Shopping for an introverted, highly sensitive friend, spouse, co-worker, or family member? Then this list is for you! Featured here are presents for people who are overwhelmed by social and environment stimuli, are empathic, sensitive to beauty, and cherish privacy and peacefulness. (And don’t forget to treat yourself!)

Presenting: the Highly Sensitive Person & Introvert Gift Guide! 

(Note: Introverts and HSPs are not the same thing. All introverts are not HSPs, and vice versa. But just for the sake of this list, they are lumped together.)

Here we go!

Lanshin Massager This is my favorite little tool of the year, and is perfect for a gift. The Lanshin Massager by ACERA is like a hot stone massage in the palm of your hand. This innovative self-care tool is a deeply soothing experience of massage. To use, remove the cap and add hot water. The tool becomes a heated vessel that delivers soothing infrared heat to tired, aching body parts that crave extra care and attention.

Sleep Crown You might never imagine you’d pay this much for a pillow, but it is worth it. This thing feels like what you’d imagine a cloud feels like. It’s impossibly soft, and incredible for naps. Just place it over your eyes and it also dampens the sound.

Japanese Suminagashi Marbling Kit Drip a few drops of the dye into water, swirl it with a utensil, then gently lay your paper (or desired material) on the dye to make beautiful marble designs. Great for kids, too.

Buddha Board The Buddha Board allows you to feel like an artist even if you have no artistic talent (like me!) The brush makes beautiful strokes and allows you to express creativity with only water. The drawings fade away after a few minutes. (I have the mini version and find it to be too small—get the regular size.) Here’s me drawing on my board:

Noise-Canceling Headphones: Anker SoundCore Life The ambient noise of the outside world can distract HSPs and introverts, sap their energy, and leave them grumpy. These are CNET’s 2021 top-rated headphones under $100.

Weighted Blanket Weighted blankets are known to be helpful for children with sensory issues. However, ANYone can enjoy a weighted blanket–especially those of us with anxiety or sleeping issues! Who doesn’t like feeling cozy and tightly snug in a blanket?

Aromatherapy Oil Gift Set I adore certain scents and the way they make me feel. There are lots of great essential oil gift set options out there. (Note: Before buying any “scented” gift for an HSP, first try to notice if they’ve shown that they like scented candles or use perfume or oils. Some HSPs find scents too overwhelming.)

Bonsai Tree I’ve always wanted one! They are so beautiful and intricate; I feel a peacefulness when I look at them. As a gift, I recommend buying from a local shop, but you can get them on Amazon, too. Here are some tips on which variety to buy, depending on the climate of where the tree will reside.

Calm meditation app subscription A 12-month subscription to my favorite meditation app is $70.

EarPeace Noise Reduction Earplugs I hunted for earplugs that would help dampen sound but not completely drown it out. I found Earpeace, earplugs that were originally designed for musicians to still hear their music without hearing damage. I’ve had them around two years and they are great! They come in petite size, too.

Gift an Experience!

• Float/Sensory Deprivation Tank Experience
  When floating in sensory deprivation tank, your senses melt away into weightlessness. Google or Yelp the nearest tank and buy a gift certificate for a meditative and relaxing experience–they’re great gifts for pregnant women, too. Here’s my float experience.
• A massage or spa experience.
• A gift certificate to a class: like a class for cooking, photography, painting, gardening, pottery, language, or jewelry making. HSPs (especially high sensation seekers) enjoy learning and creating things. Select an activity that they’ve previously shown interest in.
• Tickets to a museum, concert, play, or festival in which they’ve shown interest: Along the same lines, this gift shows you pay attention to what they like.
• Donate to a cause that’s near their heart. Give money to an animal rescue, a medical foundation, environmental cause, or a charity that you know they care about.
• Take care of something. Arrange for meals, have their house cleaned, babysit–you get the idea. Take something off their plate.

Treat Yourself!

HoMedics Sound Spa Relaxation Machine with 6 Nature Sounds
Recently, I was staying at a hotel and this machine was on the nightstand. Serendipity! I couldn’t fall asleep, so I was happy to have this little gadget next to me, with its easy-to-use controls for sounds of the ocean, rain, white noise, as well as an “off” timer. I bought one when I got home.

Letters for a Year of Gratitude
HSPs often enjoy expressing gratitude to people in their lives. Letters for a Year of Gratitude includes 52 tear out-and-send letters that will inspire a year’s worth of notes of love, appreciation, and thanks. Keep track of the letters in the correspondence log in the back. Maybe over this year you will reconnect with someone from your past or brighten the day of someone who feels taken for granted.

Swiss Water Process Decaf Coffee Beans
I don’t drink caffeine because it affects me too strongly but I love having iced coffee once in a while. Then I discovered Swiss water process coffee, which is a non-solvent method for decaffeinating unroasted coffee beans–so no chemicals! I’m excited to share this with you and my current favorite variety, No Fun Jo.

Books

A Highly Sensitive Person’s Life: stories & tips for those who experience the world intensely by ME.
Of course I have to mention my own book! This blog-style collection of essays balances humor and sound advice in personal stories and honest reflections. You might see yourself described in these pages and think: “I didn’t know anyone else felt this way!” (Note: the book contains a lot of content from this blog!)

The Highly Sensitive Person and The Highly Sensitive Parent by Elaine Aron
A must-read for those who are trying to understand high sensitivity in themselves or loved ones.

The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman
I interviewed Oliver on my podcast after reading (and loving) this book. If there’s someone in your life who isn’t the most “positive” person, this might be a good gift for them. This book helped me feel a lot more at peace about my “glass half empty” personality. It explains powerful concepts from Buddhism, Stoicism, Eckhart Tolle, Alan Watts, and more, in Oliver’s entertaining, accessible, and lovely writing style.

The Highly Sensitive Man by Tom Falkenstein
Cognitive behavioral psychotherapist Tom Falkenstein (a colleague of Dr. Elaine Aron) offers the first psychological guide that specifically addresses highly sensitive men and those who care about them, and explores the unique advantages and obstacles they face.

Meditation for Beginners by Jack Kornfield
A fantastic introduction for people who’ve always wanted to try meditation but didn’t know how to start. This book helps you stick with a daily meditation practice and create tranquility in everyday life.

Gifts for Kids & Teens

It’s All Too Much for Oliver by Leila Boukarim
This is a beautiful picture book written and illustrated for highly sensitive children. Endorsed by Dr. Elaine Aron!

Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts by Susan Cain
Susan wrote the mega hit book Quiet, which brought introversion to the mainstream several years ago. Her new book is like Quiet but for introverted kids and teens.

Random Acts Of Kindness Kits (Family version) 
This stocking-stuffer kit includes cards with acts of kindness to be performed by your child or the entire family. You may find yourself writing a letter to someone who inspired you, picking up the trash on your street, giving genuine compliments, and more. You can keep track of your good deeds online and see other deeds across the globe. There’s a teen version, too.

What is your ideal gift? Leave a comment and I may include it in this list.

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