Christmas gifts for friends
Last updated: · Links and ratings checked 16 October 2026
Gifts for friends usually have a modest budget and often need posting. That makes letterbox-sized and under-£25 gifts especially useful. The ideas below favour things your friend will enjoy rather than display.
If you’ll see them
A party game you can play together, a book you loved and want them to read, or a coffee gadget for the friend who’s always talking about their morning brew.
If you’re posting
Letterbox gifts avoid missed deliveries and depot trips. Our letterbox gifts page lists the ones we’ve found with solid ratings, and delivery dates shows the Royal Mail deadlines.
Group gifting and Secret Santa
For office or friend-group swaps, see Secret Santa gifts under £25.
A note on group gifts
If several friends are chipping in, one higher-quality item from the £25–£50 band, like a coffee maker or a board game, often goes further than several small gifts.
At a glance
- 36 picks: 11 in £25–£50, 25 in £10–£25.
- 35 show a public rating on the retailer’s page; 1 don’t have a rating we could verify.
- 7 are personalised and need extra making time.
- Highest rated when checked: Personalised velvet embroidered make-up bag (★ 4.9), Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat – Samin Nosrat (★ 4.8), Dishoom: the cookbook (★ 4.8).
Want it narrower? Take the 60-second quiz.
Our picks (36)
Personalised velvet embroidered make-up bag
Useful every day and embroidered with their name. It looks far pricier than it is.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat – Samin Nosrat
Teaches how to cook rather than what to cook. It's for the person who has every recipe book already.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Dishoom: the cookbook
The restaurant's recipes, chai and bacon naan included. A feast-weekend project for curry fans.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Personalised birth flower scarf
650 reviews and under £25. It's personal without being a mug.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Hug In A Box aromatherapy letterbox gift
Handmade in Kent and fits through a letterbox: the 'thinking of you' gift for someone you won't see this Christmas.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Grow your own birth flower gift box
Seeds of their birth-month flower: a thoughtful under-£25 gift that blooms in summer.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Hug In A Box pamper gift box
A ready-made pamper night, so it's a strong last-minute option with no guesswork.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)LEGO Icons Orchid (10311)
A mindful two-evening build that ends as a plant they can't kill. Adults love it more than they expect to.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens
Over half a million ratings: a page-turner that's a near-guaranteed hit for a book-club reader.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)This Is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay
Hilarious then heartbreaking. Brilliant for anyone in the NHS or who loves a memoir.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Jenga
Cheap, universal and loud: the perfect under-£20 Secret Santa that actually gets played.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Exploding Kittens card game
Teaches in two minutes and works across generations, so it's a safe bet for the Boxing Day crowd.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Factfulness – Hans Rosling
An optimistic, data-led antidote to doom-scrolling. It goes down well with the family news-watcher.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)AeroPress Original coffee maker
Coffee lovers rarely buy themselves one, yet it beats most £200 machines for a single cup and packs into a rucksack.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Coffee Club: three-month gift subscription
A gift that keeps arriving into spring and leaves no clutter. Ideal for someone who has everything.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Codenames: Pictures (2nd edition)
A party game that doesn't need drinking to be fun. Great for a household that has 'done' charades.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Personalised terracotta plant pot
Hand-painted and personalised. It suits the houseplant parent.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Spa gift box for women
A consumable treat with nothing to dust, and well reviewed.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Educated – Tara Westover
The memoir everyone recommends. It's gripping enough to read in a day.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Atomic Habits – James Clear
The book people actually finish and act on. A New Year starter rather than a shelf-filler.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Sapiens – Yuval Noah Harari
The pub-conversation book: they'll be quoting it by Twelfth Night.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Born a Crime – Trevor Noah
A funny, moving memoir that even non-readers finish.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)CATAN board game
A modern classic that gives a family a new Christmas tradition rather than another object.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Good Omens – Pratchett & Gaiman
The end of the world, done very funnily. A safe bet for anyone with a dark sense of humour.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Born to Run – Christopher McDougall
The book that made a generation of runners. It's the perfect pair for a parkrun habit.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Bialetti Moka Express (3-cup)
A 1933 design classic that lasts decades. It's a great Secret Santa for anyone who mentions their 'one good coffee' a day.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Personalised special occasion photo bookmark
A sub-£15 gift for book lovers with nearly 350 reviews, and it posts flat.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Personalised letterbox sweets gift box
A cheerful Secret Santa or 'can't be there' gift that's eaten, not stored.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Personalised heart name bookmark
A small, personal gift for a reader that posts through the door.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Escape Room in an Envelope puzzle gift
An hour of puzzling that leaves nothing behind. Brilliant for a crossword or puzzle fan.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)Shuggie Bain – Douglas Stuart
A Booker winner for the serious reader who has already read this year's bestsellers.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Birds, bees and butterflies Seedbom gift box
Throw-and-grow wildflower bombs for pollinators. An eco Secret Santa with nearly 400 reviews.
View at notonthehighstreet (opens in new tab)The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
Short, uplifting and easy to read in one sitting over Christmas.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)5 Ingredients – Jamie Oliver
Perfect for the reluctant cook or student, with dinner from five things.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron skillet
Works on the hob, in the oven and on a BBQ or campfire, and it gets better with age. A proper heirloom pan.
View at Amazon UK (opens in new tab)AeroPress Go travel coffee maker
Same brew as the Original but nests inside its own mug, so it's ideal for walkers, campers and commuters.
View at AeroPress UK (opens in new tab)
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend on a friend’s Christmas gift?
Whatever is normal in your group. Many people agree a limit of around £20–£25.
What is a good gift to post to a friend?
A letterbox gift, so it doesn’t need a signature or a trip to the depot.
Will it arrive before Christmas?
Check each retailer’s cut-off and our UK Christmas delivery dates page. For Christmas 2026, Royal Mail’s last recommended 1st Class posting date is Monday 21 December. Personalised items need extra time.