In our 2019 gift guide, we outlined some great stocking stuffers and family-friends games for the holidays.
In 2021, we wrote about some gifting favorites (especially for beginner puzzlers!) such as Hincks Gazette by Bluefish Games and Society of Curiosities' family-friendly Fairy Tale Files series.
This year, we've put out a guide detailing our PostCurious offerings, and now it's time for some other recommendations!
Greeting Cards
In addition to the PostCurious card set and Scarlet Envelope's greeting cards mentioned in last year's post, you can find similarly puzzly offerings from iDventure, Wacky Wheels, and Enigma Fellowship.
Escape the Puzzle Box also offers a greeting card that comes with a padlock you can use to lock up your recipient's gift...
Advent Calendars
Escape the Advent Calendar has three offerings with various themes... which also contain chocolate.
Thames and Kosmos has also released two EXIT Advent Calendars: The Mystery of the Ice Cave and The Hunt for the Golden Book.
Surprise Within a Surprise
Puzzle wrapping paper?! Yes. Courtesy of Enigmailed.
Games
Some of our favorite games in the puzzle tabletop genre mentioned in previous posts are iDventure's ClueBox series, CU Adventures' Solve Our Shirts, and Society of Curiosities' Quarterly Subscription Games.
These are so good they warrant another mention. But what about some newer releases?
The Vandermist Dossier by Diorama is one of our all-time favorite tabletop mysteries, and it's finally available in English. Within you'll find a treasure trove unique objects, creative puzzles of varying difficulty, and the beginning of a complex (but approachable) story that will continue throughout the upcoming sequels.
Never House by DarkPark is certainly more spooky than festive, but that doesn't mean it can't be a great gift for those who like horror or darker themes. This game combines a solid narrative with great puzzles, high quality props, and fun reveals.
On Circus Grounds by Studio Stamp is another new favorite! Containing beautiful materials woven together with a well-developed narrative, this gem may feel a little overwhelming to start with, but is very satisfying to piece together as the story unfolds.
Cantaloop is basically a point-and-click puzzle adventure transformed into book form (for better or worse...) It features some very interesting mechanics and several hours of quality gameplay. It would make a great gift for a variety of experience levels or serve as a good date night activity.
Holiday-Themed Games
The Magical Tale by Enigma Fellowship is a handmade wood-bound fairy tale puzzle adventure. The game is family-friendly, entirely offline, and even features an audio book option if you don't want to read the story yourself.
The Charm of Christmas Past by The Escapement is a festive play-at-home puzzle game with plenty of trinkets, letters, and family history. If you fancy some charming old-timey English Christmas vibes, it may be a good choice for you.
What's on your wish list this year?