Christmas is the busiest time of year for gaming gifts, which is exactly why the obvious ones, the latest game and the newest controller, are the most likely to be duplicated or returned. These Christmas gifts for gamers focus on things they will use every day and are unlikely to have already: upgrades for their desk, art for their walls and small things for their stocking.
Stocking stuffers for gamers
- Button pins in a style they love, for a backpack, lanyard or jacket.
- Acrylic keychains for keys, a bag or a controller case.
- Cable ties and a small cable kit. Not exciting, but every gamer needs them.
- A headphone hook. Cheap and instantly useful.
For more small ideas, see Secret Santa gifts under $20.
Mid-range Christmas gifts
- A desk mat or mouse pad. A full-width mat transforms a desk and gets used every day.
- A graphic tee with neon, space or retro art.
- A poster for above their monitor.
- An LED strip for bias lighting behind the screen.
Bigger Christmas gifts
- A framed poster or canvas for their room. Wall art is one of the few gifts that changes how a whole room feels.
- A matching set: a desk mat and a poster in the same palette, for a setup that looks planned.
- A tapestry as a stream backdrop or feature wall.
Christmas gift ideas by kind of gamer
- PC gamer: an extended desk mat and a piece of art above the monitor.
- Console gamer: wall art for around the TV and a tee.
- Streamer: a tapestry or canvas that looks good on camera. See gifts for a streamer.
- Retro gamer: synthwave and pixel-style art for a CRT corner.
- Tabletop gamer: fantasy art with dragons, portals and forests.
Wintry designs that stay up after Christmas
Snowy forests, frost and aurora skies feel festive in December but are not Christmas decorations, so they can stay on the wall or the desk until spring. Our post on fog and mist in art covers calm, cold landscapes.
How to choose without spoiling the surprise
- Look at the colours of their lighting and peripherals and buy in the same family.
- Measure their desk discreetly if you are buying a desk mat. The desk mat size guide lists sizes.
- Choose a style, such as space, neon city or fantasy, rather than trying to guess their favourite game.
Order in time for Christmas
Our gifts are made to order: allow 2 to 7 business days for production plus delivery, which is usually 3 to 7 business days in the US and 10 to 30 business days internationally. Shipping is calculated at checkout. Check the exact order-by dates in our holiday order deadlines, and if you miss them, see what to do with a gift that will arrive late.
Browse desk mats, keychains and the full Artist Shop, or start with our main guide to gifts for gamers.