Every year I tell myself I’m going to start holiday shopping early… and every year I end up sprinting through December like my CGM just lit up with urgent-low alerts. So to make your life easier, I pulled together my go-to gift guide for anyone living with diabetes. These are the gadgets, CGM companions, and quality-of-life accessories that make a difference for me day to day—and also make perfect gifts or stocking stuffers!

If you’re like me, you get tired of carrying your phone or receiver around the house to check glucose readings. SugarPixel is a small LED display that syncs with your continuous glucose monitor (CGM) over WiFi to display readings. Using its tag-along smartphone app, you can customize the screen with various displays showing trend arrows, emojis and messages, and even two CGM users side-by-side. 

SugarPixel has optional audio alerts that can be set to customizable target ranges right from the app. These loud alerts are great for those who have trouble hearing alerts from a phone or receiver, especially while sleeping. It also comes with a bed shaker!

My favorite feature is Nighttime mode, which dims the screen down to just five small dots that change color based on your readings. It’s the perfect low-lit screen for my bedroom while I sleep–I can simply glance over at it if I wake up to know how I’m doing.

Check it out using my affiliate link to learn more and grab one yourself!

If you prefer something simple and cute, Glowcose is such a fun option. It’s a glowing orb that changes colors based on your CGM readings. Red signals a low, green means you’re steady, purple shows you’re high, and the in-between colors reflect everything between those points.

There are no charts, no icons, no numbers—just vibes. You can tap through brightness levels on the device, and honestly, to most people it just looks like a decorative LED accent light. I literally tell my friends it’s my “mood light.”

It’s perfect for shared living rooms, office setups, bedroom nightstands… anywhere you want a quick glance at your glucose without reaching for your phone. Check out Glowcose here!

There are a couple health trackers I use that both make for great gifts this year and serve different needs. First there’s the Apple Watch Series 11 which is great for Apple users who want access to glucose trend graphs right on their wrist. Dexcom and Libre have Apple Watch apps where users can view their glucose level on the home screen and tap in for a detailed graph. For those who use the twiist insulin pump or open source systems, users can control their pump right from the Apple Watch.

My favorite activity tracker, which I tend to wear more often, is the Withings ScanWatch 2. This watch is sleeker and more focused on health tracking. It sports an OLED screen where users can view steps, distance walked, heart rate, body temperature and more. The watch has advanced sleep tracking, SPO2, and ECG tracking. All Withings watches receive push alerts sent from your phone, so mine sends me high and low CGM alerts and pump alerts right to my wrist! I also have it set to vibrate when I get a call. All notifications are adjustable right from the Withings app.

Skin Grip are the perfect stocking stuffer and a handy/colorful tool for people with diabetes. These patches are reliable and come in a ton of colors, so you can match them to outfits or the season instead of wearing something that looks purely medical. It’s practical, but it also adds a bit of personality to everyday diabetes tech.

The smaller accessories are what really make it giftable. The Grip Tin is great for tossing extra patches into a bag, and the wipes make application and removal easier, especially during dry winter months. Useful, low effort, and something people actually need. Get 10% off your SkinGrip order with code JUSTIN10.

If you’re traveling between cities or bouncing from one family gathering to the next this holiday season, the Sugar Medical Insulated Travel Bags should be your go-tos — and make for a great gift! They hold everything—pump supplies, CGM applicators, pens, vials, glucagon, snacks—without feeling overstuffed. There are two bags I like, the large insulated travel bag is good for trips over a week. The smaller insulated bag is great for a day out or weekend trip and comes with an optional waist strap to wear it as a fanny pack.

And for a cute little stocking stuffer, Sugar Medical’s silicone insulin vial cases let me match my supplies to my holiday outfits. They protect your vials, add color, and slip on easily. It’s a simple way to make your routine feel festive and a little more fun this time of year.

Get 10% off your Sugar Medical order with my code JUSTIN10

Traveling during the holidays? If you use insulin, you know that keeping it cool can be a challenge. That’s where FRIO insulin coolers come in. These simple pouches work by using water-activated crystals to keep insulin cool for up to 72 hours. I’ve used these on beach trips, cross-country moves, and during long vacations. They're perfect for anyone who needs to store insulin pens or vials while on the go. They come in different sizes to fit whatever you're carrying, from a couple of pens to a full stash of supplies. No charging, no batteries—just submerge them in water! I use FRIO for all my travels!

You can save 10% on FRIO by using my discount code JUSTIN10 with this link. 

Our editorial content uses affiliate links. This means if you make purchases through certain links on our site, we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you).