Best Christmas gifts to buy for the whole family 2023

05 December 2023 , 12:00

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There's something for every member of the family

With Christmas day fast approaching, many of us will be spending our dark and dreary winter evenings endlessly scrolling on our phones, tablets or laptops looking for the perfect gift for the ones we love. Of course, everyone adores a sentimental gift that's sure to get a tear or two but what about the strange, quirky and edible pressies that evoke a whole host of different emotions?

Whether you're looking for something Mum will love, Dad will find hilarious or the furriest member of the family will go absolutely wild for - they too deserve a special treat for being a very good pooch or feline friend this year - there's a great gift for everyone out there.

And it's not just a great time for the lucky recipient of said gift, but for the person gifting. There's a lot of fun to be had in the finding, wrapping and surprising your loved one with a present - especially if it's a little bit unique. With this in mind we've found some top gifts that we're sure you'll be wanting to add to your own wish lists.

Best Christmas gifts for the whole family 2023

1. Razor A+ Lightshow Folding Light Up Scooter

See your kids' faces light up with this LED scooter (Argos)

This is such a cool present for kids aged six and upwards as this gadget is not just any old scooter - it's one that can be up via LED lights that are integrated into the scooter's foot deck and urethane wheels. No button is needed to switch these lights on either as it's motion activated, meaning once you step onto the scooter, you're good to go. Being for kids who are 6+, this scooter has an adjustable handlebar so that as your child grows, so can your scooter's handlebars, meaning it'll last age. Plus, it's lightweight and foldable, so it's relatively easy to transport around.

Buy now from Argos (£55).

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2. The Hound About Town Hamper

Treat both your pooch and you with this £90 hamper from Fortnum & Mason (Fortnum & Mason)

This is a very special box for a very special pooch. Coming packed with treated such as a Dog Bowtie, soothing Dog Paw Balm, and delectable Man’s Best Friend Iced Biscuits (for the human companions, not the dog), this special wicker basket from Fortnum & Mason is guaranteed to get your four legged friend's tail wagging. Coming in a gorgeous basket, it's not just a gift for your dog, but for you too as, once Christmas has come and gone, it can be used to store all your doggy essentials.

Buy now from Fortnum & Mason (£90).

3. Pet Snack Launcher

Keep your pet entertained (and fed) for hours with this

This one is great for Christmas day when you simply don't want to drag yourself from the sofa to get your dog their treats. The pet launcher, which is a fun and cheap present, is easy - load with your pet's favourite treats and fire away. Great for and exercise for your pet and entertainment for you, too.

Buy now from The Range (£3.14).

4. Air Cushioned Indoor Hover Football

Football in the house with no damaged walls or objects? Yes please (Menkind)

If you live with a lover of football, regardless of age, you will know they can't help but have a kick about with any object that resembles a football, despite being inside the house and despite the size. This nifty device seems like the perfect workaround to keep those valuables pieced together and walls damage free. The gadget works by hovering on a "cushion of air" and has a padded bumper to protect your home from scratches on the skirting board. If you lose it, the LED lights on it will assist you in locating it.

Buy now from MenKind (£10).

5. Purple Interactive Furby Toy

Furby's are back and more chatty than ever

The toys of the 90s, Furby's, are back. With the technology to speak, tell jokes, sing songs, give you a light show, tell fortunes and more, it's the perfect companion for children aged 6+. The Furby will not only respond to voice commands, but will also react when you hug it, pat it on the head, shake it or feed its pretend pizza charm (or your finger – yum). You can even comb their hair and dress them up with the clip-on beads and make fashion accessories that children can wear, too.

Buy now from Very (), was £74.99

6. Infinity Pad Colour

This LCD sketch pad is fun and eco-friendly

A cheap and cheerful gift that's reminiscent of childhoods playing with an etch a sketch. It's a great eco alternative to paper, the LCD pad comes with a stylus so you can jot down anything wherever you may be. You can choose to lock the screen and save your notes for later or instantly delete your creation and start again.

Buy now from MenKind (£13).

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7. Trixie Cat Activity Fun Board

Make food time more playful with this board (Amazon)

We've covered presents for pooches but what about the feline friends in your life? This little board contains five challenging games for your kitty and provides mental stimulation and physical exercise. Made from plastic, it can also be used as a fun meal time activity as dried food can be spread across it.

If the cat lover in your life need to communicate more with their feline friend, you can gift them this guide on How To Speak Cat.

Buy now from Amazon (£15.99).

