95 Carefully Selected, Unusually Special Gifts Under $50
Including a remote-control tarantula, Broadway tarot cards, and a very difficult puzzle.
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Each year, in order to create the Strategist’s annual print “Gift Issue” (subscribe here!), we set out to find the newest, grooviest, most surprising and delightful things that you (very likely) won’t find on the zillions of other gift guides out there in the universe.
In This Issue
Holiday Gift Issue 2024
Here’s how the process works: Each Strategist writer on staff submits and makes a case for the items that came out this year that they think would make for an excellent gift. Meanwhile, a smaller group of editors devote hours to just poking around and perusing our favorite shops (online and IRL), polling our coolest friends, going down numerous shopping rabbit holes that take us to Polish boutiques and Eastern Maine farmstands. And then we begin to argue. Is that button-down really that special? There’s something a little too 2023 about that cutting board. How do we really feel about tomatoes these days? We create “boards” so we can examine each item up close, then continue to whittle down till we have the perfect assemblage.
And there you have it! We’ve divided the 297 gifts that made the cut into three categories — under $50, $50 to $199, and $200 and up. Below, you’ll find our favorite inexpensive gifts. And if you haven’t found what you’re looking for, peruse the many other gift guides the staff of the Strategist has made for you here.
Tangerine Vinegar
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From Jeju Island, home to some of the world’s most prized citrus; ideal for salad dressing.
Zeitgeist-y Zine
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Tavi Gevinson’s viral is-it-or-isn’t-it– Taylor Swift Fan Fiction in print form.
Sonny Sac
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They’ll never be without their Sonny Angel with this key-chain carrying case. Angel not included.
Tuna Bottarga
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From a family of fishermen who’ve worked Sicilian waters for 200 years.
Better Old Bay
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With California dill pollen for a hint of pickle and Comapeño chile powder for a kick.
Glow-in-the-Dark Clixo
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Kids can snap together 24 magnetic pieces shaped like fins and tentacles to create sea creatures.
Drink Button
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An aluminum Café Forgot coaster designed by Marland Backus.
Lady Liberty Tee
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Featuring Ellie, arguably the most famous member of the WNBA team.
Do-It-All Spatula
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Gestura’s tiny tool spreads, smooths, lifts, flips, and plates.
Dusen Dusen for Dogs
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The collaboration with Little Beast features parkas, carriers, and this turtleneck onesie.
Jamaica Kincaid x Kara Walker
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‘An Encyclopedia of Gardening for Colored Children’ by Jamaica Kincaid and Kara Walker
The novelist’s and artist’s kids’ book on plants is rich in historical context.
At-Home Sushi Train
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It comes with five “carriages” and ten sushi trays for transporting takeout.
British Cats
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A collection of painter John Craxton’s feline muses.
Extremely Lightweight Lipstick
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A satin-but-not-shiny finish that can be tapped on and melted into the lips from a latter-day Clinique.
Ceramic Whistle
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Shaped like a blowfish and designed by a second-generation doll-maker.
Water-Bottle Bag
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Sustainably made from organza.
New Spam
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A spicy Korean-barbecue flavor, new this year, would pair well with rice and kimchee.
A Universal Liner
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A perfect add-on to the Ami Colé lip oil you gave them last year.
Two-in-One Toy
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A ride-on RV and play set with all the camping essentials.
Vegan Pâte de Fruit
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Made with apple pectin instead of gelatin, these gummies are infused with Assam black tea and spearmint.
Manicureproof Keys
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The raised keys on the Tippy Type keyboard cover allow those with long nails (up to medium Après Gel-X extensions) to type with ease.
Cream for the Club
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A first for DedCool; its bergamot-based fragrances are popular among the Brooklyn nightlife set.
Charli’s Tattoo
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Disclaimer: It may not last as long as Brat Summer.
Bardot-esque Band
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A classic style from Lele Sadoughi in seasonally appropriate green velvet.
Kid Keurig
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This wooden set comes complete with three coffee pods and a carton of oat milk.
Special Clams
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Artist Anandamayi Arnold takes nonliving clams and puts little non-pearl surprises in each one.
Elphaba Doll
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A similar version from Mattel sings “Defying Gravity,” but your 8-year-old doesn’t need to know.
Bar Pitti’s Napkins
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For the rigatoni Pitti heads out there.
Remote-Control Tarantula
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Hex Bots’ robot crawls, rotates, and glows from within.
Modern Nancy Drew
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A middle-schooler teams up with her new neighbor to find a missing tenant from their building.
A Magazine for Cat People
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Featuring a portfolio of feral Japanese cats and a history of hair balls.
Sporty Produce Bag
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Made from old sports jerseys in Los Angeles.
Deadstock Tassel
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Sourced from 18th-century design house Henry Newbery & Co., supposedly made in 1958 for a movie set.
African Chile Oil
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An addictive spicy Ghanaian condiment in vegan form.
Broadway Tarot Cards
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Featuring illustrations by none other than Al Hirschfeld.
Hello Kitty Nail Light
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Resin Claw Clip
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For strands of hair harder to tame than stiff squid-ink pasta.
Ailey Tote
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A Whitney Shop original designed for the “Edges of Ailey” exhibition.
Y2K Phone Palette
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This Makeup Revolution case has nine eye shadows, all with that nostalgic sweet scent.
Wildflower Tea
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With nettle leaf, monarda blossoms, and goldenrod flowers, all grown in Down East Maine.
Hand-Carved Candle
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Can also double as a tea-light holder.
Fresh Cali Olive Oil
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Sevillano olives are harvested and bottled immediately.
Swishy Pants
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Cool kids’ line Koko Momo makes a matching parent-size version of these.
