24 Fun Gifts for Young Adults You’ll Want to Keep for Yourself
Updated
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The Fun Christmas Gifts for Young Adults That Are Actually Worth Buying
Remember what it was like to be a young adult?
Freshly graduated from high school with college and/or your first job coming in hot, you probably felt like you were in the prime of your life (which is funny in retrospect). Top priorities included spending time with friends, trying new things, and having a good time. Full of energy, the exhilaration of not knowing what was going to happen next made you feel invincible!
But most of all, despite your newly minted full-fledged adult status, you never wanted to really grow up. Because where’s the fun in that?
If you’re looking for some inspiration on your next gift purchase and want to capture that feeling, we have the perfect gift ideas that are sure to amuse and delight. Whether it’s for Christmas, a birthday present, a care package, or just because. Down below are 24 uniquely fun gifts for young adults.
Fast Sling Puck is a tabletop game where the goal is to sling your pucks to the other side before your opponent does the same. It’s like a portable, modified version of air hockey with no electricity needed. Speed is key in this game, it requires quick thinking and skilled hands!
It’s the kind of game young adults (and especially those with a penchant for board games) won’t be able to resist.
Challenging friends and family to play is a total blast. It’s just the thing to scratch the itch for good-natured competition. And because the rules are simple, it easily doubles as an entertaining party game and a fun activity for a casual night in.
Growing up seems like a pretty cool idea when you’re a teen. Ahh, the sweet naiveté, if only you had the hindsight back then to relish those teenage years. Unfortunately, it’s not until you become an adult that you realize it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
The Adulthood Pen Set is a cute and funny way of poking fun at life’s difficulties with some good old-fashioned sarcasm.
There’s very little that can beat the mini burst of satisfaction that comes from popping Bubble Wrap. Give the gift that keeps on giving with this huge Bubble Wrap Calendar that provides an awesome way to interact with the passage of time.
365 days in the year equals 365 days of enjoyment for a young adult!
Fidget toys have been growing in popularity for a while now and across all age groups. They’re a great outlet for channeling restless energy. Many people with ADHD, autism, and anxiety find that fidgeting helps them self-regulate and focus.
The Think Link Fidget Toy is a unique and fun way for young adults to keep their hands busy while also being inconspicuous enough not to bother anyone else. It’s a little something to help them feel more grounded in their daily life.
Gift shopping for someone who loves to bake? Treat them with a subscription to a best-selling baking kit. They’ll probably return the favor and share the love with you!
This DIY Dessert of the Month Subscription features novel recipes like bubble waffles, mochi ice cream, and strawberry hand pies so your favorite baker can expand their repertoire.
The monthly kit comes with everything needed to whip up delicious goodness, including any special cooking tools. Choose between a 3 or 6 month subscription that makes them think of you long after the initial gift.
Untitled Goose Game is an indie puzzle game that gained almost instant notoriety upon its release in 2019. As a player, you get to live out your dreams of terrorizing people as a goose. It’s a honking good time!
Many young adults find the crafty goose to be charming in its own horrible way. This Untitled Goose Game Magnetic Key Holder is a fun reference to the game. Plus, it’s such a cute way to keep track of your keys.
Things They Don’t Teach You in School Game is the answer to all your obscure trivia needs. This card-based game’s features hundreds of cool facts and random pieces of knowledge that draw spectators into the experience.
Young adults will have a blast playing family and friends as they gain knowledge on a wide range of topics. It’s a fun way to entertain, start conversations, and distract from boredom.
Making mistakes is a part of life, especially during the teen years and early twenties. Even knowing that, it’s totally normal to be concerned for the well-being of the young adult in your life.
This Don’t Do Stupid Shit Keychain is the perfect gift to lovingly express that concern in the form of a fun reminder. Have fun, be safe, but try not to get too crazy.
As far as the world of décor, neon signs are very on-trend. Young guys and gals are all about using neon lighting as a cool statement piece to style their space. There are so many ways to customize them, and they look fantastic.
Unlike traditional neon signs, this Planet Galaxy Neon Sign is made with LED silicone tubes. Which means there’s no need to worry about this room decor becoming a fire hazard. Plus, LEDs are energy efficient and still beautiful to look at.
But a Planet Neon Sign is just one idea — be sure to explore more eye-catching designs offered by this Etsy store here.
This Smartphone-Controlled Paper Airplane is an innovative tech gift idea for young adults. Combining old with modern, it takes the paper airplanes you used to make as a kid to a whole new level. The kit comes with carbon fiber “paper,” folding templates, high-speed motors, and a Bluetooth device.
Controlled by an app on the user’s smartphone, this aerodynamic toy can handle nimble maneuvers at speeds up to 25 mph! It’s the perfect gadget to foster a sense of wonder and imagination. Crafting and fine-tuning paper airplanes may even turn into a full blown hobby.
Nobody likes it when a phone charging cable starts to fray! But with how often devices need charging, wear and tear is inevitable. Luckily, cable savers are an easy solution for making notoriously delicate lighting cables last longer.
Chances are the young man in your life is into action packed Marvel movies, and he’ll love these Super Hero Cable Savers. And if you’re shopping for a young woman, these cute Animal Cable Savers might be more her style.
But if you’re not certain which kind they’d like best (or even what type of phone they use), these Cable Saving Spirals are another great option. They come in fun colors and work with all kinds of cables.
When it comes to funny gifts for young adults, this is one you’ll be tempted to keep for yourself!
Because you don’t need to be a farmer or a chicken lover to appreciate the Chicken Daddies 2023 Calendar. Get ready to have the biggest smile on your face – because these photos of men in farmhouse dresses preparing food with the help of their chicken companions will melt your heart and make you laugh at the same time.
It’s absurd humor at its finest! It provides just the right amount of comedic relief and guarantees a dopamine boost every time you take a look at it.
