Themed gift parties have become increasingly popular in recent years, sending people in search of amazing gifts that start with a specific letter.
And since A is one of the most-used letters in the English language (not to mention the first letter of the alphabet), it’s no surprise that people often use A as the theme for their Yankee Swap, White Elephant or Secret Santa gift exchange.
To help you find the perfect gift for your next themed party (or a birthday gift for someone with an A-name), we’ve put together a huge gift guide of fantastic gift ideas that start with the letter A.
The (Absolute) Best Gifts Starting with A
Rounding Up Some of the Best A Letter Gifts Around
A-mazingly Awesome Tech Gifts & Gadgets
Two of the world’s biggest retail brands – Amazon and Apple – happen to start with the letter A, which makes it pretty convenient to find some cool tech gadgets that fit with the A theme.
Below we’ve rounded up some great ideas from both brands that make great gift ideas.
Amazon Products:
Alexa
Amazon’s answer to Siri and other digital personal helpers, Alexa is a great Secret Santa gift whether you’re shopping for your best friend, a family member or people you work with.
The best way to give Alexa as a gift is to pick up a small smart speaker like the Echo Dot, which is available for less than 50 dollars on Amazon and can easily be set up in their living room, kitchen or any other room in the house.
Audible Subscription Gift Certificate
Books have always been one of the most popular gifts during the holiday season, but nowadays a lot of people don’t have time to sit down and read their favorite book.
Fortunately, Amazon’s Audible service has a huge catalog of great books available in audiobook format.
And more importantly for gifting purposes, they make it easy to give an Audible subscription as a gift, allowing you to choose from a 1, 3, 6 or 12 month subscription, depending on your budget.
Amazon Fire Stick
A Fire stick is a fun gift because it’s a great way to give the gift of entertainment (and score a pretty great price).
For less than 40 dollars, you can turn any TV into a Smart TV that can access all of the world’s top streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and (of course) Amazon Prime video.
Plus, the Fire stick is also Alex-enabled.
Amazon Gift Card
The perfect stocking stuffer for that hard-to-shop-for person, an Amazon gift card may not be the most thoughtful gift, but it’s easily the most versatile.
That makes it one of the best white elephant gifts, since pretty much anyone can use it, and you never know who will end up with the gift after all the swaps take place.
Apple Products:
Apple iPhone X
Apple products are obviously not the most affordable gifts.
But they’re also some of the best Secret Santa gifts if your gift exchange has a higher budget.
(Or if your approach to Secret Santa is the same as Michael Scott’s, and the budget means nothing to you.)
With that said, the iPhone X is now available on Amazon for less than $300, which is a great price for a 64GB device with a ton of great features.
Apple Watch
We ranked the Apple Watch first overall on our list of the best smart watches, and for good reason.
It packs a ton of power and functionality into a small package, and it’s available in a wide range of different colors, sizes and styles, so it’s easy for the gift recipient to customize it to suit their personal style.
Apple Watch Charger
Another great stocking stuffer, this is the right gift for someone who already has an Apple watch.
This cheap and efficient charger fits easily on their dresser or nightstand, and allows them to display their watch while it charges.
Apple Airpods
Another perfect White Elephant gift for any office or friend group that has a lot of iPhone users, Airpods are the perfect accessory.
Plus, buying them refurbished on Amazon allows you to get the same high quality product you’d get if you bought a brand new one from the Apple store, for about half the price.
Apple iPad Mini
This one might be a little too expensive for a lot of Secret Santa exchanges, but it makes a great birthday present or Christmas gift for a good friend or family member.
Apple TV
Apple’s answer to devices like the Amazon Fire Stick or Roku, Apple TV gives you access to a ton of great content, including Apple’s streaming platform Apple TV+, the only place where you can watch hit shows like Severance and The Morning Show.
(And if you haven’t seen Severance yet, trust us: it’s a gift unto itself!)
Gifts Starting with A for Adults ↓
Amazon and Apple products are great, but they’re hardly the only options available.
