A very specific guide for very specific people

For your friend who won the Crafts Cup at summer camp

Block print and decor genius Molly Mahon sells these whimsical DIY kits that work for anyone who loves arts and crafts. A great project that yields something useful and beautiful at the end. Plenty of other kits to explore on her site.

For your friend who lives for the White Lotus

A collection of silver “Sacred Heart” Ex-Voti to display. Add a spool of thin velvet ribbon to hang them from, and you have an instant Sicilian devotional to which they can pray for Mike White’s everlasting creative font!

Too tame? Go for it with a Sicilian Moorish head vase!

For your gal-friend that is so tired

I’m sorry, Sheryl, I am the problem??? Nope. Not buying it. For anyone who wants to have a bit more happiness and a lot less angst (wondering why society’s structure isn’t responding to our headbanging), have a read of this. Hint, this is a good gift for anyone. It’s a wonderful read.

For your funny friend who should take it farther

Emily Flake is a staff humorist and cartoonist at the New Yorker, and runs the humor writing residency St. Nell’s. Her new card deck is a great how-to for your funny niece or nephew, or for the office cut up, for that matter. Great for a stocking stuffer or a Secret Santa gift.

For your friend who was once Anna Wintour’s assistant, and is still sartorially terrifying.

This bag (ahem, Celebration raffia and silk pouch), from American turned Milanese chameleon JJ Martin, is the perfect gift. Unique but super chic, lightweight, and useful. It comes in a few other colorways and styles, so have a look. You will for sure get brownie points for getting the taste level of your gift correct, and who knows, maybe she will even use it.

For the tennis coach who yells “Come ON, Chris! Why did you miss that?!!!”

Vintage wood tennis racquets recycled into bottle openers. Game, set, match.

For your kid who loves history - or doesn't love to read

This is an irreverent look at history through a Mad Magazine / Monty Python inspired lens. Great for my advanced historian of a 10 year old, and good for older kids who maybe aren’t into history or reading yet - this could get them over the line. (And it feels relevant on the heels of this summer’s weird discovery - via TikTok - that men think about the Roman Empire than most of us would imagine.)

For your aunt who channels Prue Leith in visual kaleidascopy

A bright and happy market tote. And it goes with everything.

For your husband who is a snow snob

Gear from Dope Snow stacks up. Wide range of pastel-y colors (remember to be visible for safety!) and cool designs. He won’t look like a yeti and you will look like a genius. (Also good for older kids who wear adult sizes.)

For your Chic-Fil-A loving friend’s baby

If the Chick-Fil-A lover in your life has a baby, hit them with this branded merch right away. Also toss over an official Chick-Fil-A gift card, because, boy, will they be hitting that drive through to survive the early months of parenting.

For your tween or teen who is into environmental issues (and hopefully they all are so we get some help here!)

A sharky bracelet that comes with an individual animal (in this case a shark, turtle bracelets are avail too) that they can track online. In the company’s own words: “We partner with non-profit organizations to create bracelets that come with a real animal to track.” Sounds pretty cool to me and the org has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to non-profits since it started in 2018. Gotta love this!!

For the vegetarian / vegan / healthy eatin’ person

Sign them up for the delightful and hugely helpful Department of Salad Substack by Emily Nunn. Frequent salad musings and so many recipes for a wide range of salads (and many things that she counts as salads to give the rest of us hope). A treat for the inbox and the lunch table alike. Feels too light? Add a salad bowl and tongs so there is something to wrap up with a bow - just tuck a print-out of the home page inside the bowl!