The holiday season is upon us, and according to Deloitte’s 2024 holiday survey, shoppers are gearing up for a spending spree like never before, with plans to shell out an average of $1,778—an 8% increase from last year. With gift lists expanding to nine gifts per person, up from eight in 2023, the pressure is on to find the perfect present. From cutting-edge tech gadgets to personalized experiences, the digital realm is transforming how we shop, helping savvy consumers stay ahead of the curve and make smarter, more thoughtful purchases. Let’s dive into some of our must-have gifts for the whole family that will make this season unforgettable!
GRAB A SMARTER SMARTPHONE:
Samsung’s Galaxy A35 5G is the latest addition to their A-series lineup, offering a value-packed smartphone with premium features like a dynamic display, enhanced photography capabilities, and the performance needed for streaming content or gaming. We especially like the upgraded Nightography and Night Portrait modes. It ups your image game big. The integration of the latest Galaxy AI enhances the experience even further. One standout feature is the Circle to Search functionality with Google, which i is SUPER COOL. Simply draw a circle around an object in a photo or image, and it instantly provides details—whether it’s a recipe, information about a product, or where to buy an outfit you spotted on TV. Best of all, Samsung is currently offering this device at a super low price point!
Price: $399.99
GIFT THE CAMERA THAT SCREAMS GIRL POWER!
We are still in peak Barbie-everything nostalgia meets next-gen girl power. Combine Kodak’s iconic instant photography with Barbie’s timeless power-pink style, and you get the Kodak PRINTOMATIC Camera and STEP Slim Photo Printer. These cool devices make capturing, printing, and sharing memories more creative and easier than ever. Featuring Bluetooth connectivity, rechargeable batteries, and a free editing app, you can personalize vibrant 2-by-3-inch prints and stickers on the go—perfect for inspiring self-expression and storytelling. Available now on Amazon!
Price: $91.69 ($99.99 with Kodak Step Printer!)
FEEL SECURE WITH A COMPACT GENERATOR:
Every single person who’s ever dealt with a storm or power outage needs the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus. It’s powerful, portable, and compact—yet still the lightest generator in its class. It’s super quiet and requires no maintenance, making it a safer and more convenient option for indoor use compared to traditional gas generators, especially during extreme weather conditions.
Use code JOLLY14OFF until January 1 for huge savings on 5000 Plus bundles!
Starting Price: $3,499
PLAY A CULT CLASSIC CARD GAME:
Magic: The Gathering is an incredibly popular collectible card game that combines deep strategy, gorgeous art, fantastical stories, and a thriving fan community into an epic and captivating experience. The Foundations set is the perfect pick for anyone starting, expanding, or rekindling their Magic card collection. The Foundations Beginner Box is easily the best way to learn the game—it’s packed with everything you need for your first Magic adventure.
Starting Price: $46
ASK A PRINTER TO DO THE CUTTING FOR YOU!
The Cricut Joy Xtra is the ultimate DIY device. It can cut more than 50 different materials, including vinyl, cardstock, and iron-ons. You can also use the Cricut Joy Xtra to write, foil, and draw. It’s perfect for making personalized, professional-looking, full-color stickers, labels, cards, tags, T-shirts, signs—basically, any creative project you can think of. Plus, it’s super compact and tucks away anywhere. Who doesn’t love a spatially-economical gift?
Price: $199
SNAG A BIOSENSOR TO MAKE SENSE OF YOU:
We love Abbott Labs’ Lingo biosensor! It’s an over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor that you stick to the back of your arm and leave in place for two weeks. It sends real-time glucose readings straight to an app on your phone. The data it collects helps you understand how your body responds to food, exercise, sleep, and stress. Super useful and innovative.
Price: $49 for 14 days, $89 for a month
USE THE SMARTEST ROOMBA AROUND:
The Roomba Combo 10 Max with AutoWash Dock is here for you. It powerfully vacuums and mops your floors, taking hands-free cleaning to a whole new level. The dock automatically empties debris, refills and recharges the robot, washes and dries its mopping pad, and even self-cleans—so you don’t have to worry about maintaining it while it keeps your floors spotless. It also avoids obstacles, knows which areas get dirty the fastest, and focuses on the spots that need the most attention. Who doesn’t need a little more help around the house right now?!
Price: $999
KEEP WATCH WITH A VERY SMART CAMERA:
For anyone looking to boost home security, the Blink Mini 2 is an easy and affordable way to add some peace of mind. This nifty little camera packs a punch! You can use it indoors or outdoors, and we love its crisp HD video and color night vision. The wide-angle lens captures everything, and the two-way audio lets you chat with visitors through an app on your phone. The “smart person detection” feature is a game-changer for filtering out false alarms from passing cars or swaying trees—though you will need a subscription for that.
Price: $50
TURN YOUR FAMILY INTO THE SCOOBY CREW:
The Scooby-Doo Character Studio is such a fun way to personalize an iconic piece of nostalgia! It lets you create your own Scooby-Doo characters and put yourself or someone in your family front and center in solving the next big mystery. You can “Scoobify” your husband, your kids—even your dog. It’s fun, memorable, and totally unique!
Price: $14.99 – $59.99
MAKE YOURSELF THE MUSICIAN YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE!
If you’ve always wanted to learn to play the piano, you’ll love the ROLI Piano M! This intuitive, smart keyboard is perfect for beginners. Use it with your tablet or smartphone, and let the light-up keys guide you as you learn. It comes with a comprehensive library of lessons and tutorials for popular and classical songs. The best part? You can make music anytime, anywhere, and turn practice into a game. How cool is that?
Price: ROLI Piano M, $249 + ROLI Learn subscription from $14.99 /month
As the holidays gear up into a shopping extravaganza, keep checking back here to see what’s new, plus find out all the tips, tricks, and insider hacks to get everything you want and need at a price you can afford!
More soon!
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Read Jennifer’s latest columns at USAToday.com/tech or follow her @JennJolly on Instagram.