Holiday Gifts Buy Side Staffers Are Buying This Black Friday

The Buy Side staff shops for a living, which also means we spend an inordinate amount of time scrutinizing gift options. Here’s what we’ll be surprising our loved ones with this year (shhh, keep our secrets), including travel gear, cookware, toys and tech essentials. To help you shop for nice prices, we limited our list to our favorites that are on sale now for Black Friday. We’ve also included gifts we’d like to receive ourselves (wink, wink).

Multi-tasking travel mug

“I love taking my favorite beverage with me on the go (coffee or hot cider in the winter and iced coffee or chai during the warmer months), and my parents are the same way. I’m thinking of giving them these Fellow travel mugs this holiday season, which can accommodate both hot and cold beverages and be used with three lid variations. I also love that you can personalize the insulated mug (which comes in Stone Blue, Matte Black and Matte White) for an extra-special touch.” —Madeline Diamond, staff editor

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Tween-friendly beauty products

“This year I’m shopping for a new middle schooler who has asked to start dabbling in beauty and makeup. One thing I have my eye on is this Nyx Butter Gloss Holiday Gifts Set with 14 full-sized lip glosses in a variety of colors. It’s an $84 value and it’s marked down to just $30 at Ulta, a great price for a stocking stuffer. She loves color, but she also has a goth streak, so I wasn’t surprised she asked for black nail polish. I’m going to up the ante and go with an Olive & June set so she can do a full manicure at home. ” —Jessica Woodbury, partnerships director

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Staple cookware

“I’m super happy about gifting the 5-quart cocotte from Staub. As the owner of one myself, I love that the lid has smart drip nodules that keep the food moist, and that the inside is enameled, making it tough against chips and easy to clean—no need for tricky seasoning. It looks great in my kitchen and handles soups, stews, braising, frying and even bread baking with ease. The cocotte also works well on my induction cooktop and goes in the oven—a real kitchen superstar! And this festive red color is perfect for holiday gifting.” —Astrid Stawiarz, photo editor

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Buy Side-approved earbuds

“As Buy Side’s money editor I was certain I would never spend nearly $250 on a pair of earbuds. My preferred price: $19.99. But after years fumbling with adapters and iffy Bluetooth connections, Buy Side’s Apple expert Nick Guy persuaded me that a pair of noise-canceling AirPods Pro would solve my problems. Now I rarely leave the house without them. This pair, on sale for $200, comes with a new-style USB-C style charger. While that’s different from older iPhone models, it matches what Macs and iPads have long used. And, of course, you can use a wireless charger like this Buy Side pick, also from Apple.” —Ian Salisbury, money editor

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Cashmere hoodie

“When your full-time job is all about shopping, sometimes certain products just stick in your head and you know eventually the time will come when you will finally cave and buy it. That’s how I feel about this cashmere zip-up hoodie from Naadam, which I’ve been eyeing longingly since last winter. I have been really happy with the quality of the Naadam cashmere I’ve already bought, which were more formal pieces, but now I’m ready to indulge in some loungewear. I will be getting this for myself and putting it on my gifting lists, especially with so many great color options.” —Jessica Woodbury, partnerships director

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PJs for the whole family

“Our family loves cozy matching pajamas for Christmas morning and each year I wait for the Lake Pajamas Black Friday sale to place an order. This year, we have a rich dark green robe for my husband, the Nutcracker Long-Long set for the girls and a DreamKnit Ribbon Long-Long set for me. I was first introduced to the brand by a friend who gifted me maternity sets after my first baby; they were wonderful for pregnancy and postpartum and also make a great gift for new moms.” —Emily Welsh, VP and general manager

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Speaker upgrade

“I’m slowly but surely building out my Sonos collection. The company rarely has sales, but right now you can get 20% off several portable and home audio speakers. This time I’m snagging a Roam speaker for my office; it’s one of our picks for best portable Bluetooth speaker and it’ll fit into my home Sonos system, which I love running from my phone. (The speakers even integrate with my Libby app so I can listen to my audiobooks from the library!) Next year I have my eye on one of their Arc bundles for the living room.” —Jessica Woodbury, partnerships director

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Charming pie dish

“My friends know me well and gave me this ceramic pie dish for my birthday last year. I’m sure they wish they got it during the brand’s Black Friday sale, though, because the retro-inspired dish with crimped edges is on sale for just $25. This year, I’m planning to pick up a gift set that includes the pie dish and a casserole dish while it’s marked down to $65.” —Madeline Diamond, staff editor

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Tiny cleaning tools 

“It seems my toddler has inherited my passion for keeping a clean home. ‘Broom’ was among her first words and she has been known to wander the house carrying a feather duster. So for Chanukah, I am buying her the Teamson Kids Little Helper Cleaning Set. The adorable six-piece play set includes a pint-sized broom, mop, duster, brush and dustpan (all functional), as well as a stand to keep organized. In hopes she also acquires my love of a deal, I’ll proudly tell her I got it on sale.” —Samantha Sharf, deputy money editor

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PlayStation 5 Spider-Man bundle

“I’m a very casual gamer. I’ll pick up Mario Kart from time to time, but most games don’t hold my attention for very long. The exception to that is Sony’s Spider-Man lineup, including the most recent release, ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.’ Through the holidays you can buy a PlayStation 5 console bundled with the game as a free bonus, and if you don’t already have the newest PlayStation, I highly recommend it. Yes, the game’s that good that it’s worth buying a $500 machine to play it on. From the rich, engrossing story to the frenzied combat to the gorgeous, sometimes jaw-dropping graphics, everything just hits exactly right. Expect to put in dozens of hours and never feel bored. And when you’re done, there’s no shortage of PS5 games to move onto.” —Nick Guy, senior editor  