Below we’ve rounded up dozens more gifts beginning with A for people of all ages.
Automatic Watch
Automatic watches – the kind that use the movements of your arm to automatically wind the mainspring – make great gifts because, unlike mechanical watches, they don’t have to be wound every couple of days.
One of our favorites is Vincero’s Icon Automaic, which comes in a four striking color options (and a pretty incredible price point for a watch that’s this well made).
Amberjack Shoes
Amberjack’s Original shoe ranked high on our list of the best dress shoes that feel like sneakers thanks to their perfect combination of sharp style and unbeatable comfort.
All Citizens Shirt
Easily one of the best wrinkle-free dress shirts on the market, the Performance Dress Shirt from All Citizens is lightweight and stretchy, making it perfect for just about any occasion.
Angel Jackets Leather Jacket
Angel Jackets makes a ton of high-quality genuine leather jackets for both men and women, all at some (pretty insanely) affordable prices.
We’re particular fans of this vintage-looking bomber, whose dual tone shades of brown give off a rugged, retro feel.
Alpha Industries Parka
We gave Alpha Industries’ N3B Slim Fit Parka high marks thanks to its flattering fit, abundant warmth and timeless style.
But one of the best things about it might be the price tag:
It costs just a fraction of what big-name brands like Canada Goose charge for parkas, while providing just as much warmth.
Alo Yoga Apparel
Don’t let the name fool you:
While they started with a focus on yoga, Alo has become one of the best athleisure brands, with a versatile selection of activewear for both men and women.
Acoustic Guitar
An acoustic guitar is a wonderful gift for any aspiring musician, not to mention one that’s surprisingly budget-friendly:
You can get a good beginner guitar for less than 60 bucks on Amazon.
Alarm Clock with Ceiling Display
A lot of people just use their phones as their alarm clock nowadays, but your phone alone can’t do this:
This handy gadget projects the time onto your ceiling in an easy-to-read display that makes a great addition to the bedroom of anyone who has trouble rolling out of bed for early mornings.
Adidas Shoes
We added the Adidas Pureboost to our list of the best shoes for doctors because they combine the kind of comfort you’d expect from an athletic brand like Adidas with enough style to take you just about anywhere.
Azul Board Game
A great game of strategy, Azul is also a lot of fun – and usually results in some good laughs around the kitchen table!
It challenges players to create the most beautiful tiled mosaics that they can while competing to see who can arrange their tiles to get the highest score.
Aluminum Foil
(as a gag gift, obviously)
If your gift exchange is focused more on funny gag gifts than big-ticket items, we’ve got you covered.
Aluminum foil is a funny gift particularly because it’s so… Well, boring.
Plus you can decide how you want to play it: you can give it to your friends with a wry smile to let them in on the joke, or play it straight and try to convince them that you really, genuinely thought it would make a great gift!
Air Conditioner
A perfect present for people who live in hot climates, this small portable air conditioner is small to sit on a desk and doesn’t use too much electricity.
Address Labels
These are great because you can customize them with your recipient’s name and address before you buy it, and give them a unique gift that not only satisfies the “A” requirement, but also has their name on it.
Ankle Weights
A perfect addition to any home gym or collection of at-home workout equipment, ankle weights allow exercises of all stripes to workout in a new way.
They can be worn by runners who want an extra challenge, cyclists who want to push their legs even further, weightlifters who want to make leg raises even harder and yogis who want to add a bit more resistance to their routines.
Airplane Bookends
A natural product for pilots or anyone interested in aviation, these bookends shaped like two halves of an old-school plane are also just cool, and a fun way to add a bit of flair to your bookshelf.
Avocado Skincare Oil
Great for hair, skin and aromatherapy, this avocado oil contains vitamins and essential oils that can have a ton of benefits for your skin, helping to hydrate, moisturize and even replenish dry skin.
Alias Board Game
Another great game that often leads to late nights of fun and laughter, Alias challenges you to explain words to your teammates quickly and creatively.
