We’ve all been there: royally stumped for a present for someone, be it a newly acquired father-in-law whose taste you don’t yet know, or a birthday you’d forgotten about. That’s when you reach for your fail-safes – the gifts you’ve bought time and again because, well, they’re a winner every time.
From a kids’ game and a box of iced biscuits to rejuvenating bath foam and a box of charity teabags, these presents have all been gratefully received by their recipients, over and over.
The best easy gifts
Mini hot-water bottle
Cute hot-water bottle, from £22
catherinecolebrook.com
A hot-water bottle, only smaller, with stitched covers in linen, gingham and Liberty fabrics. Perfect for an outdoor swimmer, a grandmother who feels the cold, a parent on the Saturday morning football sidelines – or someone just needing a little TLC. Anon
Pages of inspiration
Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr Seuss, £7.99
guardianbookshop.com
From £2.90
amazon.co.uk
“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places! You’re off and away!” There’s a good reason why this little book is right up there with the most popular graduation gifts, and why I’ve bought it at some point for every child I’ve ever known. Perfect for adults too, it’s packed with inspiration for anyone starting a new job, leaving an old relationship, retiring and so on. Andrea Chapman
Neom self-care smellies
Perfect Night’s Sleep bath foam, £26
neomwellbeing.com
boots.com
Magnesium body butter, £38
boots.com
johnlewis.com
As most of my pals are working mums of young kids/generally knackered, I usually end up buying them something from this Neom range, and I often get bought it too (always gratefully received). Abigail Radnor
For more pampering gifts, see our guide to the best self-care presents
Japanese weeding trowel
Niwaki Hori Hori, £32
niwaki.com
£32.95
sarahraven.com
I get this gardening tool for everyone I know who has a garden, and they all agree that it becomes your most used item – brilliant for weeding, chopping, digging holes for planting, and super comfortable to handle. Anon
For more gifts for gardeners (chosen by gardeners), see our guide
RNLI teabags
Lifesaver tea, £3.50
shop.rnli.org
Lifeboat tea £5.60
amazon.co.uk
I give a packet of the RNLI’s Lifesaver teabags to most people who receive a present from me. It is a great way to support the charity, and also makes a good cup of tea! Filter reader Hannah Wauchope
Exploding Kittens game
Exploding Kittens, £19.99
johnlewis.com
£14.99
amazon.co.uk
We buy Exploding Kittens or Wreck this Journal for all the children we know. Exploding Kittens keeps my three kids (12, 10 and 7) entertained on train journeys, holidays and trips to the dentist. The game is reasonably simple to pick up, doesn’t take too long to play, and the pictures – and name – are very silly and engaging. We’ve given it to most of my children’s friends. Julia Longley
… and a creative journal for kids
Wreck This Journal, £10.99
waterstones.com
£9.99
amazon.co.uk
Wreck This Journal was given to my daughter for her ninth birthday. Each page has an instruction printed on it, encouraging kids to deface it, scribble, doodle or write on it, or throw it out of a window. It’s also very funny and requires some imaginative thinking. We’ve given copies for lots of birthdays now, and the kids are always genuinely outraged that they’re meant to trash it. Julia Longley
PJs with pockets
Classic striped pyjama, £79 (now on sale for £59)
jigsaw-online.com
I’ve bought pyjamas for Christmas presents and for friends having a rough time. Jigsaw’s are great quality and I love that they have pockets (useful for tissues when we all get a winter cold). Anon
A houseplant for a Gen Z-er
Sansevieria, from £10
patchplants.com
Peace lily in basket, £30
marksandspencer.com
A lovely plant was the perfect house-warming gift for my niece. Plants make a great present for what can be a tricky age because they brighten their interior and give them some all-important responsibility! And I bought a peace lily that was beginning to flower for my sister, who was feeling glum – better than a bouquet as it lasts longer and isn’t so cheesy. Sara Ramsbottom
