Searching for holiday gift ideas? Trying to find gifts for kids, babies, toddlers, teens, or tweens? Then you've come to the right place! My Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide has over 100 ideas, with literally something for everyone! Items are carefully hand-picked and organized with links and photos. Be sure to read my shopping tips at the end of the post, too!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Some toys and gift suggestions were sent to me as samples, but I promise you I wouldn't feature items in my guide if I didn't totally love them myself! So rest assured, these items all have The Jersey Momma stamp of approval!
Be sure to Pin this image for future use. Gift Guides always come in handy, even for birthdays! And please share, share, share with friends and family!
Every year I put a great deal of thought into my Holiday Gift Guide. I strive to create a guide that is helpful to shoppers and honest with parents. I only include items that I actually like and enjoy, not just items I received for free or was paid to feature. And like I always say, I'm well aware of what's popular and what's advertised on TV, but some of those "hot items" are not my favorites for various reasons. Don't believe every influencer or blogger you see on social media, sharing toys they received for free from companies and marketing firms. Just because they're featuring them doesn't mean they're great toys. Most influencers feature toys so they can get more free toys, plain and simple. But that's all I'm going to say about that.
Here's what you'll find in my guide:
- 9 toy suggestions in 14 different categories (that's over 100 suggestions! WOW! And new this year are my suggested gifts for Parents)!
- photos that you can click on to enlarge or screenshot to your phone for shopping references.
- quick shopping links that mostly lead to Amazon, but I wholeheartedly support local business, so if you want to find these toys at your favorite local shop, go for it!
- a Jersey Momma Favorite Pick in each category, so you know which one I absolutely loved
For more detailed toy suggestions, reviews and round-up posts, be sure to visit my Toys & Gift Guides Tab above, as well as The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide 2021!
Lastly, I use bold headlines for easy scrolling. Sorry about the ads in between, but a blogger's gotta eat, ya know, and toys don't pay the bills!
STEM & Building Gift Ideas
Ideas for kids who enjoy Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or kids who just like to build!
Jersey Momma Top Pick: LEGO's Starry Night is truly incredible. You can hang it on the wall and it even has a Van Gogh Minifigure to go with it. Truly a masterpiece!
Plush, Character & Stuffed Animal Gift Ideas
It doesn't matter how old you are, everyone needs a stuffie to love (you, too, teenagers!!).
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: Little Live Pets Mama Surprise Guinea Pig is so much fun and is definitely going to be a huge hit this season. If you nurture mama guinea pig she'll magically produce 3 babies!
1. Little Live Pets Mama Surprise Guinea Pig and Her Hutch (hot toy this year! Beware of price gouging and fakes)
3. Squishmallows (beware of price gouging by 3rd party sellers on Amazon!)
7. Rainbocorns (so many styles! Fairycorn pictured here)
Playsets & Dollhouses
I tried to include playsets for all genders here! A little something for everyone.
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: Fat Brain's Timber Tots Classic Treehouse is near and dear to my heart because it's based on the original Tree Tots set from the early 1980's.
Doll Gift Ideas
I love that these dolls go above and beyond to encompass everything. Some have built-in fidgets, others are game-themed (like the Roblox babies). So many choices for doll lovers!
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: I absolutely ADORE the LOL Mini Sweets!! The candy theme is precious and I already have several in my own collection.
Crafts & Fashion Gift Ideas
Here are some perfect gifts are for kids who like art, fashion and creating.
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: Do you even need to ask? Hands-down I love that Hello Kitty and Friends My Melody Purse Pet. Her little eyes blink and she even makes noises!
Board Games & Family Gift Ideas
Today's board games are so unique and fun! I found plenty to choose from - family board games, collectible games and educational games are all featured here.
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: I love anything Funko Games!! Any game from Funko Games is going to be a work of art and fun, both at the same time.
1. Elf: Journey from The North Pole Game (Funko Games)
3. Word-a-melon
4. Appletters
7. Kingdomania (Funko Games)
8. Mickey's Christmas Carol Game (Funko Games)
9. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Game (Funko Games)
Collectibles, Figurines and Blind Boxes
If you have a collector at home, then this gift idea category is for you. From blind bags and boxes to figurines, there is something here for everyone, even kidults!
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: I'm partial to anything Funko, but aside from them, Disney Doorables are my other favorite. There are so many to choose from and they're adorable to collect and play with.
