cozy gifts, gifts for guys, and $50 and under gifts

we're covering a lot of ground today!

Nov 19, 2025

Today we’re tackling one of the trickiest groups on everybody’s list: men. Dads, spouses, boyfriends, sons, FILs… they can be hard to shop for! So we’ve rounded up gifts that have been home runs with the fellas in our lives. Before we get to that, we’ve gathered the coziest gifts we could find for the person in your life (maybe it’s you?!?) who lives for all things chic and cozy. We’re also sharing a handful of affordable gifts that would be perfect for your friends! Hope it helps when you’re needing hostess gifts, secret Santa goodies, etc., in the coming weeks.

If snuggling up at home in super-soft PJs or a cozy sweater with a mug of hot liquid in one hand and a book in the other sounds like an ideal night for you — or your mom, or your sister… — then this is the guide for you.

There is nothing cozier than instant hot water coming from a chic electric kettle! MoMA Design Store is such an incredible place to hunt for truly unique, special gifts that will bring your recipient so much joy for many years to come — my sister gifted me this bowl last year and I feel cozy joy every time I use it.

My husband calls my LAKE PJs my “uniform.” I live in them! I’ve always been a huge fan of LAKE’s classic Pima pajamas — the ruffle-top ones are perfect! — but when they launched their Dream Modal jams, I became a true LAKE evangelist. I can’t pick a favorite, they’re all amazing and you truly cannot go wrong with anything LAKE — it’s the ultimate comfort gift.

A perfect coffee mug. Try finding some from a potter at your local farmer’s market! I also love these Matisse mugs and these funky guys from MoMA Design Store.
Wearing a heated eye massager at the end of a long day, listening to a juicy audiobook through its built-in bluetooth speaker? Peak relaxation.
In my mind, I’m wrapped up in this cardigan, sitting by a fireplace in the Cotswolds! My MIL gave me this sweater in green a few years ago and I truly get compliments on it everywhere I go.

Personalized stationery is such a thoughtful gift. Minted has great options, or for luxury stationery, Alissa Bell stationery is very special. For the friend who loves a to-do list, a personalized notepad would also make a really sweet gift.
Kroma’s savory bone broth! I never got into the bone broth trend until I discovered Kroma powdered bone broth! You just stir a scoop it into hot water and it’s truly the tastiest, coziest little snack. 12 grams of protein!!
As a sweater enthusiast, I thought for a REALLY long time about what my number one oversized cozy sweater rec would be, and… I couldn’t pick just one. The Frank & Eileen Montecito and Quince oversized cashmere crewneck have been my go-tos for well over a year now!
My Salted Maple nut butter made in collaboration with Portland, Oregon’s Ground Up might just be the coziest bite of food imaginable. It’s SO GOOD, and makes a perfect under-$20 gift that gives back to the at-risk women who Ground Up trains and employs! Use code CARO25 for 25% off your purchase made between 11/25 and 12/1.
1. Note! They JUST sold out right before we hit send on this email, but it’ll be restocked very soon (likely tomorrow!). You can sign up to be alerted when it’s back. In the meantime, they’re also selling it in this limited-edition holiday bundle along with my cookbook, an Earlywood spreader, and Jacobsen flaky sea salt, which would make a very great gift!

Moving on to what to gift your spouse, brother, dad, or father-in-law — the most notoriously tricky crew out there! We’ve got some high-quality and well-vetted wardrobe upgrades, a few accessories they need and/or would enjoy, some sentimental ideas, and the kitchen tool any guy would love to receive!

If a man in your life enjoys cooking, grilling, or smoking meat — or, if you have a son or brother who’s a recent grad and is getting settled into *adulthood* — I cannot think of a better gift than a wood-handled Victorinox santoku knife. It’s lightweight, slices effortlessly, keeps its edge for so, so long, and just makes for a handsome, timeless, practical gift they’ll keep forever. PS, if you’re gifting it to someone who is just getting started in the kitchen, share my knife skills video demo with them, too, so they know how to use it!