Please note: sansevieria and peace lilies are toxic to pets and children if ingested
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Poetry for the soul
The Poetry Pharmacy, from £8 for secondhand
worldofbooks.com
£12.25
amazon.co.uk
This beautiful hardback is categorically not for poetry buffs: it’s a slim volume of short, powerful poems “prescribed” by editor William Sieghart for all manner of emotional ailments, from parenting trouble to heartbreak. He also provides enlightening commentary on each poem. Recipients are always gushingly grateful. Hannah Booth
Gold hoop earrings
Small gold vermeil hoops, £70 (now £54.60)
monicavinader.com
Gold hoops, £40 (now £20)
heyharper.com
So many friends own a cheap pair of gold hoops, so a decent set makes a lovely gift – they’re a classic, and suit almost everyone. These are tarnish-free, simple and elegant. Lily Smith
Bath and shower oils
£48 (now £36)
johnlewis.com
£36
amazon.co.uk
Someone gave me this dinky bath oil set years ago – the whole range smelled good and it lasted for ages, so now I regularly send it to anyone in need of a bit of a treat. Half the fun is giving serious consideration to which tiny potion best suits your bath time situation: do you need a “light relax”, some “inner strength” or something to “support equilibrium”? Perhaps they’ll come into play over the festive season. Liese Spencer
Iced biscuits that spark joy
Winter walk biscuits, £25
biscuiteers.com
Biscuit tin hamper, £39.99
selfridges.com
Universally appealing, I’ve bought colourful, humorous, hand-iced biscuits for so many people, on so many occasions (usually special ones: they’re not cheap). Biscuiteers are the masters, and they’ve always been gleefully received. Anon
Corkscrew that works
£8.99
ebay.co.uk
£12.99
amazon.co.uk
This waiter’s friend corkscrew by Coutale is well made, simple and a dream to use – the perfect small gift even if the person already has a corkscrew! Tom Allin
Cheese box
£38
pongcheese.co.uk
New parents are often flooded with clothes and presents for the baby, so I like to buy something for the mum instead. This box of stinky cheese features cheeses that pregnant women are warned off eating, such as unpasteurised and blue cheese, and I’ve bought it countless times for cheese-loving friends after they give birth. The cheeses are all really good quality so it’s not just a novelty gift. Monica Horridge
Taste of Fortnum’s hamper
£75
fortnumandmason.com
You can never go wrong with a Fortnum’s hamper! They come in many shapes and sizes (the cheapest is £70), with all sorts of wonderful goodies inside. I get them for birthdays, new homes, Christmas, a new baby. Plus, they get to keep and reuse the charming wicker basket. Laura Rees
Fine dark chocolate and salt buttons
L’Esterre’s fantastic chunky buttons have only three ingredients: cocoa, sugar cane and sea salt. The cocoa is grown in Grenada, and it’s made into chocolate by a woman in her studio in the UK. The chocolate is like no other I’ve tasted, with fruity notes that make it incredibly moreish. Everyone I’ve bought the buttons for adores them. Emma Henderson
Curry Legend cookbook kit
£34.95
thespicery.com
This set includes a cookbook, four spice blends and storage tins. The recipes always suggest what to serve with what, and you can easily buy refills of the spices. I’ve given a few over the years, including recipe kits to my dad to broaden his horizons! Filter reader Katy Haydn-Smith
Lékué ice box
£19.99
johnlewis.com
amazon.co.uk
A left-field house-warming gift I didn’t know I needed, I now like to buy this myself for friends stocking new kitchens. It’s a great design (the lid doubles as the tray, and the ice cubes are abstract shapes), a generous size, easy to use, nice to touch and looks so sleek that you’ll want to bring it out at parties. Abbi Baker
Bloom & Wild flowers
£26
bloomandwild.com
Flowers may be a cliche, but Bloom & Wild bouquets are a good go-to for many different occasions. They’re a good price yet always look nice (after they’ve had a few hours to soak up some water, anyway). The company usually delivers quickly, so they’re good for “oops I’ve forgotten” situations. Emma Brunt