another gift guide, because i want to
i put in the thought, you put in the counts
Last December, ahead of Christmas, I made a gift guide. Here it is.
I had fun making it so I decided to do another. Why wait for Christmas? People give gifts year-round, and as we are now a decent ways out from Christmas, I figured this might be a good time. So here’s some stuff I think1 is cool2.
For a child (girly)
Ribbon on a stick.
Gender is fake but let’s not pretend there aren’t some generalizations that apply. I got my niece a ribbon on a stick and it was an immediate hit, and all her little friends (of all the genders) wanted to play with it. Children instinctively gravitate to a ribbon on a stick.
It’s a wand. It’s an activity. It’s everything. No need to go fancy here with multiple ribbons or bells or anything, a nice long ribbon on a hard-to-break stick will do just fine, and costs maximum eight bucks.
For a child (boy-y)
A ball.
Literally any type of ball. Small bouncy ones, big blow-up ones, sports ones, fuzzy ones. Boys love balls. No idea what that’s about!
For (parents of) a toddler
The rule is you should never buy someone else’s child anything that requires batteries, lights up or makes a noise. It is not for you to give parents a headache. Instead give them these nice books about rabbits going to the market.
For an older kid who can read
The “display books” from Storiarts3 look so cool and are priced so reasonably I wonder if they’re secretly cheap trash? Someone read the reviews, I don’t have time, I just know their illustrated editions of popular stories with pop-ups and fold-outs and other “interactive elements” would have been so my shit as a tween.
For a college student
Sweatshirt that says “cheese.” Self-explanatory.
For a new vegan
Pistachio spread. If they stay vegan (if), they’ll learn to cook, but for now, a small token to show you support their new lifestyle choice will be deeply appreciated.
For a new foodie (not vegan)
A panettone that’s not too sweet, not too dense, made by this chef who, from what I can tell, just makes panettone.
For, like, a bridesmaid?
It’s (semi) traditional for brides to gift their half of the wedding party with customized or at least matching items, whether that be robes to wear day-of or, as a friend of mine once provided us with, jewelry to match our gowns. It’s a lovely idea and I’m always in favor of giving your friends stuff, just as long as it’s not cheap plastic things that pollute the Earth and clutter their homes. Were I to be getting married this year (I’m not), I think I’d customize Susan Alexandra bracelets or necklaces with charms that match my girlies’ interests.
The site also has ridiculously adorable antiques, though obviously I can’t recommend a specific product as the inventory is always changing.
For a hard-to-shop-for relative (cheap)
Puzzle. Many have forgotten the simple pleasures of the puzzle. I have not. Throw on a movie or a podcast and get down with a puzzle, it’s really quite relaxing, and something to do with your hands and brain that isn’t on your phone. There is something pleasing to the lizard brain about finding two pieces that go together and making them go click. Think of it as a game that won’t steal your data and has no ads. A few options:
Old-fashioned Wentworth puzzles with interesting shapes that are keepsake-y and made of wood.
Trendy jigsaw puzzles from Piecework that have hip photo art. The Slim Aarons prints are a bit predictable but kind of irresistible.
Hard-to-shop-for relative (expensive)
THE White and Warren cashmere travel wrap. Every (female) member of my family has and loves this. Yes, you can get a less pricey version from J. Crew or Quince, and I’m sure they’re fine, but at that point, you’re giving someone a scarf, basically. The White and Warren is a blanket, a sweater, a wrap, a scarf, an heirloom, an icon.
Impossible-to-shop-for relative (cold)
This blanket. Best blanket ever.
For an artist or arts-lover
Edges of Ailey, this lovely coffee table book about acclaimed choreographer Alvin Ailey. There’s writing, photography, discussions of dance (and therefore music) and race, culture — I can’t imagine anyone with an interest in art who wouldn’t find something in this book, and it’s a nice display object, too.
For the vintage enthusiast
The inventory at Left Bank Books is always changing, but usually covers a variety of topics and price points. Get someone an old magazine with a celebrity they like on the cover, an unusual edition of their favorite book or slap money on a gift card to show you have cool taste without committing to anything.
(I know I’m recommending a lot of books here, but you’ll notice none of them require much reading, which is really the rub with books.)
For someone you love (nonsexual)
A wish card. It’s a postcard with a wick and one match, good for making one wish. Cute!
For a weirdo (complimentary)
For your Andy Kaufman-est friend, an emo teen, anticapitalist co-worker, someone whose whole thing is just being a Jughead-style weirdo, buy a trinket to support Joseph Reginella, a Staten island-based sculptor who puts up statues commemorating fake events in NYC history.
For yourself
Listen to me. Are you listening? Listen: you need better art. If this is you…
…get some art. I know it’s expensive. I know you don’t want to spend a ton on something you’ll look at every day and probably become blind to or get sick of. But if it’s something that’s in your eye line every day, and I’m sorry to get a bit woo-woo here, shouldn’t it be something…nice? And of quality?
Spend a couple hours perusing Sonic Editions and save up to get one framed. You will not regret elevating your living space, and you are not a bad friend for taking down a photo collage you made in college and putting those pictures in an album.
For yourself (quirky)
Egg painting. Every morning this man’s girlfriend fries an egg and he does a painting of it. They are very good.
For me!
Please watch this video of bats enjoying bananas.
peace and love
Lizzie
I’m not getting paid for this or a commission, it’s really just my thoughts.
To be clear, this is not me HINT HINT HINTing that *I* want you to buy me this stuff. This is, truly, if you need to give someone a gift.
Please note: I can’t endorse buying anything else from this site. My dad, God love him, once sent me fingerless gloves and a scarf printed with quotes from Alice in Wonderland that he got at a bookshop and appear to be from this brand. I was perhaps 25 at the time and never have been particularly fond of Alice, not that that would have made fingerless gloves acceptable, but anyway, don’t buy book-y stuff, just buy cool books.