27 Unique Christmas Gift Ideas That’ll Make Anyone Smile This Holiday

For a lot of us, years of family photos are sitting on one old computer or a phone that's always running out of storage, and none of it is really backed up anywhere.

PhotoStick Omni is about as simple as backups get. It's a small stick that plugs into a phone, tablet, Mac, or PC.

Click once, and it scans the whole device, finds the photos and videos, and copies them onto the stick.

You don't have to dig through folders or know anything about computers.

That's what we like about it: there's nothing to set up or learn. Plug it in, click once, and it's done in minutes. If that old computer gives out next year, your pictures are still safe on the stick.

As for size, the 64GB version holds about 30,000 photos and videos, and the 256GB goes up to 120,000.

A lot of us have a box of old VHS tapes and home movie reels tucked in a closet somewhere.

Nobody has a VCR anymore, so nobody watches them, and the tapes aren't getting any better sitting there.

iMemories takes care of the whole thing. They send you a sturdy shipping kit, you fill it with whatever's in that box, and you send it back.

You don't need to sort or label anything first. Their team in Arizona digitizes it all, restores faded color and sharpness, and mails your originals back.

After that, everything's ready to watch on your phone, tablet, or computer.

Then you can actually sit down and watch those tapes again, or share them so everyone in the family gets a copy.

It also makes a great gift if someone else in the family is the one holding onto the box.

Turnaround is usually two to three weeks, so if you want it ready for the holidays, send the kit back early.

Everyone has stories they've told a hundred times at the dinner table, and plenty more nobody's ever heard.

Very few of them get written down, because sitting down to write a memoir is a lot to ask of anyone.

Memorygram does it through phone calls instead. On a schedule you choose, a guided interviewer calls, asks one question about your life, and follows up like a curious friend.

Calls run 5 to 30 minutes, and it works on any phone, even a landline. No app, no computer, no writing.

After each call, Memorygram turns the conversation into a properly written story, minus the ums and ahs, and you can add photos along the way.

Once the stories are done, they're printed into a full-color hardcover book.

Our favorite part is the QR code next to each story. Scan it with a phone and you hear the story told in your own voice, so your family can listen to it years from now.

It works just as well as a gift for a parent whose stories you'd like to keep.

Just know the book comes after the stories are told, so it takes some time to finish.

Phones always seem to die at the worst moment, and the right cable is never where you need it.

Rush Charge Universe is a small portable charger with the cables built right in.

It has Lightning, USB-C, and Micro-USB tips, so it works with pretty much any phone, tablet, or pair of earbuds, and it can charge three of them at once.

It comes charged out of the box, and LED lights show how much battery is left, so you never have to guess.

It's small enough to live in a purse, a coat pocket, or the glovebox, which is where it really pays off.

Multi-packs bring the price under $40 each when you buy three or more.

That's handy if you want one for the car and a couple more to hand out as stocking stuffers.

If you video-call family, you know the problem. You either hold the phone up the entire time or prop it against something and hope it doesn't slide down halfway through.

Following a recipe on your phone in the kitchen is the same story.

Tenikle is a small mount with bendable arms and suction cups. It sticks to almost any smooth surface, like a cabinet door, a window, or a tiled wall, and you bend the arms until the angle's right.

It holds a phone, a tablet, or a camera, so your hands are free.

It's one of those small things that ends up getting used for everything: calls, recipes, a show while you do the dishes.

It folds up small enough to toss in a bag, and if you buy two, you get a third free.

Hanging a picture or tightening a loose cabinet handle should take two minutes.

It usually takes longer because the tools are scattered around the house, and half the time the right screwdriver is missing.

Kelvin17 puts the basics into one tool that fits in your hand. It includes a hammer, a small 3-foot tape measure, a level, an LED flashlight, and a screwdriver with 12 different bits.

Flip it open, grab what you need, and you're done.

It's not meant to replace a full toolbox, but it covers most of the small jobs around the house.

Keep it in the kitchen drawer and it saves a lot of trips to the garage.

It also makes a handy gift for anyone moving into a new place.

If you've ever watched TV with someone who needs it louder than you do, you know how it goes.

One of you keeps turning it up, the other keeps asking to turn it down, and nobody really enjoys the show.

