A Texas father sold his dream car to pay for his newborn son’s diapers. This year, for his dad’s 65th birthday, his son surprised him with a restored version of the same 1967 Chevrolet Camaro — right down to its color (blue with white stripes). The video will melt your heart.
Holiday tech hacks: Digital cookbook, easier cards, group pic tips
I’m not sure where this year went, but it’s time to dive headfirst into the festive frenzy. I’ve got some tech tips up my sleeve that’ll sprinkle a little magic on your celebrations. You’re gonna love ‘em!
1. Cook up a storm with a digital cookbook
If your recipes are printed or handwritten, snap a pic with your phone or tablet. Add them all to one folder (or try the Notes app on iOS or Google Keep for Android) for easy swiping. Listen here for more tips about that.
Cooking recipes you found online? Use this site to strip the ads, save the PDF versions and toss them all in one spot. There’s a free 14-day trial, so just remember to cancel if you’re not going to keep using it.
Now, let’s get your kitchen cooking tech stylin’ with two essentials:
- An inexpensive phone and tablet holder (47% off, $7.99) will keep your phone or tablet out of the mess of flour, stock and butter in the kitchen. Btw, I use this one for my iPad when doing the show!
- A stylus (20% off, $7.99) can be used instead of your fingers to advance videos or scroll.
2. Go with digital holiday cards
Canva, Adobe Express, Paperless Post and Mailchimp all offer solid options. Choose a template, whip up a greeting and send it in just a few minutes — no trip to the post office.
But if you want a personalized card to mail, you can pick a template and upload a photo on Amazon for 15 cards ($21.45; $1.43 each) or up to 250 cards ($180; $0.72 each).
3. Your best family pics in years
No more designating the family friend or someone’s random date as the chief photographer.
- On iPhone: Open your Camera app and tap the up arrow at the top of the screen. Scroll to the option that looks like a clock, then tap it. Select a 3- or 10-second delay.
- On Android: In the Camera app, select Timer and turn it on. Choose a delay of 2, 5 or 10 seconds.
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Son gifts dad the car he sold to buy diapers 40 years ago
You’re getting sleepy
👑 One-third of our lives is spent sleeping. These gifts will make your recipient feel like royalty doing it.
- A glass mushroom lamp ($25) gives their room a cool ‘70s vibe. Groovy!
- A bedside water carafe? Talk about luxury. 💅
- The best word to describe these stained-glass light bulbs is “whimsical.” They’re hand-painted!
- For the art lover (or the dramatic one), gift wireless gallery lights (28% off). They’re battery-powered and easy to install.
- Velvet blackout drapes ($34) curtain-ly make every room a whole lot cozier.
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🧑🎄 Secret Santa scam trending on social: It goes like this. Send one anonymous gift and you’ll get dozens in return. Invite your friends, too! Spoiler: Your gift goes straight to a scammer, who won’t even send you coal in return. This pyramid scheme goes by names like “Secret Sister” or “Secret Santa Dog.” Pass!
Top tech gifts of 2024
Give the gifts they really want — at your budget.
Over-the-ear headphones
💸 The Apple AirPods Max (16% off, $459.99) are top-of-the-line. They come in 10 colors and have super-comfy memory foam ear pads. I have a pair.
😏 Sony wireless headphones, on sale for only $38. They get 50 hours on a single charge, dang.
Bluetooth speakers
💸 The Bose SoundLink Flex (20% off, $119) is waterproof and portable, with excellent sound quality.
😏 The Tribit Xsound Plus 2 ($60; click the coupon for 10% off) is waterproof and gets 24 hours of playtime on one charge.
Robot vacuum cleaners
💸 The Shark Robot vacuum and mop combo (26% off) uses super-efficient home mapping to vacuum and mop. It even empties its own dustbin!
😏 The iRobot vacuum works with Alexa and gives you clean map reports. It’s 40% off right now, so hurry!
TVs
💸 LG’s new C3 series 65-inch 4K TV ($1,397) has a super-powerful AI processor that adjusts depending on the room’s brightness. Cool!
😏 For under $350, this Insignia 65-inch 4K TV (29% off) is a great all-in-one pick. It comes with Fire TV built in and an Alexa voice remote.
Dashcams
💸 This 70mai dashcam ($110) has a super-high-tech Sony image sensor and built-in GPS tracking. Click the coupon for $20 off!
😏 Slightly smaller, this Avylet dashcam (17% off, $50) has 2K resolution, night vision and a 24-hour parking monitor.
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Holiday home runs
🦸 Psst, you’ll feel like a superhero if you get some gift shopping done this weekend, just sayin’.
- An Anker portable charger (under $20) so their phone never dies.
- Carote’s nonstick cookware set is so darn pretty (54% off, $54.99).
- Replace their decade-old e-reader with the new Kindle Paperwhite.
- Heated eye massagers for the person who never takes a break.
