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If there's one birthday everyone looks forward to, it's the big 21. It's an age of adulting, a day of celebration, and a rite of passage for their first legal drink. The best gifts acknowledge this big life transition, from practical travel gear for their first post-college job to champagne (or champagne-themed) presents.
To help, we came up with the ultimate gift guide for celebrating 21st birthdays, from iconic recipe books to mini beer pong sets.
The 24 best gifts for 21st birthdays in 2022:
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A wine bottle stopper shaped like their birth flower
Birth Month Flower Wine Bottle Stopper, $32, available at Uncommon Goods
For the cottagecore dreamer turned 21-year-old, this enchanting bottle stopper makes their first bottle of wine all the more magical. Each handmade resin disc is complete with artfully preserved petals, stems, leaves, and a heartwarming meaning attached to each month.
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A candle curated around their birthday
Birthdate Candle, $49.99, available at Birthdate Co.
Candles are always a great, relaxing gift, but to add an extra special touch, you can get one that's inspired by their exact birthday. With 365 different fragrance combinations, these candles are a great way to celebrate the astrology lover in your life.
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A pack of boozy ice cream pints
Choose Your Own 4-pack, $56, available at Tipsy Scoop
Help them raise a different kind of pint to another trip around the sun. This sugary party pack includes four different beverage-inspired flavors — dark chocolate whiskey salted caramel, cake batter vodka martini, spiked hazelnut coffee and strawberry white sangria sorbet — that each contain up to 5% of alcohol by volume.
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A champagne-scented fragrance set
Champagne Toast Gift Set, $19.95, available at Bath & Body Works
Bring a whole new meaning to bubbly with this beloved Bath & Body Works staple. Sweet, fruity, and full of razzle-dazzle, this candle and foaming hand soap smell like a celebration: Champagne, berries, and juicy tangerine. Pair with a luxuriant hydration body cream or fine fragrance mist for the ultimate 21st birthday toast!
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A very Gen Z cookbook
"The I love Trader Joe's Cookbook", from $14.95, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Target
Both budget friendly and creatively delicious, it's no surprise that Trader Joe's has stolen the hearts of young people everywhere for years. "The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook" serves up countless recipes made with their favorite TJ products. We recommend taking a crack at the chile and crab chowder or brie and pear galette!
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A cult-favorite party game
Cards Against Humanity, $29, available at Amazon, Target, and Walmart
Notoriously known as the "party game for horrible people," this hilarious deck of cards is a timeless staple for a get-together with friends. Endlessly funny and replayable, this game is the perfect 21st birthday present. (Tip: There's a family-friendly edition to this crude contest, too!)
If they already have this game in their collection, you can find more steals in our guide to the best board games.
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A travel-sized beer pong set
Mini Beer Pong Game, $24.99, available at Amazon
Turn up this 21st birthday with a mini beer pong game. Adorably small with the same amount of fun, this portable set includes 15 shot cups, two ball catapults, and a foldable wooden tabletop. Plus, the spill-proof design ensures the playing field will be mess-free, and the tethered wooden ball keeps the party going.
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A show-stopping birthday cake
Birthday Cake 6-inch, $62, available at Milk Bar
In all 21 years, they've never had a birthday cake quite like this one. Nostalgically sweet, topped with rainbow sprinkles and layered with creamy frosting and crunchy crumbs, this best-selling funfetti-inspired cake is as grown up as it is gourmet. You can read more about why we love Milk Bar here.
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A charming mixology class
Charm School: Love Potion co*cktails, $75, available at Uncommon Goods
If your 21-year-old is a true romantic, this 75-minute mixology course enrolls them in charm school. With the accompanying co*cktail kit, they'll learn how to craft bewitching brews with flowers and herbs that have age-old associations with love. The kit features a refreshing Rosemary Bay Leaf Gimlet and an adult Lavender Lemonade. One of our reviewers loved it so much, she gave it as a gift to her mom.
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A slim, minimalist wallet for than new ID
Mountain Voyage Slim Wallet, $39.99, available at Amazon
A sparkling new ID deserves a new wallet! This ultra-slim, expanding wallet can hold up to 15 cards while saving space in their pocket. With the sleek, modernized style and a timeless walnut finish, they're ready to travel in style.
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A savory meat and cheese board
Cheese and Charcuterie Pairing for Red Wine, $84.95, available at Goldbelly
If there's something all 21-year-olds love, it's a good charcuterie board. Made with specialized ingredients from Napa Valley, Italy, Sonoma County, and beyond, this is true decadence. The board comes with Castelvetrano olives, Turkish apricots, Marcona almonds, Prosciutto San Daniele, Oakville Grocery Salumi, and a variety of delicious cheeses. Pairing with red wine is highly recommended.
