Holidays on Amazon
Amazon is great for one stop shopping, and at this point, they have some quality merch on their site. It takes a lot of sifting and sorting, but here are some terrific gifts you can buy quickly and easily.
The coolest earring of the season, but for $13 instead of $820! These look good on everyone - and are light and super cool. Avail in silver tone too. (The black line is from the photo to show the curvature.) These are plain gold tear drops. I have them and I love them. (Here are the BV ones to compare.)
This is the best smelling candle and I am always confused why it is on Amazon, but I am glad that it is. Christian Tortu is one of the top florists in Paris, and he used to have an outpost on Madison Ave in the old Shanghai Tang store (for all you 1990’s NYC’ers). The scent is what you imagine skiing through a Nordic forest might smell like. Good gift for men and women when you don’t know exactly what they will love. They will love this.
For a deeper investigation into Christian Tortu, here is his beautiful coffee table book of flower arrangements.
Forget the Instapot (I guess?) but everyone I encounter talks up the air fryer when talking cooking. Countertop sleek, let’s you crisp up anything and everything. Cookbook included! $99 right now plus an additional $15 coupon at press time.
Zap lines and wrinkles with the beauty suite that editors swear by. Pricey, yes, but less pricey than a trip to the plastic surgeon, and it’s on Prime, so somehow it will get absorbed into your monthly spend. I would be psyched if I got this as a gift. My face would be too.
Whoever gets it will smell great. What else do we need to know? (Chuck it in the stocking.)
I met Pat and became friendly with her briefly years ago at The Golden Door Spa in CA. I have been to her (chic chic chic) apartment in NYC for a hang following a lunch date (we lived right near each other) and she had this soap in her powder room. Smells great. And Claus Porto is an cool old brand - the regular size bars are huge and last for a long time. Large range of scents and sizes and beautiful packaging. I would toss one into a stocking as is, or wrap a white ribbon around it with a bow.
Since we are on her favorite things for a moment, this is the fragrance Pat has in her home (she has bowls of potpourri instead of this diffuser, but same company and line). Great gifts for anyone who likes Southern Charm or rich people things!
Do you pickle? Do you paddle? Do your parents? Here is a good and cute option for gear management. Bonus is that it comes in my old camp colors. It probably does in yours, too, as there are a bunch of colors and patterns. Fore! (just kidding)
Perfect for teens and tweens. Sticker printers memorialize online into IRL. I would like this too, actually, so the age cut off is more like, joyless?
Bottega Veneta has a strong accessories line up this season. I really like these. (And these are real, not dupes). And BV is one the few luxury brands on Amazon for some reason (prob someone smart in finance posted these).
Toss a few into your Solo Stove or your fireplace to get Hygge (look it up!) with it and create a color show. Perfect for work colleagues or host gifts or whatever you have to bring along in the winter for a gathering.
To keep outdoor entertaining going year round. For more of that Hygge stuff - it works!
The richest face cream, and so effective. Smells great. Stocking stuffer for the older ladies in your life (like over 30 ….).
I love this mug for two reasons. 1. Because functionally it allows for tea drinkers to start to sip their tea without the tea bag glomming onto their lips and 2. Because it is cute. Great gift.
These retro kid’s boots come in an array of candy colors. I loved them back then, I love them now. Find out your kids shoe sizes and gift away.
For women, comes in icy blue as well. This jacket has a nylon shell and down fill, even in the hood. Stand out on the slopes! (Or on the morning commute…)
This body oil is brewed up in the hills of Malibu and is the best smelling beauty product I have ever used. It’s very moisturizing and feels rich. If winter is tough for someone you love, grab this - it’s a great way to lift someone up. Plus, it’s a certified clean beauty product, vegan, and cruelty free. And a small business to boot. What could be better?
Wallet and kickstand combined - what everyone can use. Comes in a few other colors, and is a useful gift for anyone who has a smart phone.
Premium Bluetooth Wireless Audio Transmitter for AirPods or Wireless Headphones - Use with Any 3.5 mm Audio Jack for In-Flight, TV, Gym and Tablets. Perfect for frequent fliers, gym-goers, and other people who are on the move and love their air pods. This gadget connects air pods to bluetooth enabled audio systems seamlessly.
