I'll Tell You What I Want
What I really, really want. This is not a gift guide, but if it were it would be called, "20 Gifts for Miss Picky." Bonus content: how to approach gift wrap as an extension of your personal brand.
Rather than put together gift guides for your boyfriend, in-laws, or have-it-all parents (as requested), I’ve outlined my personal lust list. You described these folks as hard to shop for and I know I’m a member of that group because #selfawareness. So, take this for what it is — some IMO fabulous items that someone else you love might enjoy. (Maybe that someone is you. Practice self-love or drop an anonymous hint to your flame. My husband, Thomas, is eagerly awaiting the content of this post to avoid another returned gift; am I a terrible person? Perhaps you can relate.) At the risk of scope creep, I’ve included some non-home items that allow for more creativity on the side of the gifter. Finally, I close tonight by getting a teeny bit crafty (but very accessibly so) with what I’ll call value-add gift wrap.
Get in [dear reader], we’re going shopping.
SPEAK MY LOVE LANGUAGE: HOME SWEET HOME
I have a long list of true needs for my home — investments I plan to make in the new year (and beyond) that really aren’t very giftable items — these are not those. Here I’ve focused on home treats. Items that fill a gap, but are unlikely to make the cut for my home improvement budget and, therefore, feel a bit more like an I-see-you luxury.
Chic Step Stool — Manhattan living means vertical storage and, thus, I’ve found my black and white industrial step stool purchased via Amazon c. 2012 is a furniture fixture in our home. This Hasegawa Lucano Lightweight Japanese Stepladder (two step in mustard or the orange available here) is a statement-making upgrade that adds to, rather than detracts from, the décor.
Pretty-as-Porcelain Melamine Plates — A set of these beyond charming dinner plates along with these salad plates are the unbreakable and dishwasher safe option that my kid-friendly kitchen would put to good use.
All the Art and Design Books — I just can’t get enough! This recently caught my eye, as did this.
Set of Steak Knives — As a recovering vegetarian, I have yet to build this part of my flatware collection, and it’s become a pain point. In some ways this is a flexible style gift because the steak knife does not need to match the rest of the flatware, but these happen to match mine (a similar option here).
Kitchen tablecloth, candle holders, and coupe as pictured by sellers. Handmade Tablecloth — I did an entire post on tablecloths I want for my dining room, all of which would make excellent gifts (and I believe my favorite is no. 1), but a kitchen tablecloth would also delight me.
Collectible Candlesticks — I recently opened a drawer of tapers I’ve accumulated through gifts and wedding leftovers and realized I really don't have anything to hold them. These sculptural pieces have my attention.
Hand-Blown Crystal Coupes — Thomas has been moonlighting as our resident mixologist and recently requested “clear coupes.” These would take our entertaining game and at-home date nights to the next level. As an alternative, these are a lovely, delicate shape.
Waste bin, mug, and record as pictured by sellers. High-Fashion Waste Bin — This year I’m on the ‘out with the old’ train. A gift with a note to that effect would read “this person gets me.” And nearly every room in the home needs a trashcan, so who wouldn’t appreciate one this smart?
Espresso or Coffee Cup — We collect mugs and have quite a high-low mix. Mugs and ornaments are the items I look for on my travels. With that in mind, this is good category in which to take a playful risk. This, this, and that mug are a few examples of pieces I might pick up for myself.
Classic Records — Last year I gave Thomas a record player for his birthday. We’ve been collecting vinyl albums since. I’d love to add a Richie Valens record (with our song, “We Belong Together”) or anything from The Highwaymen or Buddy Holly.
A word of caution: assuming you don’t have the list above in-hand, you have to really know me and understand my style to get this right (or clear this with someone who does). So, buyer beware if you’re shopping for someone picky like me. This brings me to another category of gifts entirely.
KNOW ME ENOUGH TO GIFT ME CONSUMABLES
Arguably the best gift to give a difficult customer is not stuff, but rather consumable goods and services. These are items you could always use more of or even already have, but also have to regularly buy yourself. They lend themselves to risk taking — the recipient can at the very least try them out. What do I mean? Here are a few examples:
Beauty Treatments — I’m a tired mommy, i.e. pamper me. This can range from a manicure on the corner to a Joanna Czech facial.
