Christmas gifts for your best friend: 9 thoughtful ideas, for her or for him

The best Christmas gifts for a best friend are small, specific luxuries tied to something you share or something they do every day. That is what makes a gift feel unique: it is about them, not merely unusual. Our short answer: a Fujifilm Instax Mini 13 instant camera for the friend you make memories with, an Everlane cashmere scarf for the one who is always cold, a Kindle Paperwhite for the reader, and a Viski Art Deco cocktail shaker for the friend who hosts. Most of the picks cost $50 to $200.

This gift guide is for a close friend, not a partner: nothing here is romantic, and each pick is marked for her, for him or for either. If you're thanking a friend rather than celebrating the holiday, see our thank-you gifts for friends; for an office swap, our Secret Santa gift ideas. Price bands were checked on October 27, 2026.

How to choose a Christmas gift for your best friend

You know your best friend better than almost anyone, which is exactly why a generic present stands out. A few rules that make a gift feel meaningful rather than bought in a hurry:

• Buy for a habit, not a category. The friend who walks to work every winter morning gets more from a cashmere scarf than from another candle.
• Mark something you share. A trip you took, a show you always watch together, the drink you always order: a gift that refers to it says more than a pricier one that doesn't.
• Upgrade something small. A best friend rarely buys the nicer version of everyday things for themselves: the silk sleep mask, the good wallet, the proper pour-over set.
• Agree on a budget. If you exchange Christmas and birthday gifts every year, a quick text about a range saves an awkward mismatch. Our guide to how much to spend on a gift has sensible ranges for close friends.
• Add a card. A few handwritten lines about why you chose it are often the part they keep.

Christmas gifts for your best friend at a glance

Gifts for the friend you share everything with

For the friend you make memories with (either)

Fujifilm

Instax Mini 13 Instant Camera

Why they’ll love it. An instant camera that ejects a credit-card-size print that develops in about 90 seconds, with automatic exposure, a close-up mode and a self-timer that makes two-person shots easy. It turns the next dinner, day trip or holiday party into a stack of real photos you can stick on the fridge, and that is the point of a best friend gift: a shared memory you can hold. Film is sold separately, so tuck two packs in with it, and add one print of the two of you if you have a recent photo.

Skip it if they keep every photo on their phone and have no interest in paying for prints.

$89.95Price as of Oct 27, 12:17 PM ET Details

See it at Amazon

For the friend who hosts (either)

Viski

Art Deco Cocktail Shaker, Gold

Why they’ll love it. A 24-ounce cobbler shaker in stainless steel with an electroplated gold finish, Art Deco etching, a built-in strainer and a measured cap. It is handsome enough to live on a bar cart rather than in a drawer, which suits the friend who throws the dinner parties and whose place is where everyone ends up on a Friday. Pair it with a bottle of their favorite spirit or a card promising the first round of drinks.

Skip it if they don't drink cocktails, or want a dishwasher-safe workhorse; Viski lists it as hand wash only.

$39.49Price as of Oct 27, 12:17 PM ET Details

See it at Amazon

For the friend who still plans on paper (either)

Leuchtturm1917

Weekly Planner & Notebook 2027, Medium A5, Cherry

Why they’ll love it. A hardcover 2027 weekly planner with the week on the left and a ruled notebook page on the right, plus monthly overviews, a project plan, a back pocket, two page markers and acid-free paper that Leuchtturm says has high ink compatibility. Timing is the clever part: a planner for the coming year is the gift they will open in December and use every day from January. Write your own plans in it first: a dinner in February, a weekend away in spring.

Skip it if they plan everything on a phone, or already bought next year's planner.

$28.95Price as of Oct 27, 12:17 PM ET Details

See it at Amazon

Christmas gifts for your best friend (her)

For the light sleeper and the frequent flyer

Slip

Silk Sleep Mask, Capri

Why they’ll love it. A sleep mask in Slip's 22-momme, 6A-grade mulberry silk with a silk filler and liner and an elastic strap, designed to block light. It is a small piece of self-care that goes in a carry-on, and a much nicer object than the airline version. For a best friend who travels for work or never sleeps well in a new place, it is the kind of everyday luxury she wouldn't buy for herself. Slip says to hand wash it in cold water only.

Skip it if she finds anything over her eyes uncomfortable, or already travels with a silk mask.

$72.00Price as of Oct 27, 12:17 PM ET Details

See it at Amazon

For a long bath after a long week

Laura Mercier

Ambre Vanille Bath & Body Collection

Why they’ll love it. A boxed set from Laura Mercier with a full-size Serum Body Cream, a midi body wash and a midi honey bath with its dipper, all in the brand's warm amber and vanilla scent. It turns one evening into a small spa ritual. For a best friend who is always looking after other people, that is a thoughtful message in itself.

Skip it if she prefers light, fresh scents; this one is warm and sweet.

$95.00Price as of Oct 27, 12:30 PM ET Details

See it at Amazon

Christmas gifts for your best friend (him)

For the friend who takes coffee seriously

Fellow

Stagg [X] Pour-Over Set

Why they’ll love it. A pour-over kit from Fellow: the stainless steel Stagg [X] dripper, a hand-blown double-wall tasting glass and a starter pack of paper filters, with a ratio aid built in for measuring coffee. Fellow sizes it for one cup of about 10 ounces, which makes it a weekend ritual rather than a weekday machine. Add a bag of beans from a roaster near you, ground for pour-over, so he can use it on Christmas morning.

