20+ Finest Items for Your Sister at Each Worth Level

As an older sister to a 20-something-year-old, it’s my responsibility to dole out (unsolicited) advice. If she won’t listen to me, she might listen to the words of Cheryl Strayed, author of Tiny Beautiful Things. The book is a collection of Strayed’s Dear Sugar advice columns and one of my favorite tomes. Strayed writes with heart and the wisdom that comes from lived experience, making it a great gift for anyone—including one 20-something-year-old I know— navigating “the messiness of life.”

There’s something innately delightful about using a disposable camera. You never know the outcome until you develop the film, but no matter—the photos become keepsakes however the photos turn out. It’s the perfect gift for the person with a sentimental streak. I like this pair of FujiFilm disposable cameras. The images have a “grainy” quality that you might see in old films and as someone with no photography expertise, the camera produces great results.

Save your sister a visit to the mall (or your closet) with a gift card to Nuuly. The monthly clothing rental service offers access to casual and special-occasion wear from over 400 legacy and indie brands, like Free People, Oddli, and Damson Madder. In my experience, the clothes are always in pristine condition, and the only challenge I have is choosing which six items I want to rent per month; the selection is that good. Gift cards are from $25 to $1,500, which can go towards a subscription or purchasing clothes that your sister wants to keep. A win-win.

Give your sister the cosmos with this starry night sky projector. I own one of my own, and it has rekindled a sense of childlike joy that one gets from gazing up at glow-in-the-dark stars. With coverage of up to 900 square feet, this project will transform a small to medium-sized living space into a miniature planetarium. It also has different brightness and color settings that you can control through an app or voice control, plus an auto-shutoff feature that powers down the unit when your sister drifts off to dreamland.

If you know your sister loves matcha, you can be sure she’ll love—or at least put to good use—the ceremonial-grade First Spring Blend Matcha from Naoki. It made Well+Good’s list of the best green teas for its deliciously strong but not bitter flavor. According to registered dietitian and contributing writer Christina Manian, RDN, “it’s perfect for lattes, baked goods, and smoothies.” Bonus points if you gift it with a bamboo whisk.

My astro-sisters will each be receiving this candle, in the hope that it’ll lend them some calm for the last Mercury Retrograde period of 2024. The candle’s notes of lavender and chamomile offer a soothing moment amidst the cosmic chaos—something many of us need right now. There are also crystals embedded in the wax, including black tourmaline, quartz, and blue kyanite for protection—and make the candle look almost too beautiful to burn.

My sister loves puzzles, and this puzzle from Le Puzz will be as fun to do as it will be to display on the wall after it’s been pieced together. The puzzle features an illustration from Tara Booth, and it makes for a perfect puzzling medium; the vivid blocks of color and details lend clues as to which pieces go where, and the activity results in a satisfying conclusion. This particular puzzle features 500 pieces, which is neither too easy nor too devilishly difficult, but Le Puzz also offers 81- and 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles for beginner and seasoned puzzlers alike.

My partner’s sister-in-law makes espresso at home, so we’ll be giving her the Airscape Ceramic Coffee Canister. It’s vacuum-sealed to prevent coffee beans from losing flavor, or worse, becoming stale. I own one of my own, and it works to great effect: my beans stay fresher for longer than they would if left in the bag. The medium-size option can hold about 24 ounces of beans, but it also comes in large and small versions for people who drink more or less coffee.

Beekman 1802 is bringing the magic to your sister’s bathroom with its Wicked collaboration. This Body Cream Duo features Elphaba- and Glinda-themed scents made from moisturizing goat’s milk. The Defy Gravity whipped body cream is scented with notes of midnight iris, moonflower, and gilded musk, while You’ve Been Glinda-Fied is scented with pink pepper, jasmine petals, and tea rose and is infused with shimmer to lend the skin a subtle iridescence.