4. Disney Doorables Encanto Collection (MANY other styles!)
8. Pokemon Battle Academy 2 (it's a game but contains collectible cards!)
Gifts for Gamers, YouTubers & Tech Enthusiasts
These gift ideas are for gamers and kids who love You Tube, video games and technology in general.
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: I personally own an Oculus Quest and it's one of the best purchases I ever made. I faithfully play Beat Saber almost every night and it's been life changing for me. You can read about my personal experience with VR here.
Gifts for Teens and Tweens
It's always a challenge to shop for teens and tweens. Hopefully, these ideas will help! Also check out my post, Great Gift Ideas for Teens and Tweens.
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: Let's Split Up is a blast! Starlux Games is a really creative, outside the box company and I always love their products. I also really loved the Pearly Boba Tea Kit, which is great for those teens who really love their flavored drinks!
1. Let's Split Up Game (Starlux Games)
Outdoor & Sports Gifts
These picks are for use outdoors or even for some physical activity inside. Some can be played both indoors and outdoors, and some are perfect for summer, so hang on to them!
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: the Schwinn retro bikes took me right back to my childhood when I saw them in person. Just check out that banana seat!
Gifts for Book Lovers
There are so many great book titles for 2022 and 2023! I chose some of my absolute favorites, but be sure to check out my Book Suggestion Lists, too.
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: It's so hard to pick just one! These are all such great titles. But I definitely think the Mistletoe Christmas cat book and plush would make such a sweet gift. I also love the Senorita Mariposa, and how it has both english and spanish translations. Oh, and the board book about the world is absolutely beautiful. See, I told you I couldn't pick one.
2. Mistletoe and the Christmas Kittens (and Mistletoe plush) by Joe Troiano
5. Good Morning World, I Love You So (board book) - Olivia Herrick
7. P.I. Butterfly: Gone Guppy - Karen Kilpatrick
8. Senorita Mariposa (spanish/english) - Ben Gungersheimer
Cars, Trucks and Playsets
Cars aren't just for boys. As a kid, I loved my Hot Wheels cars and my Matchbox playsets, so I'm excited to include some car and truck recommendations for my little auto lovers.
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: I love the Hot Wheels Character Car pack. If you're not a Pixar fan there are other character packs to choose from.
Babies, Toddlers & Preschool Gifts
Babies and toddler are easy to buy gifts for- they love everything! But here are some of my favorites, just in case you need some hints.
Jersey Momma Favorite Picks: LEGO Duplo Santa's Gingerbread House is fun, cute and seasonally themed. I just love it!
Gifts for Parents (Treat Yo'self!)
Finally, some gift suggestions just for US! Treat yourself after all of that shopping - you deserve it!
Jersey Momma Favorite Pick: My Pabooj slippers are life-changing. I own two pairs and I literally wear them about 90% of my day!!
Jersey Momma Toy Shopping Tips
I copied and pasted many of these tips from last year's guide because they still hold true!
-I can't stress it enough - SHOP EARLY. If you see it, buy it. Don't wait.
-Beware of fakes, especially on Amazon and especially from well known brands like LEGO and Squishmallows. I don't recommend buying those from third party sellers. Beware of price gouging! Know your toy's value and don't overpay.
-Check all of your sources. Don't just rely on Amazon! Some toys are exclusive to Target and Walmart, or even Costco. Search multiple sources, especially your local mom and pop shops! Learning Express, Walgreens, Fat Brain Toys, Rite Aid and even Shop Rite all carry good selections of toys.
-Buy from the manufacturer. Some toy companies actually sell their items directly from their own sites or their own e-shops. This is true for Playmonster, Fat Brain Toys, Calico Critters (Epoch Toys), Cats vs. Pickles and many others!
-Take advantage of pre-ordering! I know it stinks, but get the order in while you can- the earlier the better.
-Reach out to friends and family in other states for help. Different states have different stock, so it's possible someone else can find what you're looking for and ship it to you (but beware, USPS recommended send-by date, regular first class mail is 12/17)
So there you have it! I poured a lot of heart and soul into this gift guide so I hope you find it helpful. Got a question about any of the toys on this list? Drop me an email, I'd be happy to help! And trust me, I'm honest about toys.
As always, I am grateful to each and every person who took the time to read this (and share it). Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Happy Holidays!
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