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It’s frigid outside, and it's even worse for a person who’s always cold. The first chill of the season sends your poor, perpetually cold loved one diving under the bedsheets, digging for the fuzzy socks, or fiddling with the thermostat when your back is turned (don’t look—they’re probably doing it now). This year, give the gift of warmth to your friend who is constantly shivering, sniffing, and suffering. From protective layers for outdoor adventures to cozy accessories, here’s how to show your hypothermic human you care.
For more ideas, check out our many holiday gift guides, including the best Gifts for Outdoorsy People, Gift Ideas to Tempt a Home Chef, Gifts for Mom, and more.
Updated November 2023: We've fixed up pricing and added some new items, including a new Vornado space heater, amazing gloves, two cute thermal mugs, and a couple fun (and crazy) jackets.
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If your perpetually cold friend doesn’t already have one, get them a space heater. I own this slightly older model, and while I wouldn’t say that the heat fills up my entire 10 x 12 foot bedroom, it does a solid job of keeping my desk area comfortable for the whole work day. My favorite feature is the auto-off timer, which makes it so that I can feel safe falling asleep, knowing it’ll shut off within an hour. In the morning, I can wake up, grab the remote from my nightstand, and lollygag in bed while the room heats up.
Bonus points if your perpetually cold giftee lives with someone who is not perpetually cold: This space heater can prevent acts of violence from being committed over the thermostat. Trust us.
Ignik’s hand warmers are the perfect stocking stuffer (and pocket stuffer?) for people with icicles for fingers. They’re also biodegradable, so they definitely ease my worries about single-use warmers. When I tested them, they took a couple of minutes longer to heat up than I was anticipating, so be sure to give yourself a good 20 minutes before you head into the cold. But once they heat up, they last: I tossed a couple into my sleeping bag on a chilly autumn camping trip, and they were still toasty in the morning.
Whenever I poll my coworkers about the warmest socks they’ve ever tried, Darn Tough comes up again and again. WIRED reviewer Matt Jancer has worn the thicker Darn Toughs while mountain climbing in 20-degree snowstorms. These quick-drying wool ones should be enough to protect your loved one from frostbite and cold floors in the morning. I also enjoy my Smartwool socks, which have survived cold desert hiking.
Every perpetually cold person has dozens of gloves, but they always need more gloves, because you're always losing and finding gloves again. Over the years, I (Adrienne) have tried so many pairs of gloves for hiking, biking, and snowboarding. But for everyday wear, I keep coming back to the North Face Etips. The sizing is perfect. They're touchscreen-compatible and the fabric is thin and stretchy enough that I can still use my hands to unzip things or manipulate my keys even while still wearing them. For rainy weather, I also like Showers Pass knit gloves ($45), which have a membrane to keep your hands dry.
It is my theory, as a perpetually cold person, that every cold person has a favorite cozy coffee shop where they like to hide until spring. Get them a gift they can bring along to their burrowing spot. Not only does HydroFlask make an excellent insulated bottle for cold drinks (it’s actually one of WIRED’s favorite reusable bottles), but its tumbler has kept my high-concept holiday-themed drinks piping hot for hours.
These tiny stackable mugs from Yeti are so unbearably cute that I (Adrienne) have a hard time looking at them. Like most of Yeti's drinkware, they're dishwasher-friendly and come in a wide variety of colors. The ceramic lining means that your wee splash of Fireball whisky won't taste metallic when you sip on them.
These are perfect for stashing in a bag or enormous jacket pocket when you just need to stop in a coffee shop and slide it under an espresso machine for a quick hot cortado. However, in this cold and rainy Oregon winter (did I mention that it's extremely cold and rainy where I live yet?), I've been using them to make matching cups of piping hot cocoa to lure my 6- and 8-year-old out of bed every morning. They don't come with a lid, but the smallest Yeti Magslider lid fits ($10 at Amazon or Yeti). These would also make great camping mugs for a niece and nephew.
The only thing more comforting than a cup of tea is a cup you barely have to wait for. Instead of steeping, you can simply plop Tea Drops in a mug of hot water, where they dissolve into a lightly sweetened, aromatic pool of bliss. The "drops" are clusters of organic tea leaves, packed tightly into adorable shapes and wrapped in recyclable packets. This sampler set comes in a ribbon-ready box—a perfect gift if you’re gunning for a shout-out on your frigid friend’s Instagram. Plus, it's one of our favorite gifts from BIPOC-owned businesses.
“This price? For a blanket?!” Hear me (Pia) out. Yes, it's expensive, but the Rumpl blanket is exceedingly warm and durable for its lightness. I have an obsessive relationship with this blanket: I keep it in my car, and I’ve been able to whip it out for chilly mountain camping and spontaneous winter beach bonfires. So far, it’s held up to three years of sand, dirt, and a chaotic dog that tries to dig a hole in every surface she encounters. It is a veritable shield against cold, so your frigid friend’s outdoor fun doesn’t have to end when the temperature dips.
“OK, Pia,” I (Adrienne) say. “The Rumpl is nice, but what if you had a blanket you could wear?”
I have tested several different versions of this wearable down poncho. My spouse likes the pocket on Thermarest's version, which is cheaper; I like the patterns on Poler's version, but it's too thin when temperatures drop below 40 degrees.
Cleverhood's snow cape is amazingly warm and roomy. I look like a mushroom when I'm buried in it next to an outdoor fire pit or while camping. The shell is 100 percent recycled polyester; the insulating material is 80 percent recycled duck down; and the waterproofing is DWR-free, which keeps fewer toxic chemicals from infiltrating the groundwater and soil. As a cyclist, I also like that Cleverhood is a small, independent company that supports a number of different bike-related nonprofits. This is the best cape for shuffling around outside—or, let's be honest, shuffling around inside, too.
Ask any cold person and they’ll say their dream garment is actually just a blanket in disguise. Prana’s jacket gets as close to that as possible while giving your friend an on-trend layer for walks in the mountains or downtown. The interior lining is smooth, unlike the fuzzy exterior, but still incredibly soft. There's a drawstring at the base to tighten the waist and keep out the wind, though I like wearing the jacket loose like I'm a Lumpy Space Princess fleece-cloud. It’s made from 100 percent recycled polyester, so it’s easy on the planet, too.
Several WIRED colleagues recommend headbands from Skida, a Vermont-based brand that makes colorful outdoor accessories. These headbands are designed to keep sweat from getting in your eyes while protecting you from the headwinds. You can choose between the lightweight Nordic headband or the microfleece-lined Alpine for extra coziness. As a plus, their headlines are made in Vermont, and the microfleece is made of 87 percent recycled materials. Just one question remains: Which of the (many) colors and patterns will you pick?
The first thing I thought when I pulled Girlfriend Collective’s beanie out of the box was that it's the softest thing on earth. The second: How is this made of recycled water bottles? Girlfriend Collective’s beanie is plush and sink-in-your-fingers thick. It’s plenty spacious for voluminous hair. Mine kept my head and ears toasty during early-morning dog walks and somehow also made my sweatpants outfit look cute. If that’s not holiday magic, I don’t know what is.
Headphone Hanger Hook The youths have called it: Uggs are back in style. Take advantage of 2000s nostalgia and grab these cozy-as-fluff slippers. I have a bright, Barbie-pink pair that I wear inside the house when I can’t stand freezing cold floors. The inner lining is soft and fuzzy, and unlike some slippers, the back has higher covera