- I want this! A smart bird feeder (39% off) that records winged visitors and can identify 6,000 species.
- I use this smart coffee mug (27% off) for my evening cup of tea.
- Laneige lip balm for any gal, young or less young, on your list.
- For guys, a Carhartt beanie. I don’t know one who wouldn’t wear it … OK, maybe Barry.
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Futuristic finds
🤖 Gifts that’ll make ‘em feel like the future is now.
- Channel “Blade Runner” with an LED shower head ($20). Disclaimer: No promises they’ll look as cool as Harrison Ford.
- Give them the tech to sit back with a glass of wine while an automatic pot stirrer handles the chili.
- An automatic dustpan sucks up everything, so they never have to look at that little dustpan line again. Click the box for $20 off.
- It’s cold and there’s about to be a new season of “Squid Game.” Grab mirror glasses ($13) for your most Netflix-obsessed pal who wants to watch in bed.
- This blush oil goes on clear and transforms into the perfect shade based on the wearer’s skin pH. Cheeky!
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Gifts for dads and dudes
🧔 … Because let’s be real: They never know what they want.
- His golf game will finally be up to par with a rangefinder (43% off). This thing is sweet.
- This beard-care kit (22% off) comes with wash, oil, balm, conditioner and shea butter.
- Is a man cave really a man cave if it doesn’t have a foosball table?
- A pizza stone ($35) is a nice change for the griller who wants to expand his cooking skills. It’s the yeast you can do!
- An RFID-blocking wallet (under $20), because how is he still using the same one from 1991?
✅ Need more ideas? I have a whole gift guide for guys on my Amazon Picks page.
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Worthwhile gifts under $50
🤑 Because you can always give a great gift.
- This microwave pasta cooker (43% off, $17) makes perfect al dente noodles every time. Pasta la vista, baby!
- This tiny plant Lego set (20% off) is adorable. There’s even a Venus flytrap.
- Whoever invented the portable Crock-Pot lunchbox is a genius. And it’s under $40!
- Force a friend to be your pickleball partner with a new paddle (11% off). They can’t say no now!
- OK, seriously, Versace cologne for under $35? What a steal.
- Security boxes are seriously expensive. This file-storage bag ($35) is fireproof and waterproof. It’s not a flashy gift, but it’s so practical. Click the coupon box for 20% off.
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The present everyone fights over
🎄 Holiday party season is here! I gathered up gifts perfect for Secret Santa, White Elephant or any other swap.
- This mini mushroom grow kit is under $20 and grows oyster mushrooms in less than 10 days. Bonus: Snap a pic and the company will donate a free kit to a classroom in need.
- Disposable cameras are in vogue again. This one is 30% off!
- A Flexi Hose. No kidding, I brought one to our office White Elephant party one year, and everyone tried stealing it.
- These mini Bob Ross painting kits are under $10 so everyone at the party can paint some happy little clouds.
- Make sure whoever gets this mini inflatable tube guy (34% off) isn’t the same person who sits next to you at work.
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For the [fill-in-the-blank] person in your life
✏️ I’ll fill in the blank. All you have to do is wrap it.
- For the road tripper: A dashcam with unlimited cloud backup storage. Your recipient’s insurance premiums will thank you.
- For the sneakerhead: A sneaker eraser, so they can finally whip out the white Nikes.
- For the guy who looks like Grizzly Adams: A fancy, new beard trimmer so he can grow big or go home.
- For the kid with unlimited energy: An indoor soccer game to wipe them out in no time, even on snow days!
- For the cook who makes way too much: Souper cubes. Freeze leftovers and pop ‘em out whenever you want. I use mine all the time.
- For the person who’s always stressin’: Shower steamers, because they deserve it!
- For the college kid: A refrigerator deodorizer. We all know what dorm mini fridges smell like.
- For the person who’s always cold: A towel warmer makes getting out of the shower a lot less chilly. This one allows them to infuse their towels with essential oils, too!
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Gifts for the person who has everything
🤪 Sometimes, you just need to get a little creative.
- Make ‘em feel like they’re living in “The Fast and the Furious” with interior RGB car lights ($29). I’m tempted to get these …
- A portable record player that won’t break the bank — under $50!
- A budget-friendly bidet ($25), because everyone secretly wants one of these.
- If Apple AirPods are too expensive, check out Raycon.* Their earbuds sound great, get a ton of battery life and are a fraction of the price.
- Anyone would relish getting a hot dog toaster ($20) for Christmas.
- Let’s taco ‘bout how cute this burrito blanket ($16) is!
- Getting stuck in traffic behind a huge truck is more bearable with a portable air purifier (44% off).
Nothing here? Check out this link for more ideas!
💸 Or shop by price: Under $10 | Under $25 | Under $50
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Home-run tech gifts
✅ Stop searching — I did the hard work for you.
- A MacBook Air (23% off) is small enough to fit in a backpack and has up to 18 hours of battery life. That’s a lot of Netflix.
