For many people, Christmas is not the most magical time of the year but rather the most stressful. It's gift-giving time and there's a lot of thinking and judgement involved.
How well do you know your friends and family? Do you go for a quirky in-joke? A touching gift related to something you've heard them rave about? A generic I-bought-this-two-days-ago-during-the-Christmas-rush gift?
Here at 3 News, we've assembled a Christmas gift-buying guide that has something for almost everyone.
Is the person you're buying a gift for sick of Mittens scratching up their carpet and furniture? A scratchpad is what you need to get.
But why get just any regular boring scratchpad? A scratchpad is going to be on display in their home. It needs to be stylish.
The flat surface makes it ideal for cats which prefer to destroy the carpet but leave the couch alone.
Plus, it spins as the cat scratches. DJ Mittens is in the house and will blow your mind.
Sitting on the floor can be really comforting and intimate. But you can't ask your friends to sit on the cold, dirty ground unprotected can you?
A floor cushion can rescue you. No more will your person be socialising awkwardly, sitting aloof on a chair while someone else is perched on the coffee table and yet another is leaning against a wall. Now everyone can sit together on the floor.
While this is a cushion designed specifically for the floor, you can also buy regular cushions – just make sure they know that it is intended to be used on the ground. It'll be cheaper if you do that.
Everyone wants a NERF gun - children, teenagers and adults. Anyone who says they've never wanted one is probably lying.
It's a fair bet that if you buy someone a NERF gun for Christmas they'll love you until at least Boxing Day; maybe even New Year's Day.
There are so many different guns that you're spoiled for choice – all different sizes with different features.
This one's the most expensive so it's probably the best.
Thankfully the refill packets of darts – which you should probably stock up on while you're at it, they're very easy to lose – are considerably cheaper than the original investment of the gun.
Summer has finally arrived, albeit cold and muggy and gross. It's still summer.
What is a Kiwi summer without the traditional Kiwi BBQ and picnic for Christmas? Nothing, that's what.
Make sure your person is a true Kiwi with this truly excellent picnic bag.
It comes with plates, cutlery, a very handy cooler bag built into it and a matching picnic rug.
A bird is a lifelong investment. It's like having a two-year-old for 30 years, screaming and making a mess. It's not something that should be taken up lightly.
Little Live Pets Birds only live as long as their batteries. The shrieking can be turned off. The mess-making can be contained. You don't have to waste months teaching it to talk – a button on its belly will let you record up to 10 seconds of audio for the bird to chatter back at you at a higher pitch.
If it gets too irritating, you can remove the battery and pretend it's broken.
Us mere mortals were blessed this year when the one-and-only Justin Bieber released his latest album. Sure, he's been through some personal ups and downs over the years – but one thing we can count on the Beebs to do is to drop some sick tracks.
And drop some sick tracks he did. Purpose launched to great reviews, cementing it in its rightful place on this list.
If you can only gift one album this year, make it Purpose. For everyone.
The gift you will only give someone you truly love.
Seriously, it's a lot of money to spend on someone. Don't give it to your cousin Terrance, who you only ever see at Christmas and you really don't like him and yes Terrance, it's good to see you, we need to catch up next year for sure.
Terrance will get Purpose and he'll be happy about it.
If your person already has a phone they know and love, a new phone case could be what they need.
Do they already have a phone case and not need one? Wrong. You always need more phone cases. Get 52 phone cases so they can swap them out week-by-week. There is no such thing as too many phone cases.
Spend hours scrolling through Etsy, painstakingly choosing the perfect phone case for your perfect person.
But scroll fast – if you want it to arrive before Christmas this year you'll need to order soon.
No one living in New Zealand this summer would argue that this isn't the perfect gift. It's a necessity.
The best part is you can avoid the awkwardness that comes when two people buy the same thing for someone. Who's going to complain about having lots of fans?
No one. That's who.
Of all the possible gifts you could give someone, a single raw potato is easily the best. It's cheap, which is great for you, and it's meaningful, which is great for them and shows them how much you value your relationship.
Wrap it up in at least two layers – maybe even a box – to get the mystery going.
Is it a touching gift? Think of something sad. Let the tears well up in your eyes. If you get a lump in your throat, it's even better.
Are you playing the humour angle? Laugh, with real mirth. Once again, tears in your eyes for good measure.
The same response when they ask you what it means will work for both the emotional and hilarious angles. Begin by saying: "Remember that time –" before you press your hand to your mouth and let the tears flow.
3 News