Nepo Highlighter
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This isn’t a normal highlighter: It’s a Kaia Gerber highlighter from her book club, Library Science.
Cozy Toesies
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Little feet stay warm with less risk of falling in these merino-wool slipper socks from Bombas.
1996 Humor
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Abstract Evil Barbie, Aardvark Ellipse, and 4,934 other band names from old “band naming” sites.
Saffron Honey
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Made with pure saffron threads by Moroccan American gourmet grocer Marché Berber.
A 1-Year-Old’s Helmet
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New this year from handsome-helmet-maker Thousand.
Paper Snack
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Cinqpoints is a French brand that makes (no-scissors-required) paper building sets.
At-Home Cookie Shots
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Dominique Ansel collaborated with Maison Demarle on these silicone molds.
Baby’s First A24
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The ultimate guide for cinephiles who want to inculcate their offspring with good movie taste.
Ice-Cream Spade
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Ergonomically designed so they can chisel gelato with ease.
Teensy ’Tini
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A wee charm from Susan Alexandra.
Tween Magazine
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Anyway Issue 4
A recent issue included mental-health advice, a vegan Caesar-salad recipe, and dad jokes.
Boiled-Egg Plate
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For serving breakfast or mounting on the wall as an objet.
Softer Lips
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Eadem’s nonsticky formula is slightly plumping and comes in rich neutral shades.
Curry Nut Butter
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With galangal and lemongrass notes.
Ina’s Preferred Pasta
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Used in her famous tagliarelle with truffle butter.
Hairspray Lunch Bag
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This Baggu is part of a merch collection for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ exhibit “John Waters: Pope of Trash.”
King-Oyster Chips
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Not actually fried; made in Korea.
Metal Puzzle
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There are only three pieces, but it’s extremely difficult.
Tradwife Jerky
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Made from cows that live on the actual Ballerina Farm.
Watering Can for Kids
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Quut’s bath toy doesn’t need to be hidden under the sink post-play.
Lucky Amulet
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Handmade in India from leftover Tigra Tigra fabric and adorned with metal discs, beads, and shells.
500+ Bug Stickers
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As well as natural habitats to stick them to.
Queen of Country
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A Dolly Parton–signed mini-skillet ideal for a single serving of cornbread.
Delightfully Disgusting Dino Skull
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Pour water into the GrossMos eye socket, watch it foam, then dig out the gunk to reveal tiny dinosaur bones inside.
Performance Tie-Dye
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These Cordura-yarn socks will last through multiple marathon-training cycles.
Compostable Pickleball
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It’s made of wheat straw and rice husk and will decompose in 100 days.
Corner-Store Cookbook
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‘Bodega Bakes: Recipes for Sweets and Treats Inspired by My Corner Store,’ by Paola Velez
The debut cookbook of desserts from chef Paola Velez, inspired by her childhood in the Bronx.
Dim Sum Deep Dive
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Dumpling and pork-bun recipes and stories of Chinatown from Nom Wah owner Wilson Tang.
Long-Awaited Wine-Bar Book
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‘The Four Horsemen: Food and Wine for Good Times from the Brooklyn Restaurant,’ by Nick Curtola and Justin Chearno
Williamsburg neo-bistro the Four Horsemen has a cookbook at last.
Cheese-Board How-To
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From France’s First Family of charcuterie.
Floral Flatware
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Superlative Lip Stain
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Kulfi’s formula offers hydration and impressive staying power.
Whole Poached Trout
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One of the many Irish recipes London chef Max Rocha developed that’s featured in his new Café Cecilia cookbook.
ZYN Holster
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Leather Belt Holster for ZYN Pouch
Available in nine shades of Italian leather.
BLK MKT Vintage Book
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The shop’s founders share their personal archive of Black ephemera, from Shirley Chisholm pins to HBCU yearbooks.
Lenticular Barbie Bag
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Celebrate Barbie’s 65th birthday with this tiny backpack-shaped pencil case.
Jules Feiffer for Fifth-Graders
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The 95-year-old cartoonist’s latest, a YA graphic novel about a brother and sister named Curly and Pearlie.
Artist Bumper Sticker
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Designed by Margot DeMarco, this is one of 40 stickers from the Working Loose gallery in Maine.
Long-Lost Kaleidoscope
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Commemorating Luna Luna, the world’s first art amusement park, returning this year.
Japanese Magic 8-Ball
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A redesign from artist Keiichi Tanaami.
Starface … for Lips
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A new lip balm from the brand that made pimples cute.
All-Purpose Balm
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Squeeze out every last bit of Monastery’s nourishing, hydrating salve with the included key.
A Self-Tanner’s Sleeping Bag
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An ingenious silky sack that’s meant to prevent self-tanner from staining the bedsheets.
Stuffed Macaron
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One of the latest (and hardest) Jellycats to track down.
Beyoncé’s Deep Conditioner
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From her new hair-care line, with notes of Australian sandalwood and Haitian vetiver.
Shrunken Magna-Tiles
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Postage-stamp-size versions in a handy travel tin.
Important Toilet Brush
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Designed by Philippe Starck for Heller back in the day, the Excaliber is available in four new colors for its 30th anniversary.
Glitter Freckles
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As seen on the nose of Taylor Swift.
Dark-Chocolate Orange Peels
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From old-world Swiss confectioner André’s, based in Kansas City.
’90s New York Dad Hat
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A tribute to the hottest Upper East Side club of 1994, Au Bar.
Local Lox
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Cold-smoked lox but make it Hudson Valley trout.
Totable Puffer Fish
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Realistic-looking fish bones are printed on the inside.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
