The 10 best things to buy in December
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Though the bulk of shopping occurs at the end of November thanks to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there are more than enough reasons to continue shopping through December between last-minute holiday shopping and ongoing sales. Plus, there are certain products that are typically discounted at this time of year, making it the best time to shop.
Below, you'll find the 10 best things to buy in December based on shopping trends, including our top-tested products you'll need for the month like warmer face masks and holiday essentials. Some of these products are already selling out or could later in the month, so we recommend grabbing them now, if possible.
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1. Warm face masks
One of the few upsides of having to wear a face mask during the coronavirus pandemic is that they provide an extra layer of warmth during the colder months. It's a more appropriate ski mask. If you're looking for some thicker masks for winter we recommend the Athleta Non Medical Face masks, which are the best face masks we've ever tested and offer three layers of protection (and warmth!). Another fun option is this sherpa mask from Etsy that's double-layered with woven cotton material on the inside and fluffy faux fur on the outside for a sherpa jacket feel on your face.
2. Christmas trees
Whether you prefer real pine or an artificial tree, both will be hard to find this year due to shipping delays and avoidance of in-person tree shopping due to the coronavirus pandemic. That's why we recommend snagging one as early as possible this year (if you don't already have yours up). Retailers like Home Depot are selling real trees that will ship right to your door (if you order early enough) or you can swing for an artificial one this year. The Balsam Hill Fraser Fir happens to be our favorite artificial tree because of its realistic needles and ease of setup.
3. Golf clubs
Depending on where you live, the weather is a bit too nippy to comfortably golf outside. But good news, that also means you can find golf clubs and other accessories on sale during December, making it a good time to buy. Retailers like Callaway and Golf Galaxy are running sales right now that are worth checking out, especially if you wanted to start your golf game in 2021.
4. Home improvement tools
Tools like drivers and tool kits also tend to go on sale during December, which is especially good considering all the home improvement projects people are planning in quarantine. Additionally, because of the uptick in these DIY projects, we're expecting to see a shortage of home improvement items in the near future, so you should get them sooner than later. Stanley makes our favorite starter toolkit and the Makita FD07R1 Cordless Driver is the best cordless drill we've ever tested if you're in need of some basic tools.
5. Toys
Naturally, toys go hand in hand with the holiday season, particularly if you're shopping for kids. You can typically save on last-minute toys around the third week of December, though that can be iffy if you're looking for a popular toy or if you're worried about the shipping delays we've seen this year. We've rounded up the best gifts for kids, which is filled with great toy options like the Skyrocket Blume Doll and a personal ball pit.
Get the Blume Skyrocket Rainbow Sparkle Surprise at Amazon for $13.34
Get the PlayZ 4pc Kids Play tent Pop Up Ball Pit at Amazon for $44.95
6. Pajamas
Between matching family pajamas during the holidays and the fact that people just want to be cozier as they spend more time at home, pajamas will be popular this December. For matching jammies, our parenting editor recommends these cozy pairs from Maisonette, which she says are comfortable and fit well. For some more adult pajamas, our editors rave about Nordstrom's Moonlight Pajamas with are both soft and affordable.
7. Video doorbells
Porch pirates can be a serious issue during the holiday season, unfortunately, and to monitor their packages many are turning to video doorbells in December. Luckily, you can typically find some good discounts on tech products around this time of year. The Google Nest Hello Doorbell is the best video doorbell we've ever tested because it offers facial recognition and is easy to set up.
Get the Google Nest Hello Doorbell at Walmart for $179
8. Humidifiers
Cold weather means dry air, and since we're spending more time indoors, it's important to make our living spaces as comfortable as possible. A humidifier is not only great to help soothe a cough (which is also a symptom of the coronavirus), but it can make your skin less dry and ensure the air won't scratch your throat. The Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier is our favorite humidifier out of the ones we tested. It can run for about 10 hours on the medium setting, and it was able to bring our testing chamber to 80 percent relative humidity. Plus, it comes with a medicine exhaust for those inevitable sick days.
Get the Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier at Amazon for $35.05
9. Baking supplies
Baking was one of the hottest hobbies at the start of the pandemic. As the weather cools down and people are spending more time inside, we're predicting it will pick back up again, especially during the holiday season. To beat the crowds so you can make pumpkin loafs and cookies, it's best to get a loaf pan and baking sheets now if you don't already have one. This pan from Rachael Ray is the best loaf pan we've ever tested and the Nordic Ware makes our favorite cookies, and both are great to add to your baking arsenal.
Get the Rachael Ray Yum-o! Nonstick Oven Lovin' Loaf Pan at Amazon for $11.99
Get the Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet at Amazon for $13.99
10. Air purifiers
Air purifiers are great for cleaning up the air and making it more comfortable—and they could also help stop the spread of COVID-19 particles, especially if your space isn't well-ventilated. That's why people have been purchasing air purifiers in droves this year. Though it's not guaranteed to prevent exposure to the virus, an air purifier can help reduce airborne transmissions when used with other sanitation best practices like hand washing and disinfecting. The Winix 5500-2 is the best air purifier we've ever tested, as its filters are easy to change and it has the capacity to filter out 99.97% of pathogens as small as 0.3 microns.
Get the Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier from Amazon for $159.99
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: The 10 best things to buy in December