HearDirect Wireless Headset fixes that pretty simply. The person who wants it louder wears the headset and sets their own volume, while the TV plays at a normal level for everyone else in the room.

It works with almost any TV and takes a few minutes to set up.

We also like that it's made for TV, not just louder. Quiet dialogue gets a boost on its own, and the sound stays in sync with the picture, which is where regular Bluetooth headphones tend to fall apart.

It's light enough to wear through a whole movie, and one charge lasts more than 8 hours.

If the volume is a nightly debate in your house, this one's worth a look.

Some people have a hard time switching off at the end of the day. Everyone tells them to relax or try meditating, and for a lot of people, that just doesn't stick.

Pulsetto takes a different approach. It's a small device that sits around your neck and sends gentle pulses to the vagus nerve, which helps your body shift into rest mode.

You put on a bit of the included gel, pick a mode, and it feels like a light vibration or tingle. A session takes about four minutes.

If you're always wound up and the usual advice hasn't done much, it's a different thing to try.

A few things worth knowing:

It pairs with a free app on iPhone or Android, the battery lasts about a week, and there are separate modes for calming down during the day and winding down before bed.

If you host the holidays, something is going to end up on the carpet.

Usually it's red wine or gravy, and usually you don't notice until everyone's gone home.

Campanelli Pro is a stain remover spray originally made for professional cleaning crews.

You spray it on the stain, the foam works into the fibers and pulls the stain up, and then you vacuum up what's left.

No getting down on your knees to scrub. It's also made to handle older, set-in stains, the kind most people have given up on.

If you've got light carpet, a dog, or kids or grandkids who visit a lot, it's worth keeping a can under the sink.

The 18 oz can lasts a good while.

If you drive a lot, especially alone or at night, it's worth thinking about what you'd have on hand if something went wrong on the road.

React is a car charger that plugs into the 12V outlet and keeps your phone charged while you drive. The difference is everything else it does.

Pull it out and it works as a portable power bank, with a flashlight, a flashing SOS light, and a loud siren built in.

It also has a seatbelt cutter and a window breaker, which is what you'd need if a door jammed after an accident.

We like it because it doesn't ask anything of you. It stays plugged in, charges your phone every day, and is right there within reach if you ever need it.

It's an easy gift for anyone else in the family who drives, too.

Most toothbrushes spend the day in a cup by the sink, still damp and out in the open, picking up whatever's floating around the bathroom.

You rinse it, put it back, and use it again the next morning.

Bril is a small case that changes that routine. After you brush, you put the toothbrush in and close the lid, and a UV-C light inside sanitizes the bristles in about three minutes.

Then the case keeps the brush covered until you use it again, so it isn't sitting out between brushings.

It fits pretty much any toothbrush, electric or manual, kids' sizes included.

It also comes with a magnetic mount, so you can hang it wherever's handy instead of adding another thing to the counter.

It's about the size of an earbud case and runs around 30 days on a charge, so it's easy to throw in a toiletry bag for trips.

Most whitening products add a step to your day, whether that's strips you have to leave on or a light you hold in your mouth.

It's easy to start a box and never finish it.

PurelyWHITE skips all that. It's a fine powder you use during your normal brushing. Wet your toothbrush, dip it in the powder, and brush the way you always do.

You can use it before or after your regular toothpaste, so it doesn't replace anything you already use.

The whitening comes from an ingredient called PAP+, which works without peroxide.

There's also CPC, the same breath-freshening ingredient you'll find in Crest Pro-Health, plus peppermint and lemon for flavor.

We like that the powder is microfine, so it polishes without that gritty feeling some whitening products have.

One thing worth knowing:

It also contains mica, which adds a bit of shine. It's fluoride-free and vegan too, if either of those matters to you.

Most golfers don't give the tee much thought. It's a wooden peg that holds the ball up, and it usually snaps after a swing or two.

FlightPath takes a different approach to that peg. The top has a patented shape built to cut down the friction and backspin a regular tee adds when you make contact.

The idea is that less backspin means more of your swing goes into distance, and less friction means less sidespin pulling the ball off line.

We like that it conforms to USGA rules, so you can use it in a league or club event without wondering if it's allowed.

It's also tough. Each tee is made to take up to 100 hits, so you're not going through a handful every round.

To be fair, a tee won't fix a swing. But if you've ever wondered whether the tee is costing you yards, the 8-pack is an inexpensive way to find out, and the bigger deals are easy to split with the people you play with.