A-shaped Keychain
A good idea for any gift exchange that has a lower budget, this key chain is hand made from full grain leather, so it will last a long time and stand up to the beating our keys take when we shove them in our pocket or purse.
(Funny) Apron
Amazon is the right place to turn for cute, quirky and funny aprons that make great gifts for a Secret Santa, White Elephant or even Dirty Santa gift exchange, and have all manner of jokes, gags and themes.
Ancestry DNA Kit
Give them a chance to discover where they came from – and potentially change the way they view their entire life – with a little help from Ancestry.com.
This DNA kit allows them to take a sample of their DNA and send it into Ancestry, which can help them better understand their origins.
Ax
A great choice for anyone who’s outdoorsy (or just aspires to be outdoorsy), this ax from Truper is handy to keep around the house and hardy enough to chop through just about anything.
Automatic Soap Dispenser
As easy to use as it is to refill, this makes a great gift for just about anyone.
(But it’s particularly handy for a new business owner, because customers tend to appreciate the hands-free experience.)
(Mini) Air Fryer
This smaller version of the popular Instant Pot allows you to air fry, broil, roast and reheat a huge variety of foods, and comes with a low price tag that should fit within the budget for most gift swaps.
Aeropress Coffee Maker
The perfect gift for coffee lovers, the Aeropress places as much are craft and care into a cup of coffee as wine connoisseurs place place on a glass of wine.
It uses a rapid, total immersion brewing process to make incredibly smooth coffee that’s both low in acidity and less bitter-tasting than traditional brewing methods.
Armani Cologne
Acqua is one of the most classic scents of all time, and the perfect gift for guys who want a fresh, clean scent they can wear at the office, on a first date or just about anywhere else.
Anna Karenina
(The book, not the Keira Knightley movie)
One of the most classic novels of all time, Tolstoy’s sprawling epic is a timeless and page-turning read that’s just as compelling today as when it was first published in 1901.
Letter A Gifts for Kids
Just because the word “adult” starts with an A doesn’t mean that all A gifts have to be adult-focused.
Below are some great toys, books and activities for kids that start with the letter A.
Art Set
This comprehensive kit is the right choice for any kid who likes art, but hasn’t yet found their favorite medium.
It comes with a huge variety of crayons, pencil crayons, markers, pastels and paints, giving them dozens of ways to express their creativity.
Astronaut Barbie
A great gift for any little girl – or boy, thank you very much – Astronaut Barbie inspires kids to dream big and reach for the stars.
Alice in Wonderland
(The book, not the creepy Johnny Depp movie)
Lewis Carroll’s classic book is still one of the best children’s stories, and this version contains the original illustrations by Sir John Tenniel, who was commissioned to bring the story to life.
Assassins Creed
(The game, not the lame Michael Fassbender movie)
Nowadays so many video games are streamed online that they’re not often thought of if you’re looking for wrapped gifts.
But this fourth entry in the Assassins Creed series – one of the bestselling video game series of all time – is available for the PS4 system, and a great gift for any gamer.
Ankle Bracelets
This six-piece set on Amazon gives kids a wide range of colors and options they can use to adorn their ankles with style.
Archery Set
This bow and arrow kit comes with everything kids need to hone their archery skills, including two bows, two quills full of arrows, two targets to aim at and (most importantly) rubber suction cups that make the arrows safe.
Abercrombie & Fitch Gift Card
Tween clothing stores like Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle are staples of malls all across North America, and perennial favorites of kids.
Fortunately, Abercrombie also happens to have a youth-focused kids brand, which makes it a particularly good place to get a gift certificate, so kids can pick out their favorite items.
More Resources ↓
More Alphabetically Themed Gift Ideas:
- The Best Gifts that Start with M
- The Best Gifts That Start with R
- The Best Gifts That Start with S
- The Best Gifts That Start with D
- The Best Gifts that Start with the Letter E
- The Best Gifts That Start with T
- The Best Gifts That Start with L
- The 45 Best Gifts that Start with N
- Good, Great and Even Gag Gifts that Start with K
- The Best Gifts Starting with the Letter J
