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22 thoughtful gifts for parents who deserve a break this holiday

Nothing but the best Christmas gift ideas for mom and dad.

Photo of Marisa Losciale

Marisa Losciale

gifts for parents

Finding quality Christmas gifts for parents (whether it’s your own or just a pair you wish were yours) can be a challenge. Unless you’re rich, you can’t gift them the vacation they so desperately earned. But it doesn’t mean you can gift them something deserving! Which is why we’ve assembled this list of the most thoughtful gifts for parents and those you love unconditionally.

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Thoughtful gifts for parents

1) A Roku

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Your parents may not have cut the cable cord yet, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t like the option of streaming all their favorite shows and movies. So instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a smart TV and countless hours teaching them how to use it, just pick up a Roku. It uses your home’s WiFi system to transform your unintelligent television into a smart TV capable of streaming content from Amazon, Netflix, Hulu and the like.

 Price: $42 

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2) A handmade genealogy chart

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It’s always interesting to see where your roots are from and who went where and when. That’s why these handmade, personalized genealogy charts make for such great gifts. They’re thoughtful, creative and look great–even when it comes to a budget, these should fit even the tightest.

Price on Amazon: $16.07

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3) The Sonos Original Play:1

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As portable Bluetooth speakers come, the Original Play:1 by Sonos is one of the best. It produces loud, crystal-clear audio and is humidity-resistant, making it the perfect backup vocalist for your mom’s shower jam sessions. It’s also compatible with other Alexa-enabled devices and mountable.

Price: $149

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4) A Plant Theatre Funky Veg Kit

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What if we told you that you could forgo the boring and bland veggies and grow some funky stuff in your yard? (And yes, what we’re talking about is legal). Go on and expand your parents’ palette with this extraordinary gardening kit, which grows purple carrots, red brussels sprouts, yellow courgettes, striped tomatoes, and multi-colored Swiss chard.

Price: $12.99

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5) KinderPerfect: The Hilarious Party Game for Parents

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Got parents who like to game? This fast-paced card game is guaranteed to keep them on their toes. Played similarly to Cards Against Humanity, gameplay is easy to pick up.

Price: $19.99 (regularly $30)

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6) Give the gift that keeps on cleaning with the iRobot Roomba 690

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Vacuuming sucks. No one wants to do it, it takes forever and you inevitably forget a room or corner. But all of those issues can be a thing of the past thanks to robotic vacuums. They take care of all the hard work for you (quietly too). All you have to do is remember to empty it. Now if only we could get them to take out the trash too…

Price: $267.84 (regularly $374.99)

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7) This mini slow cooker is the best cooking accessory for two.

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If you only have two mouths to feed, why splurge on the oversized CrockPot? Especially when you can make a full meal for two in a mini slow cooker that’s half the size! Plus, if the recipient is big on hosting dinner parties and get-togethers, this makes for the perfect accessory for hot appetizers.

Price on Amazon: $19.26

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8) An AMC Theatre gift card

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Gift them a date night, redeemable for whenever they see fit.

Price: $25 and up

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9) A heated throw blanket

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Heated blankets are a game changer, but traditional ones are too large to carry around with you as you make the rounds lounging from couch to couch. That’s where the Sunbeam heated plush throw comes in–it measures  50″ x 60″ so it’s easy to tote, and is machine washable for easy cleaning.

Price: $49.95

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10)Huion Inspiroy Ink H320M Graphics Drawing Tablet

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The best Christmas gifts for parents are the ones that show you care. Inspire and encourage their artistic side with this bestselling drawing tablet.

Price: $79.99

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11) A SodaStream

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The SodaStream Source sports a sleek design that looks great on any countertop. It’s easy to use, and in seconds it will carbonate any liquid you put in it.

Price: $109.99

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12) A heated Shiatsu massager

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Life is stressful, massages are not. Making Shiatsu massagers one of the best Christmas gifts for parents of any age.

Price: $79.99 (regularly $179.99) 

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13) An Audible membership

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Reading is fundamental, but sometimes there’s just not enough time in the day to get through a good book. That’s where Audible comes in. Instead of listening to the radio or a playlist while you drive or shower, you could listen to a soothing voice dictate a book to you. Plus, Audible has the largest library of online books out, there so your parents are guaranteed to find everything on their reading list and more.

Price on Amazon: $45 for 3-months, $90 for 6-months, $150 for 12-months

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14) The Ninja single-serve pod-free coffee maker

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The Ninja coffee bar single-serve system has a built-in frother so they can enjoy anything from a shot of espresso to a cappuccino in the comfort of their own home.

Price on Amazon: $154.99

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15) The Vinyl Styl Deep Groove record washer system

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This totally self-contained record washing and drying system will take your parents’ used vinyl collection and make it sound brand-spanking new. After all, in order to achieve clean audio, you have to start with a clean record! It comes with a container of cleaning fluid as well so your mom can get right to making her vinyl sound as good as the day she bought it.

Price: $69.95

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16) A FitBit

Fitbits track your steps, heart rate, and sleeping pattern. So if your parents are into the latest craze of healthy habits, this is right up their alley. And with hundreds of bands to choose from, there’s a watch to match every style–other Christmas gifts ideas for mom (or dad) just don’t stand a chance.

Price: $49.95+

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17) A Sous Vide

Here’s how it works: plan a meal, insert the sous vide into a pot of water and heat to the desired temperature. Pop a bag of shrimp, beef or whatever into the pot, set a timer and walk away. It’s recommended that they check in on it from time to time, but otherwise the sous vide does it all. Food will be cooked to perfection every time, and all you need to do is sear it!

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Price: $79.99+

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18) A wine aerator

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Regardless of how much the bottle of wine costs, you can make it taste better by using this nifty gadget. The TRIbella class wine aerator is designed to be drip-free, so you won’t worry about unwanted stains. It’s also proven to enhance the flavors of both red and white wines naturally. Believe it or not, all it takes is some air.

Price: $19.99

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19) A garden kneeler

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Gardening is a great way to relax and up your curbside appeal, but it can be a pain in the ass (literally). Luckily, some genius invented this seat, kneeler and tool holder. So now your parents can spruce up their front yard, backyard, side yard and garden without feeling like they wrestled a bear.

Price: $29.99+

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20) An Amazon Prime membership

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Amazon Prime offers an array of perks beyond free two-day shipping. You can subscribe and save on your most used products, having them delivered on a schedule that fits your needs. In addition to early access on deals, special deals on Amazon Video and Amazon Music, along with free Kindle e-books, unlimited photo storage and more.

Price: $39 (for three months) or $119 (for 12 months)

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21) Craft-a-Brew Hard Cider Kit

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Craft A Brew Hard Cider (and all other beer brewing kits) come with everything needed to brew not one, not two, but three batches of premium cider! Included in the kit: a glass gallon jug, tubing, a funnel, yeast, sanitizer, and a no-nonsense guide to making the best damn cider you’ve ever had. All you need to bring to the table is some patience, a pot to mix your ingredients in, juice or cider (your choice depending on your ideal brew) and some brew bottles. The guide is relatively easy to follow, but it is important to note that the brewing process does require a cooler environment – since we’re dealing with yeast here.

Price: $39.99

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22) A trunk organizer

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Whether it’s grocery shopping, long vacations, or just short visits to friends and family, your trunk seems to always turn into a catastrophic mess. Thanks to this simple trunk organizer, that can be a thing of the past. Once opened, you’re greeted with multiple cargo compartments and pockets. Its eco-friendly design is durable and made to stay put – courtesy of its straps and non-skid bottom.

Price on Amazon: $39.97+

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