The Christmas season is traditionally the peak holiday shopping period with special promotions, discounts, and limited-time products. Many consumers are starting early to take advantage of deals and avoid end-of-year stress. More than 70% of U.S. consumers said they planned to shop with online retailers for holiday gifts.
For lower-income households, the focus is on essential items rather than discretionary purchases, and SNAP/EBT benefits can help stretch their budget. What are EBT Christmas gifts? Families can use their benefits to purchase eligible food items and other consumables.
1. Can You Use EBT for Christmas Gifts?
The rules about what you can and can’t buy with EBT are quite specific. SNAP benefits are intended for food meant for home consumption. So, items like toys, clothes, or electronics for holiday gifts are not eligible for purchase.
Still, here are some things you can buy with EBT as Christmas gifts:
Most of the food items are eligible, so you may purchase:
- Food-based gift baskets or sets: A Christmas gift basket or holiday package is eligible if the value of the non-food items does not exceed 50% of the purchase price. For example: a basket filled mostly with snacks, cookies, and fruit, with a small bow or ribbon.
- Sweets & treats: Boxes of chocolates, tins of cookies, specialty popcorn, holiday-themed candies (like large candy canes or chocolate Santas), etc.
- Ingredients for homemade gifts, such as baking supplies for cookies, cakes, or other treats.
When shopping at authorized retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target, look for items labeled “SNAP EBT Eligible.” This is the easiest way to confirm a purchase is allowed, especially for holiday-themed or mixed-item products.
>>> 15+ Surprising Things You Can Buy with EBT on Amazon
2. EBT Christmas Gifts for 2025
Want to share some ideas this holiday season? Below are EBT-eligible Christmas gift ideas.
Purchase the individual components using your EBT card and assemble the gift yourself:
- Holiday chocolates and candy: Large bags, boxes, or tins of seasonal chocolates (e.g., Hershey’s Kisses, M&M’s, Lindt truffles), or popular candies such as hard candies, caramels, or gummy assortments.
- A beautifully arranged fruit basket
- Packaged cheeses and crackers set
- Chocolate advent calendars are usually EBT-eligible
- Holiday cookie tin filled with store-bought cookies, shortbread, or baked treats
- Premium coffee or tea set, including specialty ground coffee, K-cups, or loose-leaf tea
- Frozen pizza kit or take-and-bake meal perfect for a family dinner
- Holiday baking kit, including flour, sugar, baking mixes, chocolate chips, and sprinkles
- Planting kit with seeds or edible plants (like herbs or veggies)
- Snack variety box (mix chips, pretzels, popcorn, and nuts)
- Juice & beverage pack: Non-alcoholic drinks such as juice, sparkling water, or flavored teas (with a Nutrition Facts label)
- Baby formula gift for new parents
- Holiday dessert kit, including ice cream, whipped topping, chocolate syrup, and sprinkles
- Deli meat & cheese platter
- Layered food gift basket, filled with pastas, sauces, snacks, and candies.
- Movie night kits: Pre-packaged sets with popcorn, gourmet popcorn seasonings, and a variety of candy and snack bags.
- Jams, jellies, and honey: Select a few unique, quality jars of fruit preserves or local honey.
- Special occasion cakes: Bakery cakes, cupcakes, or pies are EBT-eligible, as long as non-edible decorations are minimal.
3. What You Can’t Buy with EBT for Christmas
Below are the main categories of items you cannot always buy with EBT:
Non-Food Items:
- Toys, books, games, electronics
- Clothing, accessories, jewelry
- Decorations such as ornaments, lights, wreaths, or wrapping paper
- Home goods (e.g., kitchenware, furniture, decorations)
- Cosmetics and personal hygiene items (e.g., soap, shampoo)
- Household supplies (e.g., paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning sprays)
- Pet food
- Christmas trees and wreaths
If these items are included in a gift basket, they must make up less than half the total value of the item for the purchase to remain SNAP-eligible.
Alcohol (beer, wine, liquor) or tobacco (cigarettes, e-cigarettes).
Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. (Generally, if an item has a “Supplement Facts” label, it is not eligible.)
Prepared Foods and Hot Meals: SNAP benefits can’t be used for hot foods or meals ready for immediate consumption, such as hot deli meals or rotisserie chickens. (Exception: the Restaurant Meals Program)
Gift Cards and Prepaid Cards: You cannot use EBT benefits to buy gift cards or prepaid cards. Gift cards are treated as cash equivalents under SNAP rules, and benefits cannot be used for them.
3. How to Make the Most Out of EBT Benefits This Holiday Season
- Budget early. Map out your December grocery and gift spending to keep your benefits going through the holidays.
- Be flexible. You can pay for eligible food items, such as candy boxes, cookies, and snacks, with SNAP EBT funds, and use cash, debit, or credit for any non-food gifts or wrapping supplies.
- Look for deals and coupons. Take advantage of holiday grocery sales and coupon stacking. It’s the shopping season with plenty of great deals.
4. Special Christmas Gift: How to Get a Free Smartphone with EBT
Say you’re managing your limited budget, and you might not realize that if you’re on SNAP, you could also be eligible for a discounted or free smartphone along with a discounted service plan through the Lifeline.
Lifeline is a federal benefit program that helps lower-income households access phone and internet service. If you or someone in your household already receives SNAP, Medicaid, or certain other public assistance benefits, you likely qualify automatically.
Here’s what that can mean for you:
- Reduced or free monthly service (save $9.25 per month on their phone or internet bill, or $34.25 for eligible Tribal residents)
- A free smartphone with a free SIM card and unlimited talk and texting.
If you qualify for Lifeline, apply with AirTalk Wireless and see which plans and free devices are available for you.
Now, popular offers include:
- iPhone 6 Plus
- AirVoice A67L
- Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
- iPhone 8 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy A51 5G
- Motorola One 5G ACE
Conclusion
Plan your holiday spending with EBT in mind and enjoy your celebrations. Consider additional benefits your family deserves, such as a reliable phone and free internet service through the Lifeline program.
NOTE:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved waivers for certain states to restrict the purchase of specific items considered unhealthy under SNAP.
Starting in 2026, some states will implement official bans on using EBT cards to buy candy, soda, and other sugary drinks. You should check the specific regulations in your state. >>> Updates about SNAP Restrictions