‘Tis the season for giving

There are gifts, and then there are gifts – the ones inventive enough to surprise and delight the recipient. Some are fun; others, practical. They all aim to improve how we do or enjoy things.

Consider adding these innovative gifts to your shopping list. There’s something here for every budget.

Elevated luggage

Invented by a mom of four who sought to cut down on hotel-room chaos, Props carry-on suitcases have luggage racks built right in. Like a folding table, each suitcase has legs that unfold easily to elevate it off the floor. You could even use it as a snack table or laptop stand at the airport.

Other features include an interior compression packing system, an integrated TSA-approved combination lock, a telescoping handle, two 360-degree spinning wheels at each corner and carry handles on three sides. Available in five colors; 21.5” x 14” x 9.5” (width expandable to 11.5”).

Price: US$399.

A smart collar

Like a fitness tracker for pets, the PetPace V3.0 smart collar is an AI-powered health-monitoring device that tracks pets’ locations via GPS and monitors their vital and biometric signs.

Using AI analytics and machine learning, the smart collar gets to “know” your dog or cat over time, collecting data on activity, body temperature, pulse rate and so on. The mobile app tracks and displays subtle changes.

Users also get free access to a veterinarian via 24/7 chat, and the ability to share a link with their own vet to provide historical physiological and behavioral data.

Price: US$299-US$399. plus subscription fees, which start at US$13.90 per month.

Secure shade

If there’s a beach lover on your list, the AnchorOne Classic Beach Umbrella System will keep them comfortable and safe from the inconvenience – and danger – posed by wind-borne umbrellas.

Setting up the umbrella takes about five minutes, and an anchor filled with sand keeps it from blowing away in winds up to 25 mph (40.2 kph).

An adjustable tray keeps snacks, drinks and cellphones off the sand, and the umbrella’s seven-foot (2.1-metre) canopy has an Ultraviolet Protection Factor of 50+. Available in five colors. Carry bags are included for both the umbrella and anchor.

Price: US$119.99.

Sparkle anywhere

Sparkling water and seltzer lovers know they can either pay for the bottled stuff or use a kitchen-counter model to carbonate liter-size bottles at home. Now, Aerflo, a portable soda-maker system, lets them make fizzy drinks on the go.

Fill the stainless steel and BPA-, lead- and PFAS-free plastic bottle with water, attach a mini capsule to the cap and screw on the lid. Then tap the cap to release beverage-grade carbon dioxide into the water and give the bottle a shake, repeating as desired for more bubbles.

The set includes a 17-ounce bottle; four refillable capsules, which carbonate four bottles apiece; a three-capsule travel case; and a prepaid shipping box for zero-waste capsule exchanges.

Price: US$84.

A frigid friend

Die-hard cold plungers know that tap water isn’t frosty enough to provide the chilling effects they seek, and standalone cryotubs can take up too much space in small bathrooms.

Enter HomePlunge, a portable water-cooling unit that can transform any bathtub into an ice bath.

The wheeled unit rolls up to the tub and has a hose arm that draws in water, cools it and then returns it to the tub, reaching set temperatures as low as 34°F (1°C) in 30-60 minutes.

When you’ve had enough, roll the modular chiller out of the way until the next session, which you can schedule in advance via the accompanying mobile app.

Price: US$2,999.

Flushed for the holidays

Toilet paper – original and inventive? You bet!

It may get some laughs when they open the box, but Charmin’s new supersize Forever Roll just might be the most practical gift you’ll ever give.

Although it won’t live up to the “forever” hyperbole in its name, each giant roll – measuring one foot (.3 metres) in diameter, weighing two pounds (.9 kilograms) and providing 1,700 sheets of 2-ply, septic-safe toilet paper – promises to last a whole month in an average two-person household.

The starter kit includes two Forever Rolls and a brushed stainless-steel stand, with refills sold separately.

Price: US$39.99.

For your gamers

The Nintendo Switch 2 was the biggest and most anticipated console launch of 2025, and if history is any indication, it will be increasingly harder to find as Christmas approaches. But for the gamers in your life – both young and adult – this is the gift to get.

With Black Friday deals going into the week and Cyber Monday coming up, the best bang for your buck may be the console bundles. The Switch 2 is still available as just the console only for US$449 (without discounts) or bundled with Mario Kart World for $499 (without discounts). A new $499 bundle (without discounts) is now available where the console is packaged with Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Games retail for about US$70 a piece, so you do save a little with bundles.

Planning to shoot more video or pictures?

For anyone interested in doing more filming or photography with their mobile device, this supremely portable tripod by SelfieShow offers solid stability even when extended to its max height of 71 inches. The mounting arm also offers a wide array of positioning for shooters on the go. And the rig can collapse into a retractable selfie stick for even more functionality and portability.

Price: This portable tripod retails for US$19.99.

Recording clearer audio

For aspiring influencers, podcasters or vloggers in your life, try these wireless microphones by Hollyland. The Lark M2 Wireless Microphone mics are easy to use, have good range and do well in filtering out background noise. You can easily attach these to clothes for interviews or even hold them for the tiny mic lifestyle. Best of all, it comes with two mics per order.

Price: These mics are currently on sale for US$79.20.