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A three-piece suitcase set for future travels
Nonstop New York 3 Piece Set, $209.99, available at Target
While we become legal adults at 18 in the US, 21 is when "adulting" starts to get real. This three-piece luggage set is perfect for travel, work, or for an eventual move-out. Each suitcase is also incredibly durable and water-resistant with TSA-approved locks, ensuring they'll stand the test of time.
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A set of glasses for dog lovers
Hair of the Dog co*cktail Glasses, $48, available at Uncommon Goods
Any dog-loving 21-year-old would be thrilled to enjoy their first drink in one of these canine-themed glasses. Each glass features original illustrations of a pooch and a unique recipe, including the Bulldog co*cktail, Salty Chihuahua, Great Dane co*cktail, and Pink Poodle co*cktail. Bonus points: there's a spiffy doggy bartender waiting at the bottom of the glass!
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An indulgent box of gummies
Rosé All Day Bears, from $8.95, available at Sugarfina and Nordstrom
Treat someone with a sweet tooth to a box of these yummy rosé wine-flavored gummy bears. Made with real rosé wine from Provence, these adorable bears are a delicious snack for someone who wants to celebrate their 21st birthday without a traditional beverage.
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A subscription to better mental health
Headspace subscription, starting at $12.99 per month
The gift of mental wellness can help them cope with any of the post-party roadblocks of being 21 and moving on from college. Headspace is designed to help users find more joy, catch more z's and make every day happier — the perfect send-off into the world.
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A warm weather party kit
Summer Party Gift Set, $88, available at Uncommon Goods
For 21st birthdays taking place during the warmer months, this summertime party essentials kit makes the most of every picnic and pool party. Equipped with an on-the-go Bluetooth speaker and water bottle hybrid, a set of four Himalayan salt shot glasses, and scavenger-hunt style Game of Phones, this sunshine-y birthday will be a party they won't forget.
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A way to capture birthday memories
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Polaroid Camera, from $74, available at Target and Amazon
What better way to celebrate reaching Level 21 than with instant memories? Choose their favorite of five gorgeous pastel hues, each boasting one-touch selfie, auto-exposure, and close-up modes. Just sit back and watch that photo album grow.
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A quirky set of cufflinks
Whiskey Cufflinks, $30, available at Uncommon Goods
Want to gift something that can be dressed up or down? These spirited orange and turquoise cufflinks add a vintage vibe to any outfit, boasting a mid-century-modern glass of classic whiskey adorned with a floating ice cube. Bottoms up!
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A gift box that checks all the boxes
21st Birthday Gift Basket, $45.59, available at Etsy
When it comes to showing you care, this cute gift basket carries all of the birthday necessities. They'll get a live succulent, a refreshingly-scented hand-poured soy candle, a personalized wine tumbler, matches (for the candle and a birthday wish), and a personalized message from you on a handcrafted card.
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A gift card for interview clothes or new work wear
Everlane Gift Card, starting at $25
Whether they're just starting job interviews or already have an internship lined up, chances are they'll need new clothes. Everlane is a great option for workwear that feels casual but still looks sleek and stylish.
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An invitation to learn more about wine
James Suckling Teaches Wine Appreciation, starting at $15 per month, available at MasterClass
Give the gift of learning with a subscription to MasterClass — starting with critic James Suckling's wine appreciation course. Go on a journey of flavor, aroma, and structure, getting the most story out of each bottle and becoming an amateur sommelier.
Whether they love cooking or are honing leadership skills, an annual MasterClass will get them access to all the best celebrity-taught classes.
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An ultra-green co*cktail kit
co*cktail Grow Kit, $12, available at Uncommon Goods
For the person who loves to garden, their hard-earned harvest can be part of happy hour with this co*cktail garnish grow kit. Packed with thyme, lavender, Thai basil, mint, lemon balm, and blue borage, this tiny garden addition is complete with starter soil, plant stakes, and growing instructions for a fresher co*cktail or mocktail every time.
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This groovy two-piece fit
Kendall & Kylie Hibiscus Sweater Set, from $8.10, available at Pacsun
When 21 hits, life hits a bit differently. This Hibiscus sweater tank top and shorts set from Kendall & Kylie reminds us that it's the small things that make us feel a little more put together. It also alleviates some pressure for choosing what to wear while working from home or running a quick errand before the big interview.
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A spa set for birthday pampering
Clean Bath Essentials Set, $32, available at Native
Give the gift of an at-home spa day with this beautifying bath set, available in scents from Lavender & Rose to Charcoal. Plus, this soon-to-be shower staple uses only clean ingredients and is aluminum free. Smells like the total package!
Alexis Berry is a freelance content writer specializing in product reviews. Alexis has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has previously appeared in Allium, A Journal of Poetry and Prose, Hair Trigger, Punctuate. A Nonfiction Magazine, and Unpublished Magazine. She is a lover of fantasy fiction, a good hike in the woods, and, of course, writing. Say hi to Alexis at lexy.writes@outlook.com or through LinkedIn.
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