesn’t pull any punches, delving deep into their family history and particularly Donald’s relationship with his domineering father Fred. Spoiler alert: Mary L. Trump is not her uncle’s biggest fan.
Hodor door stop
“HODOR!” If there’s a “Game of Thrones” fan in your life — and after the final two series of HBO’s fantasy epic, there are admittedly far fewer of them than there were in 2017 — they’ll likely appreciate this humorous little gift that pays tribute to one of the series’ best-loved characters (and one who was fortunate enough to get killed off in season six).