My sister’s makeup bag is very old, and it’s starting to show. If yours has one in the same boat, get her this customizable Mark & Graham cosmetic pouch. It’s made of easy-to-clean TPU for inevitable makeup spills and smudges, and it’s ludicrously capacious for the old and new beauty products she has accumulated over the years. The hold-all also offers a clear view of its contents, and it can be customized with a monogram of up to three letters.

You might be familiar with Bala Bangles. The weights are the stuff of a jazzercise-video fever dream, and a steady fixture on the ankles and wrists of hot girl walkers and Pilates princesses. Providing “constant but comfortable resistance,” they’re an excellent gift for a sister who subscribes to a low-impact movement practice. The bangles are sold as a pair in one-pound, two-pound, and three-pound varieties and in colors that Jane Fonda would sport in the ‘80s.

When it comes to picking out gifts for our favorite homebodies and introverts, getting them something cozy just makes sense. In lieu of a throw blanket, you can opt for comfy slippers like the Bombas Slipper Bootie. The pair combines the softness of a sock with the skid-proof sole of a slipper to prevent accidental slips. It also has a warm sherpa lining so your sister’s toe will stay super toasty, even on the coldest winter days. You can choose from four colors, including pink, blue, gray, black, and cream.

You can’t go wrong with jewelry that she can wear everyday. The Mejuri Round Topaz Hoops, made of 14-karat-gold vermeil, are less pricey than ones made out of real gold but just as beautiful—so much so, the pair made it onto our list of the best editor-approved gifts. Senior Health Editor Allison Forsyth says it’s the “perfect dainty earring” and“the white topaz gemstones give off just enough sparkle.”

My cousin’s sister has everything, so more often than not practical gifts are a solid bet. One of the best gifts she received and won’t stop gushing about are the Monos Compression Packing Cubes. As a self-proclaimed overpacker, this set lets her squeeze more clothes into her luggage and have room to spare. The cubes have a zipper in the middle that allows for expansion to fit clothes, and when zipped shut, shrink down to half their size.

Last year, my sister gave me an “experience gift;” it’s one of the best gifts I’ve received to date. It was a one-day pottery class, and I came away from the experience with a lopsided mug, plus the joy of getting to spend an afternoon with her. Experience gifts are memory-makers, which are priceless. If your sister isn’t keen on pottery, ClassBento also offers other in-person and virtual classes and experiences—like baking and sewing classes—for a wide variety of interests.

If your sister’s pots and pans are due for an upgrade, she’ll find plenty of use for the Beautiful Nonstick Cookware Set. It includes two 8- and 10-inch frying pans, as well as a 2-quart saucepan, a 3-quart sauté pan, and 5-quart Dutch oven with lids, and four cookware protectors. All of the pieces cook food evenly and quickly release fried eggs and are oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Did I mention that the set lives up to its name? It is, indeed, beautiful.

If your sister hasn’t been introduced to Merit Beauty yet, The Welcome Set will make a good first impression. It features five of its best-selling products, all of which received glowing praise from contributing writer Alexa Casanova. Each kit comes with The Minimalist, the Flush Balm, and the Bronze Balm in the shade of your choice, along with the Brush No. 1. It also includes a mini-size version of Merit’s moisturizing Great Skin Serum, which Casanova says serves as “the perfect canvas for makeup.”

If your sister needs a great bathrobe, make it this one. With its pretty floral pattern, it will be a joy to unwrap as it will be to wear. The bathrobe is made of 100 percent cotton and intentionally oversized to wrap around the body like a warm hug, which is another way of saying that your sister may never want to take it off. To make it extra special, you can also customize it with a monogram of up to three letters. It comes in sizes XXS to 3XL, with large pockets and a matching tie belt.

Give your sister not one but multiple gifts with BoxFox. This preassembled gift package includes festive surprises: a blanket; fruitcake crisps; cherry fruit spread; cheese knives; a wooden charcuterie board; and a candle that smells like a crackling fireplace. If you want full control of the contents, you can also customize a gift. Select from a variety of products from brands you know and love like Nest, Voluspa, Salt & Stone, and more. Once you’ve made your selection, your package will be delivered in a beautiful gift box, complete with a bow on top.