- A 55-inch Samsung 4K QLED TV for under $500? Say less.
- Swap their crusty, old phone for a fancy, new Samsung S24 (27% off). It comes in eight colors! I like the violet.
- The most voracious reader you know definitely wants a new Kindle Paperwhite (19% off).
- Catch Santa before he steals all the milk and cookies with a Google Nest outdoor camera (36% off, $209.99).
- The Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet is under $75 right now.
- An Amazon Echo Dot is the perfect intro to smart home gear (54% off, $22.99).
- Bet you know someone who’d love a PS5 (15% off, $424). It’s backward compatible so they can play PS4 games, too.
- A Lenovo Chromebook is already affordable, but 40% off? An absolute steal!
- The Fitbit Versa 4 smartwatch (40% off) for your health-obsessed friend.
💸 Or shop by price: Under $10 | Under $25 | Under $50
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All I want for Christmas is a capybara: No, not me! The semiaquatic rodents that live up to 12 years and weigh up to 150 pounds have stolen the internet’s heart with viral videos. In a Reddit post, a 24-year-old brother asked if he was a jerk for thinking it’s just a TikTok phase his 16-year-old sister will grow out of. Spoiler: She will.
Practical presents
🎁 Useful gifts they’ll appreciate … because no one needs another ugly sweater.
- Everyone hates ironing. This travel steam iron is so much easier. Click the coupon box for 25% off.
- Give the gift of coziness with a zip-up fleece jacket for under $30. Every guy I know would wear one.
- Feel safer with a Ring floodlight cam (40% off) — or use it to finally catch the dog digging up your flowers in the middle of the night.
- Get the doodler in your life a reusable spiral notebook (under $30 and 17% off!).
- Figure out how good the acoustics in your bathroom really are with a waterproof Bluetooth speaker for under $50.
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Espresso yourself
☕ From mugs to machines, these gifts will have your loved ones sipping in style.
- Ever wished your Keurig could make a whiskey sour, too? With a cocktail maker machine (14% off), all you have to do is pop in a drink capsule, and voila!
- This adorable coffee mug set works overtime as a cup and a cute decoration.
- The best travel mug in their favorite color. No joke, it keeps drinks hot or cold for 8 hours!
- Give coffee lovers who don’t have much counter space a portable espresso machine. Click the coupon box for $10 off!
- No one deserves a cold cup of joe. Give the gift of warmth with an app-controlled smart coffee mug (20% off).
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Crowd pleasers? Yes, please!
🕺 Foolproof gifts that’ll have everyone saying, “You nailed it!”
- Owala water bottles come in 21 freakin’ colors. Perfect for literally everyone on your gift list.
- Everyone can pull off a Carhartt beanie, and they’re cool for the younglings and older folks on your list.
- A good retro watch never goes out of style.
- Laneige lip balm is all the rage right now. (Or should I say all La’rage?) Their scents are the best.
- I don’t think anyone on the planet would see a box of fancy chocolate (under $15) and be sad.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Fun-tastic gift ideas
🎁 Bring the holidays to life with these fun picks.
- Santa Cookie Elf Candy Snowman is the holiday version of the party game Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza and it is so. Dang. Fun. Under $10, too.
- Print Polaroids from any phone with a mini photo printer ($79, 21% off). It doesn’t need ink and can even print stickers!
- Tamagotchis ($23) are tiny virtual pets that have been wildly popular since the ‘90s. Finally, a gift that impresses both kids and the 35-year-old millennial in your life.
- Flex your pop culture expertise with a celebrity trivia game for under $15 … because everyone needs to know Nicki Minaj used to work at Red Lobster.
- Wear out dads and kids with a T-ball hitting set (38% off). Just don’t miss and make it onto one of those YouTube fail videos.
- Monopoly GO! (under $15, 28% off) is the more family-friendly version of Monopoly. Bank heists in Unicorn Land are more exciting than property management.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Gadget gifts galore
🏴☠️ Upgrade your loved ones’ lives (and your gift-giving reputation) with a tech treasure.
- One charge on a Kindle Paperwhite lasts 12 weeks. Pair that with the three free months of Kindle Unlimited, and whoever’s getting this gift had better have some PTO saved up.
- Amazon’s brand-new Echo Pops come in purple now?! I’m sold. It’s under $40, and the speakers are darn good.
- OK, this is sweet. Sony’s compact waterproof speaker (under $50!) can go anywhere in any weather and gets 16 hours of playtime on a single charge.
- Your pet-obsessed pal needs a Furbo dog camera (14% off) to watch Fifi while they’re at work.
- An external CD/DVD drive (under $30!) is perfect for the DVD lover in your life. This way, they can play disks on their laptop, which is way easier than digging through every streaming site. Bonus: They can rip those audio CDs, too!
- Take movie night anywhere with a 4K outdoor projector. Click the coupon box for $40 off!
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