Friends, I’m writing this post while drinking hot chocolate and listening to Bing Crosby because Christmastime is here. If you’re looking for gifts for the recent college graduate in your life, you’ve come to the right place. Click here to listen to a classic Christmas playlist while you read – I highly recommend it.
I’m what my friends like to call “hard to buy for” and what my parents like to call “a pain in the ass.” Which is to say: I want gifts that I’ll be excited to open, but I also want to get some use out of them. It’s a fine line, but I’m also someone who’s genuinely excited about stationery and kitchen gadgets, so I don’t know what my mom’s complaining about.
You’ll find that a lot of newly-graduated former college students are the same way. Adulthood is new enough that it’s still exciting to be given ‘grown up’ gifts.
Oh, and this list is excellent for college seniors as well – all of this stuff will be useful to them now, and indispensable after graduation!
JSYK, most of the Amazon links below are affiliate links, meaning I’ll earn a small commission if you make a purchase.
Recent Grad Gifts Under $15
Blue light blocking glasses – I own these, and I don’t know what I’d do without them. I spend 8 hours a day staring at a computer screen for work. When you factor in all the time I spend looking at my phone, laptop, and TV before and after work, all that screentime really starts to add up. The yellow tint on these glasses blocks some of the blue light from screens, cutting down on common problems like eye strain, headaches, and trouble sleeping. $11.39 on Amazon
Perfect for:
- Anyone who spends their workday on a computer
- Anyone who spend their non-work day on their phone
- Recent grads prone to migranes
Day Designer Simple Weekly Planner – This planner is perfect for the recent graduate on the go. Its portable size makes it easy to tuck into a purse or bag, and the convenient weekly layout means they’ll never miss another meeting or appointment. While I love the bullet journal method, there’s something to be said for having the rest of your year printed out – it makes planning in advance a snap! $14.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Straightforward planners
- Scatterbrains
- Planner newbies
Not right for your grad? There’s another planner pick below!
Mug Warmer – Silly? Sure. But whether you’re a coffee person, a tea person, or a hot chocolate person, you know the disappointment of a cold, forgotten mug. I asked for one of these for Christmas this year, because I’m tired of getting called into ‘quick team meetings’ that last 40 minutes and leave my tea stone cold. I’m sure you have a recent grad on your list who feels my pain. $11.49 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Coffee lovers
- Tea drinkers
- Sane, rational human beings who want to enjoy their warm drinks while they’re actually warm, is that too much to ask???
A Pair of Good Earbuds – Let’s have a moment of silence for all the pairs of earbuds that crapped out on me during college.
Okay, moment over. These Panasonic earbuds have over 35,000 5-star reviews. That’s… insane. That’s more than the population of many towns. 35,000 feet is the typical cruising altitude of a commercial jet. They’re good earbuds, is what I’m saying. $13.48 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Music lovers (aka everyone)
- That one friend who’s always losing their earbuds
- Budget audiophiles
These Glorious Pens – If you give these pens as a gift, include a note: “Do not let co-workers borrow them.” These pens are inexpensive, sure, but your recent grad won’t want to part with them! I’ve used them at work for a while now and love the fine felt tips, which hold up surprisingly well. The ink is long lasting – I used the black one every day, all the time, for months before it went dry. $10.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Stationery lovers
- Color coders
- Office doodlers
A Fabric De-Fuzzer – Be warned, this is an immensely practical gift. It’s a little battery powered gadget that removes those fuzzy pills you get on well-loved fabric. It sounds boring, but there’s something deeply satisfying about de-pilling your favorite pair of leggings. And it greatly extends the life of pill-prone sweaters, shirts, and the like. $7.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Snappy dressers
- That friend with an all-in-one-load laundry philosophy
- Young professionals building a wardrobe
Recent Grad Gifts Under $25
Clothes Steamer – Irons suck. Their heat settings are unpredictable and they spit all over your clothes half the time. This steamer, on the other hand, does not suck. The gentle steam will release stubborn wrinkles without damaging delicate fabrics, and using it is quick and easy: no ironing board required. This was one of the best practical gifts I’ve ever received. $24.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Frequent travelers
- Fashionistas
- Recent grads who forget their clothes in the dryer all the time (I’m guilty of this one!)