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Cozy, custom blankets

“This holiday season, I’m taking advantage of Baublebar’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale by shopping their custom blankets and throws while they’re 20% off. They come in a variety of fun colors (personalize them with initials or a name up to nine letters) and are machine washable. These will keep my family cozy all winter long.” —Emily Welsh, VP and general manager

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Spacious weekender bag

“I’ve had my Catalina Deluxe duffel for more than three years now, and it’s still going strong. It would make a great gift for a college student, new grad or really anyone who could use a travel gear upgrade. The durable canvas weekender is my go-to for short trips since it’s spacious but remains comfortable to carry, thanks to top handles and a padded shoulder strap. But the real stand-out feature is the separate zippered compartment on the bottom that’s the perfect place to store shoes.” —Madeline Diamond, staff editor

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Luxe Lazy Susan

“I know, I know this is quite a price tag for a Lazy Susan, but Anaya is a brand you’ll see at many upscale department stores and this model is marble with a mother-of-pearl edge and will elevate any table or gathering. I would love to see it under my tree, but at the very least I can tell you about it while it’s $100 off. (There’s also a matching salt cellar.) One thing I’m guilty of is going too cheap on things that you can keep and use forever and then needing to replace those items, which ends up feeling wasteful and potentially costing me just as much. This marble item would definitely be a keeper.” —Leslie Yazel, editor, head of content

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Heritage olive oil

“Flamingo Estate is one of my favorite local Los Angeles brands to shop. They don’t offer many sales throughout the year but now that select items are 20% off for Black Friday, I’m jumping at the chance to get some favorite items at a savings. The past few years I’ve stocked up on the Heritage Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which I use daily in the kitchen, but it also makes a lovely host gift for all of the upcoming holiday parties we’ll be attending. This olive oil is grown by Philip Asquith, a fourth-generation olive farmer, in Ojai, Calif., where the trees are grown from some of the oldest olive groves in Europe. The trees can’t be harvested with machines and the olives are handpicked. It’s truly a special product and it’s a great time to try it while it’s on sale.” —Emily Welsh, VP and general manager

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Shower speaker

“I have to have my music wherever I go—especially now, since I’m in a 2-year musical theater writing program—and that includes the shower. I used to listen to music straight from my iPhone, which I placed on the sink. Not only was the sound quality horrible (especially when listening to podcasts), but my phone screen got all steamy. Thanks to this stick-on shower speaker, which I ordered for myself during Amazon Prime Day, I now listen to music in the shower while my phone stays safe in my room. It’s on sale now for more than 50% off and you can choose from six colors, so you can find the perfect fit for the music lover in your life.” —Bellamy Richardson, contributing assistant editor 

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Splurge kayak for two

“My husband and I have been talking about getting a kayak forever, and I finally found one from Oru that fits our needs—and it’s $400 off now in a limited-edition style. We’ve rented kayaks on vacations, but now we live close to enough rivers and lakes that it would be great to have our own—then we wouldn’t have to worry about paddling back before our rental time expires. I’ve been tucking away bonus money and budgeting, and when I spotted this durable, foldable tandem kayak that can stow in our car trunk, I knew it was the one. At 40 pounds, I can carry it upstairs to our attic for the off season, and it comes with a three-year warranty. (Oru is having an early Black Friday sale with up to 50% off, so now I’m tempted to get one for our teenager, too.)” —Leslie Yazel, editor, head of content

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Buddy the Elf nutcracker

“I’m a Christmas movie fiend, and ‘Elf’ is easily in my top three all-time favorites (‘Home Alone’ and the original ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ special are the others). I’m also slightly obsessed with nutcrackers, —especially weird, outside-the-box ones. I’ve got little chef nutcrackers, a cowboy nutcracker, rockstar nutcrackers, nutcrackers for all the Peanuts characters and about 30 other fun ones I like to put out—and add to—annually, much to my husband’s chagrin. All this to say: This Buddy the Elf nutcracker just felt meant to be, especially since it’s on sale.” —Aly J. Yale, contributing editor

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Cozy heated blanket

“I’ve been on a quest for a budget-friendly electric blanket that’ll turn cold winter evenings into a cozy retreat, and this one from Walmart should do the trick. It’ll be a much-appreciated treat for myself, and a thoughtful gift for my loved ones and even our furry companions. I like its dual-sided design with smooth flannel and velvety sherpa sides that add a luxurious touch.” —Astrid Stawiarz, photo editor

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Chic potted plants

“A few of my friends have been moving the past couple months—some in town and some out of town. Whether I can be there for the housewarming or not, I like to send a plant to start them off in their new home. The Sill has a great variety of plants (including pet-friendly options) in my experience, plus they have simple and stylish pots that make the present feel complete. A range of them are on sale now, including this cactus that’s 40% off. The Sill also has holiday exclusive plants and wreaths, which has been my recent to-go gift for family, though they’re not currently marked down. I find people often don’t splurge on live holiday decorations so they appreciate it when it is gifted.” —Brittany Nguyen, marketing and business development manager

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Elevated mixing bowl set

“I came across these Wildone Mixing Bowls on Amazon and was very impressed with both the design and utility of the set. It comes with three grater attachments, five measuring cups, five measuring spoons, a basting brush, a spatula set, an egg whisk, an egg separator and tongs, and the bowls can be used for mixing, storing, serving and you can even take them on the go if you are bringing something to a party. It’s a great set to update your kitchen or give as a gift this holiday season.” —Emily Welsh, VP and general manager