From the rainy coastline of the Olympic forest to the Colorado River twisting and turning through the Grand Canyon, our national parks encapsulate the breathtaking beauty and power of nature. These National Park Grow Kits are like a living souvenir of that profundity.
Included is everything needed to grow a plant that’s unique to the most iconic national parks. It’s a wonderful gift for young adults with a love of the outdoors or a knack for growing plants.
Comforting and made of super soft minky fleece, it has so many wonderful uses. Such as icing sore muscles after a hard workout, warming in the microwave to soothe menstrual cramps, or to keep feet toasty in the winter.
Better yet, you have a variety of colors to choose from and can further customize the gift with a wide array of optional scents. Check out all the other endearing plush animal heating pads (such as a platypus, frog, cat, sloth, or manatee!) from all better critters here.
Break in Case of Emergency – Fun/Creative Money Holder Card
Some people are just hard to shop for, I totally get that. So when in doubt of what to get, a gift of cash never disappoints.
This Break in Case of Emergency Money Holder Card is just the thing that kind of situation calls for. Because if you plan to go that route, you might as well have a little fun with it!
Adulthood isn’t exactly a piece of cake. The work and self maintenance that goes into being a functional member of society is never ending. It’s all a bit demotivating sometimes.
Adorned with flippant merit badges, the humor provides much needed soul sustenance. And in turn, it inspires young adults to go on and muster the motivation to tackle the daunting adulting things for another day.
A Personalized 3D Throw Pillow is a fun gift for teens and young adults! You can have any photo printed on front of the pillow so the possibilities are endless.
If the young adult you’re shopping for is off at college, the picture of a favorite pet turned into a pillow will be much appreciated. Or you could send them a pillow that has a funny picture of your (or their own) face for unexpected laughs. Either way, it’s a great way to show your love and support.
It’s the perfect cooking gadget for college dorms and times that call for low effort meal prep. This bad boy can even been used to whip up paninis, burgers, sausage, and small steaks. It kind of blew my mind when I found out it existed.
The Office is a funny, easy distraction from the complexities of every day life. Jammed packed with quotable lines and memorable scenes, it’s almost universally loved by young adults.
So rest assured, a gift of The Office Custom Meme Magnets will be a huge hit. A home run really. Possibly even one of the best gifts you could get them.
If you want a fun Christmas gift for young adults that they’ll never see coming, may I introduce – The All Seeing Lemon ✨
Is it a gift, or is it a curse? You decide!
At the very least, it’ll become a fun thing to hide in unexpected places where it will lurk in the shadows, ready to spook and remind that the lemon is always watching. It sees everything, it forgets nothing, and it knows what you did last summer.
Young adults (and well, everyone) are constantly on phones these days. Game of Phones leans into the social norm and turns phone time into bonding time.
Prompts on cards encourage you to reach for your phone if you’re in it to win it and speed is key. With a variety of gameplay and a creative concept, this game offers something everyone will enjoy. Hello phone addition in a whole new, exciting way!
Imagine the surprise on someone’s face when they unwrap a birthday gift and see it’s…a hot dog? Only for them to realize no, it’s actually not a hot dog. It’s hot dog SOAP.
I, for one, would be filled with gleeful anticipation while waiting to see the look on their face. It’s so realistic and that’s what makes it so fun. It’s definitely the kind of gift a young adult will get a kick out of.
Getting takeout is one life’s simple pleasures and a regular pastime for young adults. But sometimes the hardest part of eating out is deciding which cuisine to get.
This Custom D12 Foodie Dice is here to make that problem go away. It’s a delightfully amusing gift for young adults who are indecisive foodies and those who are known to enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons!
FAQ
Young adults are generally defined as individuals in their late teens and early twenties, so that includes ages 18 – 25. Young adults are usually freshly graduated from high school, in college, or just starting their first job.
According to the CDC, you’re no longer considered a teenager at age 18, even though the number ends with “teen”. They define the teen years as being between the ages of 12 – 17.
But it really depends on who you ask. Others would say 19 is the age when you’ve graduated from teenagehood into adulthood.
Young adults who seem to have everything present a real challenge when it comes to gift shopping. Plus, some people are, plain and simple, just difficult to shop for. I totally get that.
So as someone who LOVES giving gifts, here’s the strategy I swear by:
I keep an ongoing note on my phone that contains gift ideas for all the important people in my life. So whenever a random gift idea pops into mind or when they mention something that interests them, I add it to the note. A stockpile of highly personalized ideas builds up over the course of a year, so by the time Christmas or a birthday rolls around, I’m uber prepared. Finding gifts they love has never been easier!
College students are in a transition period of young adulthood. They’re busy with school work and low on cash funds, so they have a higher need for everyday items we sometimes take for granted. What college students want for Christmas is usually a mix of practical things (like a gas card or socks) and fun/nice-to-have little luxuries they can’t afford on their own.
Final thoughts on fun and funny gifts for young adults
So that wraps up this post on fun gifts for young adults. What’s the best fun gift you’ve received? Share in a comment below, plus any other ideas you think we missed!
Charlie is the co-founder of College Life Made Easy and author of the book 175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College. She’s a 2015 graduate who teaches overwhelmed students and parents of students how to confidently navigate the whole college thing. As a former broke college kid, she’s passionate about helping students develop the skills they need in order to thrive (instead of just survive), stress less, and actually enjoy the full college experience.
About Charlie
Charlie is the co-founder of College Life Made Easy and author of the book 175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College. She’s a 2015 graduate who teaches overwhelmed students and parents of students how to confidently navigate the whole college thing. As a former broke college kid, she’s passionate about helping students develop the skills they need in order to thrive (instead of just survive), stress less, and actually enjoy the full college experience.