A Sleek Bar Set – Nothing makes you feel more grown-up than making a decent mixed drink. I’m not saying you have to get too fancy with it, or (God forbid) use expensive liquor. But still. This is also great for entertaining and/or convincing extended family members that you actually have your life together. $24.97 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Anyone with a new apartment
- Aspiring hostesses with the most-est-es
- That one friend who took a weekend mixology class and/or was a bartender in college and won’t shut up about it
The Happy Planner – Kayla at Kayla Blogs has the best planner recs for students and recent grads, and she’d been rocking the Happy Planner for a while now. For someone looking for a more robust planner system, the Happy Planner is a great choice! Plus, you can get a bunch of themed sticker packs as stocking stuffers. What’s not to love? $22.37 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Someone who needs a little more space to plan
- Sticker enthusiasts
- Fans of cute, functional planning
A Cast Iron Skillet – I love my cast iron skillet. Cooking suddenly feels like an adventure – am I a pioneer cooking over a campfire? Am I a famous French chef? No, of course not – I was still in the tiny galley kitchen of my cheap first apartment. But you feel like you have cooking skills, and that makes all the difference. The silicone grip on this one is a great touch – I’ve burned my hand on my skillet more than once. $20.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- The amateur chef
- Anyone looking to cut out restaurant food
- The “why don’t you come over, I’ll cook” dater
An Impossible-To-Kill Houseplant – Okay, snake plants aren’t impossible to kill, but it’s pretty damn hard. My grandma still has a snake plant from her mother-in-law, who’d been growing it for ages. The plant is at least 80 years old. Since lush, leafy apartments are all the rage, this hardy little guy is a great gift! Just be careful about the weather when you ship and, uh, good luck wrapping it. $22.46 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Dedicated plant moms
- Interior design gurus
- Recent grads without a green thumb
A Gorgeous Speaker – No need to get an ugly, bulky speaker. This Bluetooth enabled wireless speaker is available in black, gold, silver, and rose gold. Its design reminds me of the original iPod wheel, and despite the relatively low price point, the sound quality gets rave reviews! Oh, and it had a microphone, so if you’re the take-all-my-calls-on-speaker type, it’s a dream come true. $16.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Kitchen dancers
- Spotify playlist builders
- Strict adherents to their ~aesthetic~ (it’s cute, okay?)
Recent Grad Gifts Under $50
Sunrise-Simulating Alarm Clock – I know everyone just uses their phones, but this alarm clock has a special feature that makes it worth it: the big outer ring is a light that slowly brightens the room before the alarm sounds. It’s a gentler way of waking up, and makes those brutal mornings just a little bit easier to bear. $49.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Heavy sleepers
- Anyone who’s not a morning person
- Recent grads hoping to cut down on screen time (if your phone isn’t your alarm, you can keep it across the room!)
A Hearty Portable Battery – I carry this exact portable charger with me at all times. It’s a little larger and pricier than the cruddy ones I kept picking up in the Target Dollar Spot, but for good reason: this power bank charges my phone fast, and could keep me going sans-outlet for nearly a week, if I needed it to. This is especially great because it means I rarely need to remember to charge the power bank itself. This is the perfect “I love it, but would never buy it for myself” gift! $49.99 at Amazon (worth it!)
Perfect for:
- Smartphone addicts
- Young professionals on the go
- Scatterbrained friends who forget to charge their phones
Small Space Heater – For chilly apartments and offices, nothing beats a small space heater. At work, it stows under a desk to make a bubble of warmth in even the most unforgiving air conditioning. And this particular one is cute an unobtrusive enough to look nice in any starter apartment. $36.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Drafty apartment dwellers
- Office cardigan aficionados
- Your ‘cold blooded’ friends
Programmable Slow Cooker – Nothing beats coming home from work to find your dinner ready to eat. A slow cooker is a game-changer for anyone who’s exited the ‘ramen for every meal’ phase of their life. This one will automatically turn the heat down to a simple warmer once food is cooked, so it’s never dry or overdone, even if your recent grad gets stuck working late. $44.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- The “I can’t cook” crowd
- Late shift workers
- Passionate cooks with limited time
A Classic Weekender – In college, “packing” meant either borrowing secondhand luggage, or cramming everything into your backpack. Nothing says “I’m an adult” like a nice weekend bag, perfect for trips back to campus or to visit friends who have relocated. It’s large enough to hold a few changes of clothes and some toiletries, yet small enough to be used as a carry-on bag for flights. And it comes in a variety of colors! $49.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Work travelers
- Roadtrip planners
- Frequent flyers
A 4K Fire Stick – Your grad will need a 4K TV to truly take advantage of this Fire Stick, but if they have one, it’s the perfect gift. The biggest techies might upgrade their Fire Sticks, but most people won’t be able to justify replacing a working device. That’s the best kind of present: one you want, but wouldn’t ever buy for yourself. $49.99 at Amazon
Perfect for:
- Anyone who loves the latest gadget
- Friends running out. of space on smaller Fire Sticks
- 4K TV owners
What do you want for Christmas?
Or, realistically, any gift-giving winter holiday (Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish readers!) I’ve noticed that the older I get, the more I just want someone to buy me socks and sheets, so I don’t have to buy them myself. Is that sad? It feels a little sad.
Oh well. At least I have 3 hours of classic Christmas music.
