32 Thoughtful Gifts for Someone Who’s Had a Rough Year

When you’re having a tough go at it, it can be hard to stay on top of your daily to-dos around the home, so a fun gift geared toward helping them tick off some chores could be thoughtful. This quirky IV-inspired waterer will guarantee that their plants stay hydrated, all without them having to lift a finger (or a watering can).

For the friend who needs a true turn-your-brain-off activity, this colorful paint-by-numbers kit is perfect. It’s relaxing, low-pressure, and totally absorbing. Just match the numbers, fill in the colors, and let your mind unwind while something beautiful slowly comes to life.

You can get down and out over a tough period — or you can look at it as the best plot twist ever. This playful stress ball pays tribute to the latter mindset, with a colorful exterior and squishable 3D shape. Who knows — it may even help them crack a smile (or a knuckle) or two.

For many people, reading can be a welcoming escape — especially if daily life has gotten stressful or overwhelming. To ensure they always have a towering TBR pile at the ready, gift your pal a three-, six-, or 12-month membership to Book of the Month Club. Each month, they’ll get the opportunity to wade through expert-backed picks in the genre of their choice to select an upcoming read, which will then be delivered directly to their door. It’s the imaginative gift that keeps on giving.

No matter how bad a day — or week, or month — it’s been, it’s nothing a delicious pint of ice cream can’t help. With the Ninja CREAMi, your giftee can cater their mix-ins to their exact favorites, from fresh fruit and honey to peanut butter cups and chocolate chips. Bonus: The included tubs come in two different sizes and have their own lids, so storing extra in the freezer is easy.

One great way to show someone you care? By helping them care for their mental health. With a subscription to Headspace, they can pour back into their own cup via helpful meditations and mantras geared towards managing stress, quelling anxiety, and promoting wellness. Gift them a monthly subscription to get them started, or spring for an entire year to help make sure the healthy habits stick.

Sometimes all that’s needed to get up and conquer a tough moment is a bit of extra encouragement. While you’re always only a text away, outfitting your pal with mantras can give them the extra dose of confidence they need. This clever affirmation jar will leave them ready to own the day, with up to 100 motivating sayings such as, “I am a magnet for positive energy.”

Healing is not a one-time event — it’s a constant effort that can be easy or hard, depending on the day. Whether they’re mourning the loss of a loved one, moving on from a breakup, or trying to plot their next move after a job loss, Brianna Wiest’s book has the guidance and knowledge they need.

If cooking is your preferred love language, this thoughtful service delivers all manner of comfort food (think: mac and cheese, rolls, cookies, and more) directly to your recipient’s front door, so it’s almost like you’re there with them cooking them a homemade meal.

A floral subscription will let them know you're constantly thinking of them — even when you can't physically be there. A monthly subscription to Bouqs starts at $44, but you can customize the subscription plan depending on your budget or their floral preferences.

These concentrated coffee pods are an ideal way to stay caffeinated with the least amount of effort required. The pods are shipped frozen for freshness, so all that's needed is hot water to "make" a cup of coffee. If they're fans of iced coffee instead of hot, just let the pod thaw out and use cold water.

Adequate sleep is key to looking and feeling your best, but getting enough rest is often way easier said than done. This clever gadget from Hatch is basically like having your own personal sleep coach right on your nightstand. It has an integrated sound machine, soft-glow reading light, meditation prompts, sunrise alarm, and more.

If you know someone who's longing to return home, a Homesick Candle is a thoughtful present. There’s one for major cities across the U.S., as well as one for every state. Each features a different scent inspired by the location. It might not be the plane ticket home they need, but hey, it’s something.

A favorite scent can help boost the vibe of anyone experiencing a rough patch. The Pura 4 fragrance diffuser uses innovative smart features paired with delicious scents to give you the most modern, customized, and high-end scenting experience possible. Pass along this gift with a few smart fragrance vials geared toward wellness and relaxation, like Sunday Morning, Lavender Fields, or Coconut Calm.

Chores are the last thing most people want to do when they’re going through a rough time. This quiet and powerful robot vac helps tackle a tedious to-do at the push of a button.

During tough times, little things like preparing daily meals can feel overwhelming. Help take some of the load off by sending a gift card to Factor, which has ready-to-eat meals. The meals are shipped over ice and completely ready to eat; all they have to do is heat it up in the microwave.

This weighted hoodie has all the soothing comfort of a weighted blanket, but they can get up and make a cup of tea without dragging the actual blanket around. It's a zip-up with extra weight in the shoulders, so it's almost like a continuous shoulder rub.

Help a loved one rest, like actually lie down and rest, with this calming lavender and buckwheat-filled heat pillow. It can be heated in the microwave or chilled in the refrigerator, whichever is needed in the moment.

For anyone who's suffered heartbreaking loss, psychotherapist Francis Weller's book, The Wild Edge of Sorrow, serves as a soulful handbook. Weller includes tools and resources for navigating the deep and turbulent waters of grief.

For people who have progressed on their journey to the point where they're ready to reflect with some distance, Do One Thing Every Day That Centers You is a helpful companion. It's both a collection of advice and a journal for reflecting on daily events and intentions.

Created with adaptogens and mushrooms, the latte packs in Clevr's starter kit are meant to help manage stress. The kit comes with two packs (with 14 servings each) and a frother — just mix with water for a new morning ritual.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken objects with a laquer or epoxy mixed with gold pigment. It's a satisfying, meditative craft that speaks to resilience and healing, and reflects the beautiful imperfection of life itself. This kintsugi kit comes with everything you need, down to the gloves and instructions.

A soft, luxurious robe has that magical ability to feel both very fancy and extremely relaxed. This lightweight robe from Parachute is the official uniform of "sofa sprawling," slow Sunday mornings, and evenings by the fire alike. It has just the right amount of warmth, thanks to its fluffy four-ply gauze and 100% long-staple Turkish cotton.

Consider this candle for anyone who wants to hit the reset button on their space. Earthy notes of cedar, sage, and lavender combine for a grounding and clarifying sensory experience. It's even finished with a layer of dried herbs and crystals, including amethyst and smoky quartz, for extra positive energy.

Massages can be a great form of stress relief, but they can also get expensive. Gift your loved one the ability to work out the stress kinks anytime they want with this DIY at-home neck and back massager. With multiple deep-kneading nodes, custom speed modes, and a cozy heating function, they'll be feeling like a limp noodle (in a good way!) in no time.

Snake plants can help brighten up a room — and mood — and they're very low-maintenance, too.

Sometimes all it takes to relieve stress and move past a rough patch is getting your thoughts down on paper. This wellness-themed journal can help them do just that, with specific prompts and exercises that will help even journaling newbies get to the core of their feelings.

If you could gift a relaxed sigh, it would be this dreamy concoction by one of our favorite bath brands. The primary ingredient, gigartina seaweed, can help hydrate and soften skin, while lavender oil provides aromatherapy. The best part? You don't even need a bathtub to enjoy it: You can apply it to your skin while showering for the same serene benefits.

This thoughtful care package is the next best thing to in-person TLC. It contains everything they would need for a quiet night in like a scented candle and fuzzy socks. It's like a warm hug after a long day — or a long year.

This like a mix between a stress ball and Play-Doh, and it's great for someone who needs a physical outlet to channel their mood.

When everything feels like it’s going wrong, it can be hard to rest or get some sleep — but weighted blankets can help you drift off, even if it seems impossible. This hand-knitted weighted blanket is pretty enough to display on a couch, but whoever you get it for will probably be too busy catching up on some much-needed sleep to ever do that.