As your local supermarket and favorite bars get decked out in holiday decor, we’d love to tell you something along the lines of “oh boy, it’s that time of year again!” but the hard truth is this: It’s been that time of year, dudes, and the window of opportunity to cop a seriously sweet gift for your buddies isn’t going to last for very long. Don’t panic—you’ve still got time—but we’d be lying if we said it waiting to holiday shop is the right move. If you’re still unsure about what to gift your squad this holiday season, we get it. Luckily, that’s where we come in.
It’s easy to get bogged down in the murky world of mediocre gifts when shopping for cool gifts for friends—that’s why your faithful VICE editors gently slammed our heads together and came up with a short list of the best gifts for every freaky friend in your squad. We’ve got non-corny housewarming gifts for your friends who got hitched and are suddenly a million years old; we’ve got aesthetic tech gifts for your friends who spend a medically inadvisable amount of time on their phones; and we’ve got knee-slappingly sweet presents for everyone else you can think of, from your crusty punk buddies to your pals who fantasize about being Don Draper a little too much.
Read on to see the best gifts for roommates, college buddies, high school besties, and forever friends, from beautiful rocks glasses and embryonic sleep sacks (yes, really) to unique phone cases, streetwear camera collabs, and more.
For the food freak in your squad
Noodles for your noodle. Tombolo makes beautiful and slightly unhinged embellished apparel, including this color-blocked terry cloth number with dancing pasta shells and a forkful of spaghetti on the bosom. This is the last restock of the popular button-down, so smash that order button before they’re all gone.
Someone with a sweet tooth? Get them this wild box packed with unique Japanese flavors of Kit-Kats.
Is your buddy more of a baker? Dolly Parton’s holiday cookie cutters, which were released in a collaboration with Williams Sonoma, are really sweet. Who doesn’t want butterflies, Christmas trees, and musical notes on their party platter?
Don’t miss our guides to the best edible gifts and gifts for people who love to cook, and peruse everything from boozy barware to vegan mochi.
For the friend who just got their own place
As much as we love the obligatory IKEA flørghöfghenschwältz (lamp), it’s fun to help your friend flesh out the decor of their first Adult Apartment with housewarming gifts that feel a little more… curated. Something as simple as an elegant match cloche and an art book can go a long way, such as this TASCHEN title with an incredible collection of tattoo art.
For your buddy who loves all things mid-century modern
First of all, Don Draper had some serious problems. But, we kinda get it—we love Mad Men, too, for the vintage-cool vibes and mid-century ~aesthetic~, not the whole violent alcoholism and womanizing thing. Chic cocktail glasses are a great gift for anyone—even people who don’t drink! Every beverage tastes better in a beautiful glass vessel, boozy or otherwise.
Now, they’ll also need some mood lighting while they entertain, sip, and read. This sunset projection lamp is a proven mood booster that projects a gorgeous amber glow in your apartment so the seasonal affective disorder instantly melts away (it also sets a great mood for a date).
For every queer person in your LGBT+ crew
VICE contributor Mel Compo rocked our world with their gift guide for what to buy your queer friends, filled with everything from green-thumbed presents (think plantable candles) and palm vibrators to this set of satin pajamas (straight outta Queen Riri's line) and more.
For your grumpy, grouchy punk friends who are ready to settle down
Who said punks don’t like gifts? Your long-ago mosher will always be crusty at heart, but maybe they’re at a place in life where they don’t want their living room to look like Club Anarchy (no shade, we love you). Aging punks deserve cool gifts, too, such as this Ilford single use black-and-white film camera (a great way to immortalize show memories, without the commitment or concerns that would come with bringing a DSLR) or ahtray for parking as their butts, keys, or change.
For your friend who's always online
Because rose gold iPhones are cool… but is that it? We dream of an era of personality tech, in which the best tech gifts we can find are cell phone cases shaped like North Face puffers, and a computer mouse that looks like an anthropomorphic potato.
For the friends who prefer cats to people
In a perfect world, we are riding a gold Lambo in this custom tee emblazoned with our cat’s face and coming home to watch our fluffy prince sleep in a cat-sized, plushy ramen bed. Have you seen the latest in cat-lover gifts and scratch-proof furniture lately?
For the friend that has everything
They probably say things like “Tuscany is great this time of year” and carry around six to nine quartz crystals in the inner pockets of their trench coat. For the friend who has everything (or tried everything), we suggest the Aarka carbonator to keep all their water bubbling, and a gold cheese grater to upgrade their process of shaving pecorino romano.
For the person who still hasn’t adapted to winter temperatures
Who doesn’t like receiving cashmere? But also, who buys cashmere socks for their own feet or swaps out their own Carhartt for a cashmere beanie? You’ve gotta get ‘em as a gift. That’s the rule with cashmere.
The best gifts for best friends
Other than a kidney, liver, or a locket of your own blood (if you're Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton), it can be tough to show your best friend just how much you care with a single item. It’s also definitely not about the money—there are great options for your bestie under $20, under $50, and under $100. No, the best gifts for your best friend are presents that show how well you know them, and that you think they're the hottest, smartest, coolest person ever but you've also seen them pee in the bushes outside of Jack in the Box.
Our advice: Consider your situation. How long have you known each other? Do you have any inside jokes that would make a great gift? What are they really into? Maybe you both bonded over your love of cooking, in which case we’d recommend cool kitchen tools, the ever-popular Always pan or a set of super-sharp, aesthetically pleasing knives from Misen:
Or maybe you’re always grabbing coffee together when you're hung over, and you want to give them the joy of a perfect cup of joe or some other rad coffee gifts:
You can always get them hooked on a new hobby, such as growing their own mushrooms or baking sourdough (or, you know, something they can gift you this holiday season).
Or perhaps you’re long-distance besties? Attempt to summon them by giving them a unique travel gift, like a sleep mask with built-in noise-cancelling headphones. Keep in mind, the holiday season is the perfect time to cop something that your friend/family member would likely never pick up themselves.
When in doubt, get them a smart, practical gift that you know they'll use. Speaking from experience, we can attest that no one is mad about receiving fancy hand soap.
And just know that whatever you get your buds, they’ll appreciate you taking the time to spend your hard-earned cockles on their charmingly imperfect self. It's the thought that counts, of course—but we've done the hard thinking for you.
The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story.