8. Festive Afternoon Tea Christmas Hamper

That's Boxing Day sorted! (Amazon)

You can't go wrong with a hamper full of Christmassy treats like this one you can get from Amazon. Complete with prosecco, tea - of course - Monty Bojangles chocolate truffles, mince pies, cake, strawberry jam and more, it's a treat for everyone in the family to enjoy. Shoppers have even called it the "perfect gift for Xmas".

Buy now from ().

9. Aromatherapy Shower Steamers

Bring the spa to you (Not On The High Street)

For those who aren't so enamoured with baths but still want to create a spa-time experience, these aromatherapy shower steamers from Not On The High Street will transform your bathroom. Crafted with essential oils, the shower steamers works by placing it on the shower floor - away from the heavy water stream - and the water with activate the steamer, releasing the essential oils to create an at-home steam room effect. The gift contains five different essential oil blends to give you clarity, vitality, serenity, purity and tranquillity.

P.s - please note, they can't be used as bath bombs, nor are they suitable for pregnant women or children.

Buy now from Not On The High St. (£25).

10. Escape Room In An Envelope: Dinner Party Edition

Get your thinking cap on this Christmas with this fun escape room game (Not On The High Street)

Christmas is not Christmas without a game or two - and this one is a little different to your classic Monopoly's and Articulate. For escape room lovers, this game is played at home and sets you in a world of mystery, blackmail and deception to get out of which you must solve puzzles and break into a vault (that's online). To be played around the kitchen table, the games includes 10 individual puzzles, and has an interactive online ending. Aimed at ages 14 plus and is for group sizes 2-8.

Buy now from Not On The High St. (£18).

11. Personalised Tomato Ketchup Sauce Label

If it doesn't have your name on it, you can't use it...

For the tomato sauce lover in your life, whose dinner times wouldn't be the same with Heinz, this is the perfect gift. Simply order the sticker, get your person's favourite ketchup brand stocked up, stick on and you've got yourself a fun - and cheap - gift.

Buy now from Etsy (£4.99).

12. Personalised Special Year Gin With Music

For the gin lovers... (Not On The High Street)

For the gin lovers in your life, this is something a little more special than a bottle of Tanqueray or Aber Falls. You can personalise it with a sticker which bears a special year (chosen by you) and a message to the person whom you are gifting. But that's not all. It comes with a Spotify code also printed on it that, when scanned, plays a specially curated playlist of hit songs from that year.

You can choose from four different gin liqueurs, all of which come in 200ml bottles - Sloe Gin liqueur, Raspberry Gin liqueur, Rhubarb and Ginger Gin liqueur, Spiced Gin liqueur with sparkly golden flakes.

Buy now from Not On The High St. ().

13. Meta Quest 2, All-In-One Virtual Reality Headset and Controllers

Escape to another world this Christmas

A bit more of a pricey present at £249.99, but one all the family can enjoy. An all-in-one system that sets you free to roam in Virtual Reality, this headset takes you into immersive and imagination-defying worlds. With 3D positional audio through the built-in speakers, it's a whole multi-sensory experience. You can even link up with friends in VR and by casting the experience to the TV, your family can enjoy what you're seeing.

Buy now from John Lewis (£249.99).

14. Remington Shine Therapy Straightener

The Remington Shine Therapy Advanced Ceramic Hair Straighteners look sleek and modern (No credit)

This is one item we've tried and tested and absolutely love - so much so, our beauty and fashion writer Bethan Shufflebotham has declared they're better than the iconic GHD straighteners. The straighteners have Advanced Ceramic coated plates infused with Moroccan Argan Oil and Vitamin E to leave your hair sleek and soft and its floating plates make them spongy and allow for even pressure on the hair and left her hair "shiny and healthy looking".

She added: "The device made light work of giving me pin-straight locks without leaving my bleached hair feeling dry as has previously been the case when styling my hair with heat, in fact, it was left feeling really moisturised and glossy."

Buy now from Very (£29.99), was £79.99

15. 12 Games of Christmas

From Reindeer Antler Ring Toss to Santa’s Sports Day, this set is fun for all the family (Amazon)

Board of the classics? This collection of board games will amp up your competitiveness this Christmas and be fun for all the family. As the name suggests, this box is filled with 12 different games whose names include Reindeer Antler Ring Toss, Santa’s Sports Day, Merry Quizmas, It’s Snow Joke!, Panto or Picture, Christmas Pairs and White Lies.

One shopper who bought the set was impressed and said: "The games were a lot of fun. We played them on boxing day with a family group. They were easy to learn and good value for money. We'll certainly carry on playing them."

Buy now from Amazon (£10.49).

Keep an eye on our Christmas page to keep up with all of the latest festive offerings we find in the lead up to the big day.

Brijiena Lovelace