Beauty Products — Take a risk here and give an item you like. My SIL gifted me Oribe shampoo and conditioner c. 12 years ago and I STILL think about it even though I also buy that shampoo and conditioner for myself frequently. Perfume is a risk, but one I would be comfortable with my husband taking.
Dates — Yes, the food. These are the best dates in the world, but the price also reflects that, so it’s not something I regularly treat myself to unless 36 weeks pregnant. (This is an especially great gift for someone who’s expecting — IYKYK.) Perhaps you have the inside scoop on another to-die-for pantry item — surprise me!
Olive Oil — Talk about something you already own that you are sure to need to purchase again. My mom uses a lemon olive oil as her go-to salad dressing and I’m converted. In the same vein,
tipped me off to this UES harvested honey.Salt, Salt, Salt — You know you’re an addict when more than three people have gifted you salt (c’est moi). This is one of my favorites; it’s so good sprinkled on toast or eggs. [As a side note, St. Nick (because obvi I’m him) is gifting me this salt ornament.]
Special Experiences — Thomas took me to a Lainey Wilson concert at Radio City Music Hall for my 40th birthday and it was a great 100% surprise gift! I would not complain about receiving a romantic getaway either. A weekend in New Orleans at the Hotel Saint Vincent sounds like a nice winter escape, for example (hint, hint!).
Puzzles and Games — I consider this, along with vinyl records, as consumable-adjacent. Like beauty and food, this is a great genre for the gift of discovery (i.e. surprise me with something you love). For the sake of suggestion, this puzzle’s name and subject are 🎯 for my fellow Type A’s.
Minty Scents — Desperately missing St. Frank’s Havana candle? Moi aussi. This (Spirituelle) and that candle are similar fragrances.
Memberships — Local museum and cultural memberships get A LOT of milage in my world (mostly for kid entertainment and education). The Frick Collection — which does not welcome children as young as mine — is reopening this Spring and just blocks from our home. I would love to frequent this museum for early evening dates with my beau or pals. On that note…
Babysit My Kids — LOL. But really. Or walk my dog for that matter. Acts of service, whatever they may be, are the ultimate show of love.
GIFT WRAP AS AN EXTENSION OF PERSONAL BRAND
I recently picked up a last-minute kid’s birthday gift at the one and only Zitomer. (One of the things I love so much about our neighborhood is getting to use this iconic spot as our pharmacy, so I mean no disrespect with what I’m about to say.) As I was running late and straight to the party, I had them gift wrap for me. Cringe! I begrudgingly handed over an item not-so-elegantly folded in shiny white paper with an even worse stick-on bow — something that would not even phase me were I to receive it, to be clear. My guttural reaction to presenting said gift made me realize that wrapping gifts has become a crucial extension of my gift giving. Presenting a small gift, wrapped with thought, effort, and a bit of beauty feels like giving so much more than the contents of the package.
Cool-wrap is comprised of two simple ingredients: unexpected wrapping paper and an interesting tie. On paper: some of you may remember St. Frank’s fabulous (if I may say so myself) patterned gift wrap, RIP. And most of the gifts I’ve shared include that. Fear not, there are many other sources for chic paper and some of them are free-ish. Personally, most Christmas wrap feels clichéd to me and the whole point here is to be original. On the store-bought front, I love Stevie Howell’s or John Derian’s mixed set. Historically I’ve used discarded wallpaper strike offs, but assuming you are not a wallpaper designer, extra unused wallpaper also works (first use this as drawer liners and save a bit for repairs). This year I’ve discovered the best gift wrap of all: kid art. God knows there’s WAY too much to save and my kids seem thrilled to see gifts wrapped in their finger paint and scribbles. Moving on to ribbon: SAVE EVERY PIECE. I keep a bag of ribbon in my closet and every gift or purchase that comes with somewhat reusable ribbon I save and mismatch to my wrap. As backup, I stock string, including this for Christmas (which seems to turn any color wrapping paper into a holiday gift). This is my method. The key is finding what feels like you. My older brother has always wrapped with brown craft butcher paper and white kitchen string. He writes or sketches his “gift tag” straight on the paper in black pen. It’s his signature, which I’ve always admired. And it inspired me to find my own.
On that note, good night and good luck.