Skip it if he relies on pods or needs a full pot every morning; the glass is hand wash only.

$79.95Price as of Oct 27, 12:17 PM ET Details

See it at Amazon

For the friend with a worn-out wallet

Bellroy

Hide & Seek Slim Bifold Wallet

Why they’ll love it. A slim leather bifold, about 3.4 by 4.6 inches, with four quick-access card slots, room for 5 to 12 cards, a coin pouch, a hidden section for spare bills and RFID protection. Bellroy sources the leather from gold-rated Leather Working Group tanneries. A wallet is used every day, which makes it a practical gift that still feels personal from a friend who has watched the old one fall apart.

Skip it if he already carries a minimalist card holder and likes it that way.

$95.00Price as of Oct 27, 12:17 PM ET Details

See it at Amazon

Splurge-worthy gifts for a best friend

For the friend who is always cold (either)

Everlane

The Cashmere Scarf, Heathered Toffee

Why they’ll love it. A cashmere scarf in a plain rectangle and a warm toffee shade that sits well over navy, camel or gray coats. Everlane's own page lists the same scarf (in other colors) at about 76 by 13.5 inches in 100% cashmere, 70% recycled. It is gender-neutral, needs no size, and gets worn every day from November to March, which is why a good scarf is one of the most reliable Christmas gifts for a friend of either gender.

Skip it if they already own a good cashmere scarf in a neutral color, or live somewhere warm.

See it at Amazon

For the reader in your life (either)

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite 16GB, Graphite

Why they’ll love it. A 7-inch glare-free e-reader with an adjustable warm light, waterproofing and up to 12 weeks of battery on a charge. It has no notifications or social media, just books, which is the appeal for a friend who wants the evening back from a phone. Load it with a book you have been telling them to read, and the gift doubles as a recommendation.

Skip it if they already own a recent e-reader, or only read paper books.

$199.99Price as of Oct 27, 12:17 PM ET Details

See it at Amazon

Personalized and DIY Christmas gift ideas for a best friend

The most meaningful gift for a friend is often the one you make. A few personalized gift ideas that cost little and get kept:

• A personalized photo album of the year: print a dozen photos of the two of you, or use the Instax prints from the camera above, and add a line under each one. It becomes a keepsake of the year that no shop sells.
• A letter: one page on what the friendship has meant this year. It may be the most personal Christmas present you give, and it fits in any card.
• Baked goods in a good tin: a batch of the cookies they always ask for, wrapped with ribbon. Pair it with the cocktail shaker or the pour-over set for a small gift kit.
• A custom print: a map of the city where you met, or a canvas print of a photo from a trip, ready to hang.

If you want a personalized item from a shop, such as an engraved or monogrammed piece, order early: custom orders can take longer to make and ship, and they usually can't be returned.

Christmas gifts for a long-distance best friend

When your best friend lives far away, choose gifts that travel well and say "I miss you" without fuss. The Kindle, the silk sleep mask, the scarf and the wallet are all light and easy to mail, and none of them needs a size. Order early and ship straight from the retailer to their address, then mail a handwritten card separately. Add a plan: a date for your next visit, or a video call over the same dinner on the same night.

A best friend gift basket, put together

If you would rather give several small things than one bigger one, build a themed holiday basket around a single idea. A cozy-night-in basket: the Laura Mercier bath set, the Slip sleep mask, a soft blanket and a box of good chocolate. A coffee-morning basket: the Fellow pour-over set, a bag of beans and a mug they will like. A party-host basket: the Viski shaker, a bottle of their favorite spirit, a jar of good cocktail cherries and a few salty snacks. Keep it to three or four things of real quality rather than a box of fillers.

Experience gifts for a best friend

For a friend who has everything, the gift can be time together. Research by Cindy Chan and Cassie Mogilner found that receiving an experiential gift strengthened the relationship between giver and recipient more than a material gift did. A few that suit best friends:

• A day trip to a town you have both talked about, with lunch booked.
• A class you take together: pottery, a cooking class, a craft workshop or a cocktail class.
• Concert or theater tickets for a date in the new year, so there is something to look forward to in January.
• Dinner at a restaurant neither of you would book on a weeknight.

Write the plan into a card and wrap it with something small from the list above, such as the Instax camera for the day itself, so there is still a present to open.

What we left out, and why

Many best friend gift guides lean on matching friendship bracelets and charms, custom socks and mugs printed with an inside joke. They can be fun, but they rarely last past January, so we left them out. Jewelry is a lovely gift between close friends, but it depends on taste and metal choices that are easy to get wrong; if you know her style, see our gifts for her collection. We also skipped perfume and makeup, which are too personal to choose for someone else; big tech such as headphones, which depends on the brand and devices they already use; and subscriptions, which can feel like a bill. For more ideas, browse the holiday gift edit, and read how we pick.

Editor's note

The most thoughtful Christmas gift for a best friend matches something they do every day. If you only buy one thing, pick that, then add a card that says why. A best friend will remember that you noticed long after they forget the price.