If you've ever sat outside on a chilly evening, you know the cold comes up through the seat.

You can wrap a blanket around your shoulders and still feel it underneath you.

The Chair Blanket is a fleece blanket with a waterproof, windproof layer on the bottom and a stretchy back that loops over the top of the chair, kind of like a fitted sheet goes over a mattress.

The fleece side faces up, so you're sitting on something soft, and the bottom layer keeps the cold and damp from the seat away from you.

What we like most is that it stays put. A regular blanket slides off the second you stand up or lean forward, but this one is still on the chair when you sit back down.

It works on Adirondack chairs, camping chairs, stadium seats, and most other outdoor chairs, and you can toss it straight into the washing machine when it gets muddy or smells like the campfire.

If you've got a few chairs on the patio or a regular spot on the sidelines, the 3-pack and 5-pack deals bring the price per blanket down quite a bit.

Most safety plans depend on your phone. When something feels off, like a walk to your car after dark or a rideshare that doesn't feel right, you'd have to get it out, unlock it, and make a call, and that's hard to do without drawing attention.

invisaWear puts a hidden button inside a piece of jewelry. You can get it as a necklace, a bracelet, or a keychain.

Double-click the button and it quietly sends your location to the people you've picked as trusted contacts, and it can call 911 for you too.

Nobody around you has to know you did anything.

It's also partnered with ADT, the security company. Through the invisaWear app, an ADT agent can stay on the phone with you until you feel safe, watch over you on live video, or text with you if talking isn't an option.

You can also set a secret phrase that sends an alert when you say it out loud.

There's also nothing to keep up with. The battery lasts about three years, so there's no charging, and unlike pepper spray, it can't be turned against you.

Some extras, like free battery replacements, need a 2-year plan, so check what's included with the version you pick.

Most homes have at most one fire extinguisher, and it's usually a heavy metal can in a closet.

When a pan catches fire, few people remember where it is or how it works.

HALT is a firefighting spray in a lightweight bottle, with no pin to pull. You aim at the base of the fire, squeeze, and sweep side to side.

It's made for small household fires, including grease, electrical, and paper or fabric fires.

Afterward, you can wipe it up with a cloth instead of leaving powder everywhere.

We like that it's small enough to keep one in the kitchen and another in the garage or car. It's PFAS-free and made in the USA.

It's meant for small fires caught early, so it doesn't replace smoke alarms or a 911 call.

Kids' drawings and paintings pile up fast. Most of it ends up in a bin or closet because throwing it out feels wrong, and keeping it all isn't realistic.

Artkive turns that pile into a book. You order a shipping kit, fill it with artwork, and mail it back. Art from more than one kid can go in the same box.

Their team photographs every piece, and then you lay out the book online yourself, adding names, ages, dates, and captions at no extra charge.

You only pay for what you send, though. The starter kit is $14.99, and you're billed for the rest after you photograph your art, depending on the book size.

Then you have six months to send the box back. After that, a $75 deposit gets charged and applied to your final bill.

Your toes spend most of the day squeezed together in shoes. By evening, a lot of us have feet that feel tired, sore, and cramped.

My Happy Feet Socks are made to undo some of that. Each sock has a patented toe separator, so every toe gets its own slot and is gently spread apart and lined up while you sit.

It's a simple idea, designed to ease the aches that build up after a long day on your feet.

The part we like is that you work up to it. For the first week, the dividers sit just at the tips of your toes for 15 to 20 minutes a day.

Over the next couple of weeks, slide them further down and wear them longer; once you're used to them, you can sleep in them.

Put them on while you watch TV and that's it.

Microdermabrasion is the exfoliating treatment you'd normally book at a spa or skin clinic.

PMD is a handheld version you can use in your own bathroom.

It uses a spinning disc that buffs away the dull, dead layer on your skin's surface, with light suction as you glide it along.

You use it once a week, and each session takes about three minutes.

It comes with interchangeable discs, starting from very sensitive, so you can choose how gentle it is.

There's also a second cap for rougher spots like elbows, knees, and hands.

There are three versions. The Classic covers the basics, and the Elite Pro adds three speed settings.

We'd start with the Classic unless you already know you want more control.

Hearing aids usually mean an appointment, a hearing test, and a bill in the thousands.

