Christmas Gifts for the Trickiest Family Members

For some, thinking about Christmas before Halloween is sacrilegious. Well, to those we’d say, you clearly haven’t had to buy gifts for tricky family members. Or maybe you’re just bad at giving gifts and the siren call of the generic next-day delivery option sounds every 20th December.

In truth, the best gifts rarely happen by accident. They require a little thought and let’s be honest, a fair amount of lead time. So, whether you’re someone who has a notes list going all year or you’re a festive panic buyer, we’ve compiled a guide to help you get ahead. Fortunately, most families come with a cast of recurring characters. Be it the Ab-Fab-esque Aunt who already has everything or the nephew who owns more crypto than furniture, we’ve got you covered. 

For the Monomaniacal Nephew Who Waxes Lyrical about Bitcoin Over Blinis 

His proclamations that “centralised finance is dead” will have you reaching for the Champagne to make the hour-long mansplaining about Blockchain moderately bearable. Of course, every finance bro needs his uniform and if he must lecture about his portfolio, he may as well look suave doing it. This Thom Sweeney suit was good enough for Harry Kane, so it definitely cuts the mustard. Gilet optional. 

The Overserved, Glamorous Aunt

Her screen time may be diabolically high, but you can’t deny she’s sporting every trend before you’ve even heard about it. While you may have been rocking blue eyeshadow at her age, she already knows how to contour, stack skincare actives and identify her colour palette. With packaging that’s already conquered her For You Page, we can guarantee Marc Jacobs’ latest beauty range won’t be met with teenage indifference. Opt for the bronzer, blusher and brown mascara for something not too heavy, but seriously fun. 

For The Teenage Niece Who's Cooler Than You’ll Ever Be 

She’s remarkably similar to Edina Monsoon and every time you see her, she slurs “sweetie, darling” in your ear. No doubt she’ll drink every Christmas party dry, so to make sure she gets home in one piece, give her a Wheely chauffeur voucher. Consider it an insurance policy against lost handbags and crippling hangxiety. 

The Obstinate Brother Turns a Comment on the Gravy into Geopolitics

There’s always one, isn’t there? Who knows exactly which problematic relative to provoke and somehow turns Boxing Day leftovers into the non-denominational, all-inclusive, sermon on the mount. This vegan leather wallet will go just perfectly with his nut roast.

For the Grandmother Whose Baking Kit is Older than You 

Nothing is quite as nostalgic as your grandmother’s bakes. Equally, nothing’s quite as disconcerting as the 1980s kitchen equipment she’s used for longer than you’ve been alive. Christmas is a great opportunity to trade in the rickety electric whisk for a sleek new KitchenAid. The Luminaire Mixer can make cakes, breads, meringues, and even fresh pasta, with the right equipment, of course. The gift that keeps on giving, if you ask us. 

The Mother-to-be in Dire Need of Some Pampering

She’s been pregnant for what feels like a year and is facing the festive season without her favourite brie and red wine. The last thing she needs to be worrying about is the ingredients in her skincare. Enter SKN to SKN, created with a maternal medical board to ensure the formula is safe and effective at every stage of pregnancy. The Glow Set will no doubt give her the pregnant glow everyone’s been wanging on about for months.

The Nonchalant Uncle Otherwise Found on the Golf Course

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Come rain or shine, and no matter what the family commitment is, you’ll find him exactly where you’d expect: somewhere between the ninth hole and the clubhouse bar. He may come across as easy-going, but that’s only because you haven’t seen him screaming at tiny white balls stuck in a sandy bunker…again. While you may have exhausted all other golf-related gifts – gloves, covers, ugly long socks – whisky makes for the perennially perfect pairing. Glenfarclas single malt Scotch whisky will have him dreaming of the time he played to par in St Andrews.

The Sibling with Raging Eldest Child Syndrome

For every type B middle child, there’s a Type A first-born who’s got more degrees than humanly possible and who's run more marathons than you’ve had hangovers this year. Before you’ve even thought about breakfast, they’ve already climbed a mountain, so why not make sure they’ve got all the right kit? Spiorre’s windbreaker is as chic as it is functional, so they’ll look just as good at the summit as they do in the car park.

The Friend Who Insists She’s Coming Out But Never Does

Even at Christmas, the season of Champagne, canapés and drunken carols, you still can’t coax her out. The classic flake who tells you “I’ll see how I feel on the day” but then ghosts 48 hours before any plan. All you can do is meet them where they’re at, so give her the gift of staying in with the cotton poplin stripe pyjama set. At least she’ll look good for her sofa.

The Divorced Dad who’s swapped Wallowing for Wellness

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It may be his first Christmas post-divorce but that doesn’t mean he’ll be welling up over the third Bridget Jones rewatch. While Chaka Khan and vodka may have been Miss Jones’ tonic of choice, he’s in his wellness era – or wellness-maxxing if you will. That means he’s swapping pints for protein (yawn) and exercising like nobody's business. THERABODY's Theragun is great for recovery and pain relief, so he can do yet another workout.