Struggling to find a gift for an Xbox-loving friend or family member, for this Christmas? We're here to help! Here are some ideas to suit all sorts of budgets, and to appeal to all manner of tastes. What they don't include is the consoles themselves - but then, you have Black Friday to bag one of those, already.
Please note that all prices listed and stock numbers were accurate at the time of writing. Please also note that if you buy any of the products via the affiliate links on this page, we may earn a commission.
Advert
Xbox Christmas Jumper - Amazon link - £32.99
This incredibly subtle jumper is perfectly coloured to disguise any spilled sprouts and burned spuds around the dinner table, and it's so comfortable in knowing how bad it is, that we can't help but rather admire it. Ready to play? More like ready to stuff our faces with enormous tubs of individually wrapped chocolates. Makers Numskull always release new gaming-themed Christmas jumpers, each year, so if this particular Xbox one isn't quite right (or is out of stock), you can always find another, equally garish alternative. Christmas jumpers, eh? When did that become a thing? And when, please, will it stop, please.
Turtle Beach Recon Controller - Amazon link - £49.99
Advert
If you're in the market for a premium-feel controller for your Xbox, but don't have the budget to stretch to one of the official Elite pads, this option from Turtle Beach comes recommended. We've put it to the test on a selection of titles, from the speed of Forza Horizon 5 to the action and drama of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, and it's proven itself a more than worthy alternative to your in-pack pads. It's a wired controller, so the lack of a battery on board does leave it feeling slightly too light at first; but dig into the options it offers and you'll quickly forgive the weight difference. Two rear quick-action buttons can be mapped as fits your own style of play (they're great for driving game gear changes), and there are a host of features to benefit multiplayer sessions, from so-called 'superhuman hearing' which focuses on pin-drop sounds in matches, to on-pad options for controlling chat and mic levels. Right-stick sensitivity can be altered, and textured grips leave it comfy in the hands for prolonged play. The only wrinkle is the D-pad - its convex design won't be to all tastes, and can initially be hard to use for 2D platforming and fighting games.
LucidSound LS15X Surround Sound Headset - Amazon link - £57.59
Given the price you can currently find these headphones for (again, at the time of writing - the RRP is £99.99), we're pleasantly surprised at the quality of both the sound and build of the LucidSound LS15X. The earcups are big enough to fit over the entire ear with no squished lobes, and the padding on both the cups and headband is genuinely comfortable. We've used many headphones for our video editing here at GAMINGbible, as well as for playing and just listening to music, and these are considerably more comfortable than most for prolonged use. The quality of the audio is nothing too amazing, but definitely not to be scoffed at for a mid-range headset. The only downside in the LS15X, in our testing, is the mic detection which allows real-world audio to pass through, often causing a random hissing noise during quiet times. This isn't an issue in-game, but can be a nuisance in the downtime between matches. The LucidSound LS15X is specifically designed for use with Xbox consoles but also works on PC, while there is an LS15P version made for PlayStation use.
Advert
Water Bottle and Travel Mug - Amazon link - £16.99
Stay hydrated: words quite literally to live by, right there. And this double-pack of drink containers offers you both warm and cold options, all decked out in classic green Xbox branding. Wouldn't throw the stainless steel hot mug into a backpack or anything while it's full, as it's more one of those drink-on-the-go kind of receptacles than a flash to keep your brews toasty for a few hours later. But we're also not here to tell you how to live your best life, so carry it however you want to
Numskull Official Halo Fast-Charging Cable - Amazon link - £10.99
Advert
Let's be real - it's rare that we ever pay too much attention to what the lead that runs from console to controller looks like. But you can make a statement with this 1.5-metre lead, as it'll light up bright green while plugged in and powering your pad. Add in the official Halo branding just in time for the release of Halo Infinite and, well, you've got yourself a tasty little stocking filler. And being a USB-C job, this'll power all sorts of other things around the house. Flexible in more ways than one, then.
Xbox Heat-Sensitive Mug - Amazon link - £10.99
I don't know about you, but since we all started working from home, I go through about 35 mugs of tea a day - and I pour a good third of them down the sink on account of working through their optimum heat range, and said beverages being too cold by the time I lift them to my lips. If only there was some kind of visual guide on my mug, to show me that its contents was still steaming hot? This gift idea changes colour based on the hot brew inside: black is chilly, green is sippin' time. Gotta have a system.
Halo Lamp - Amazon link - £26.82
Advert
I, for one, enjoy using electric light when it's dark outside and inside - and this flicker-free lamp might just tickle the fancy of a pal who not only enjoys using electric light, as I do, but also enjoys Xbox branding. Specifically, someone who really has a thing for Master Chief, as he's rather the star of the show here. Free standing for your desk or whatever, and wall mountable, this illuminated delight offers options - and I think we can all agree that having options is a good thing.
Gears of War Marcus Fenix Pop! Figure - Amazon link - £15.70
Back in the before times, I'd sometimes pop into HMV to check on the latest pop charts. But I couldn't find any music for all of these bobble-headed toy things. Look at cute lil Marcus here - he'd almost certainly never chainsaw you in half. Someone still likes these things, I'm sure.
Nerf Halo Motorised Blaster - Amazon link - £59.8
We can't all be Master Chief for real. Indeed, none of us can. He's a fictional supersoldier from a future of the human race which will never, ever happen. We can, however, pick up our Halo-branded foam-bullet guns and shoot each other's eyes out. What a flood of tears, ahahahaha. Which is probably a good thing to do whenever the BBC wheels out Mrs Brown's Boys on Christmas Day. (Please do not shoot your brother, or anyone else, in the eye with a Nerf gun on Christmas day, thanks. Just... turn the TV over, instead.)
Halo Master Chief Mobile Phone Holder - Amazon link - £29.99
When he's not off saving the galaxy, or putting his name to motorised toy guns, John-117 can be found carrying your mobile phone - if you get this, um... item. Okay, not sure why I put this one in this list. Are phone holders totally pointless? I suppose you can prop your little screen up on this to watch a YouTube walkthrough on Halo: Reach. You could do that. Sure. He'll also hold your controller, TBF, for when you can't.
Halo: The Complete Video Collection - Amazon link - £18.34
Did you know there are four Halo "movie releases"? You do now! This collection, on DVD or Blu-ray, collects Nightfall, Fall of Reach, Forward Unto Dawn, and Legends. They're not all movies, are they? Anyway, there's a host of extras to be found in The Complete Video Collection, too, including behind-the-scenes footage, trailers, and documentaries. When I was a kid, we were always allowed to choose a movie, on VHS, for Christmas. The year Jurassic Park came, that was a special one. And maybe you know someone who'll love this, like I loved Jurassic Park.
Featured Image Credit: Xbox, NumskullTopics: Halo, Gears of War