That's a lot to go through when all you want is to stop asking people to repeat themselves.

Audien Atom One skips the appointment. You order them online, set the volume, and put them in.

They're small enough to sit inside the ear canal, so they're hard to spot, and a pair costs under $100.

We like the charging setup. They go into a small magnetic case that charges them wirelessly, and the case itself charges over USB-C.

One charge lasts about 20 hours, so you don't have to replace tiny batteries.

Keep in mind the Atom One has a single hearing mode, so it's a simple pair. It doesn't have settings you fine-tune for different places.

Cutting raw chicken and then the vegetables for the same meal usually means two boards, or one board and a lot of scrubbing in between.

TIBO is one board with two different sides. The titanium side is for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.

It doesn't soak up juices or smells, so it rinses clean quickly.

Flip it over and the wheat straw side is for produce, bread, and herbs, so the two never mix.

There's also a knife sharpener and a small grater for garlic or ginger built right in.

We also like that there's no plastic cutting surface, so you're not scraping plastic bits into your food.

And because titanium is softer than knife steel, it likely won't dull your blades the way a glass board does.

A regular eyelash curler gives you a curl that drops within an hour or so, and it can pinch if you're not careful.

Heated Eyelash Curler uses gentle heat instead, the same idea as a curling iron for your hair.

Press the button, wait about 30 seconds for it to warm up, and hold it to your lashes for a few seconds.

The heat sets the curl, so it holds for hours.

There's a low and a high setting, so you can start gentle and only go up if your lashes need it.

It's USB rechargeable, good for 20+ uses per charge, and small enough for a makeup bag.

Most bank cards now have tap-to-pay built in. That's handy at the register, but it also means they can be read wirelessly by someone with the right scanner.

Wallet Defender is a thin, credit-card-sized card you slip into your wallet or purse.

It blocks those RFID signals for everything in there, so one card covers all your cards, plus IDs and passports.

There's no battery, no app, and nothing to switch on.

We like that you get to keep the wallet you already have instead of buying a special RFID one.

Just know you'll need to take a card out when you tap to pay.

It comes in packs of two, so a bundle covers every wallet and purse in the house.

After a long day on your feet, or a long day sitting, your legs can feel heavy and worn out by evening.

Air-C Leg Massager wraps around your legs and uses air to squeeze and release in a slow rhythm, a bit like a blood pressure cuff.

It covers your ankles, knees, and thighs, with four intensity levels. A session takes about 15 minutes, and you can do it from your chair or bed.

It comes with gel packs you can warm in the microwave or chill in the freezer, then slip inside the wraps.

The heat comes from those packs, not a built-in heater.

Packing usually runs into the same problem: the suitcase is full before everything's in it, and you either leave things behind or pay to check a bag.

Aerless is a set of vacuum bags with a pocket-sized rechargeable pump. Fill a bag with clothes, run the pump, and it flattens in seconds.

The bags are soft, so they shape themselves to your suitcase instead of taking up a fixed block of space like packing cubes do.

That can be enough to fit a trip into a carry-on and skip the bag fee.

It saves space, not weight, so airline weight limits still apply. And bring the pump along for the trip home.

If you wake up with a stiff neck most mornings, it's worth looking at your pillow.

A regular one tends to flatten out or prop your head at an awkward angle all night.

VelaSleep is a contoured memory foam pillow. It has a raised curve that fills the gap under your neck and a dip in the middle for your head.

The sides are built up for when you roll over, so it works whether you sleep on your back, side, or stomach.

The foam is high-density, so it doesn't go flat after a few weeks, and the breathable cover comes off for the wash.

Contour pillows feel different from what most people are used to, so the 30-night trial is a nice safety net.

Diamond studs are one of those things plenty of people would love to own but can't quite justify at jewelry-store prices.

Voss+Agin uses lab-grown diamonds, and those are real diamonds.

They're pure carbon, formed under the same heat and pressure as mined ones, with the same hardness and sparkle.

Growing them in a lab is what brings the price down so much.

We like that you're getting the real thing, with paperwork to prove it. Every pair comes with an AGI certificate grading the stones G color and VS clarity, which means near-colorless and very clear.

They're set in solid 14K white or yellow gold, in sizes from 1 to 3 total carats. With no ring size to guess, they're an easy gift too.