George has an old version of this Alex Mill frontier jacket in red and it just perfectly toes the line between casual and sophisticated. He truly gets compliments on it every single time he wears it. I love it in the chocolate brown. If red piqued your interest, I also love this boiled wool work jacket.
I am obsessed with John Donohue’s hand-drawn prints of iconic restaurants all over the world. Peruse the options and grab a print of the restaurant where you had your first date, or where you got engaged, or where you had your rehearsal dinner…
A really good beanie. This is the perfect warm, but not too warm, beanie. It’s very handsome, which can be a difficult feat for a beanie to pull off! I also love this cashmere one (they styled it above the ear but I own it and the M/L perfectly covers my ears!).
A lesson teaching them something they’ve wanted to learn — guitar, cooking classes, kite surfing, fishing, bread making! We gave my dad piano lessons a few years back and now he’s a piano playing machine!

The Modern Huntsman cookbook because if your husband, like mine, loves to hunt, he needs to learn how to cook his own dang grouse. He also loves the Meat Eater cookbook!
Molly gifted this Faherty sweater-shirt to her husband, Will, last Christmas and it’s become one of his most-worn items of clothing. It’s nice and thick, but not too thick to wear through Charleston’s mild winters — the ultimate layering piece. Use code CARO20 for 20% off.
These are shape-shifting pants! They look nice enough to wear in most office settings, but they’re actually athleisure. Will likes the “athletic slim” fit, but they also have “classic” and “relaxed” to suit any guy’s style and build.
This dopp kit is gorgeous, and something he’ll have forever.

A Chatbook full of memories from the past year would make such a special present. My friend Lexie has done this for her husband every year since they got married and it’s so much fun to look through all of the years! You could also make one for your dad or FIL if they recently took a bucket list trip.
If your dad’s anything like my dad, he can name the venue and year of every recording of every Grateful Dead song within the first 5 seconds of listening to it. Get him a new Deady Bear hat for Christmas.
If your husband stares at a computer all day, he needs blue light glasses. I asked my husband, George, what I should put on this gift guide and this was his only idea (other than a gift card to a lingerie store…) — so, there ya go.
OK this morning he texted me with one more last-minute idea: this flannel button-down, which doesn’t look disheveled when you wear it untucked. Another great wardrobe upgrade option!

And now, some fun gifts for your girlfriends! These would make lovely hostess gifts, secret Santa presents, or just-because-I-love-you holiday (or birthday!) gifts.

Hand-painted taper candles make such a sweet gift! Etsy has lots of options like this starry set (they’d be pretty for Hanukkah!) and this floral pair.
Jenny Lemons hair clips were on our guides last year, too, and I got pictures of your cute foodie hair clips all year round! There are so many new styles this year — how about a watermelon or a taco or a gingerbread man? I love that these can feel really personal: if your friend is always the first to order a martini, celebrate that commitment with a martini hair claw!
A subscription to this newsletter! Give them the gift of never having to think “what’s for dinner…?” You can schedule it to land in their inbox on whichever day you’d like. Here’s a gift certificate that you can print and wrap for gifting!

Our favorite blush. So easy for a busy mom who just needs to look ALIVE.

Get her one of my all-time favorite, tried-and-true cookbooks: Jerusalem, Dinner In an Instant (for the Instant Pot obsessed friend!), Small Victories, Smitten Kitchen Keepers or, ya know… What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking.

This incredible lay-flat cosmetic bag is ideal for the friend who’s always on the go. This thing saved me during my book tour when I was moving hotels every day!
For your bookish friend, I can think of nothing cooler than getting them their very own book embosser.
My internet friend Marissa Mullen just dropped the most incredible merch — I bought this charcuterie lady T-shirt immediately.

Sometimes the best gift is upgrading an everyday household item to feel more special. I’ve owned this pretty, retractable USB-C charger for almost two years and love it so much that I just got a new white one to blend in with my kitchen walls. PS, this would also make a great gift for a techy guy with lots of gadgets to charge!
My girlfriend had me for secret Santa a few years ago and gifted a photo of me and my boys in a beautiful frame. It was so intentional and thoughtful — no one ever remembers to print pictures of themselves! You can scour antique shops for a pretty frame — I also really adore these bold handmade frames by Nashville artist Carrie Owen. To order, you have to DM Carrie on IG. You can screenshot what frame you’re wanting or ask for a certain color/pattern to get options.

Chime in below with any ideas you’d add to these lists! And see you tomorrow with gift ideas for your parents, presents you may want to add to your own wishlist, and quality stocking stuffers that won’t end up in the trash!

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