Spend the weekend watching kids sports? Camping? Waiting to snag Taylor Swift tickets? Keep this chair in your car to make any waiting much more pleasant. Gets solid 5 stars on Amazon with over 1500 ratings, so that many asses can’t be wrong. Comes in a variety of colors, too.
A wireless meat thermometer means no getting stranded at the grill while the party rages inside. And it has alerts on done-ness, so you can skip the pad of your hand trick (you know steak fingers, right?
A pretty, statement necklace, this is a great gift for someone who likes jewelry. It is silver dipped in gold, so the prices point is very reasonable for a substantial piece like this. I would give this to any outdoorsy teen or someone who loves the outdoors especially, or who just likes pretty things.
These are small, essentially an update of the staple earring from a season or two ago. Great for minimalists or teens who don’t need super flash jewelry yet. Great price point, too.
If I very much loved a botanist or flower-y girl, I would cough up the roughly $800 for this sweater. The happy graphic design and general usefulness makes it worth it - and it comes in a pink version (early Valentine’s?) and a black one for the goth gardener lurking in all of us.
Great fun of an Oscar de la Renta bracelet! Stars are always a hit at the holidays, and it’s chunky and fun and goes with almost everything.
Our family composts. We got into it when we rented an apartment which included a subscription to Black Earth Composting pick up. We use a small plastic bin with a lid and kept it on the kitchen counter near the food prep space (ie next to the stove). I was sort of freaked out before we did it, and now I can’t imagine not doing it. I throw all the fruit and veggie scraps in it, the tea bags and coffee grounds and filters, the scraps on plates that come back to the kitchen after a meal. I don’t put meat or fish in because some things you shouldn’t compost and I don’t want anything to smell. We empty it into it’s outside green bin every evening when we take out the kitchen garbage, so it’s no extra work. This version I am giving myself for Christmas because it’s cuter more substantial and I am ready to level up my composting game. Great gift for people who cook and have a pile in which to empty it.
We have this and it is a great toy / activity for kids 4 and up. I have seen a third grader careening through her house on it shrieking with joy, too… so I guess there is not really an upper age limit as much as mindset.
Same same same. Plenty of fun, and these come in different sizes for different ages (all for 4 and up). And please don’t ride them near the top of staircases. We already found out they don’t go down steps well….
This is the kind of gift I would give someone else’s child, or mine if faced with a long car ride or travel. The seizure-inducing designs will delight, and the obvious choking hazard status will only amp up the excitement when unboxing. Please don’t give these to kids under like 5 or 6 and only to those who don’t put things in their mouth still. So better for like 3rd or 4th graders? My kindergartener would kick a kitten through a fan for these though….
ChillTips makes the coolest press on nails, saving salon fees and nail bed damage. They sell out really fast, so check back often if you don’t see a variety (there are countless colors and designs). Pick up a few if you can’t decide…. You won’t go wrong. Stocking stuffer size, too.
Channel your 1960’s fresh out of the shower image, or your teen just taking too damn long in the bathroom. Either way, this is a winning gift. Comes in a variety of colors, and super easy to twist up. It’s on the list for my hair obsessed Kindergartener this year and one for me too.
Kids these days are awesome - instead of hiding their acne, they are owning it! Cute pimple patches come in a kit with a variety of colors - blue shown here (with stronger anti-inflammatory cream) or yellow (more general cover up) and plenty of others and are a great gift (think 5th grade and older).
I love the colors of this menorah, as well as the fact that the holders are magnetic and use the box top as a base. Also I don’t think this is just for kids, I would gift to adults also. Arrives with a box of candles included. A visual delight for the festival of light!
I just like these. Like sippy cups for grownups.
I was given this by my excellent friend Esther. It’s easily my favorite water bottle, even though I only managed to use the self cleaning top feature one time before I threw the whole thing in the dishwasher because I was so tired I forgot about the self cleaning. So now the top on mine is just a top, but it’s still my favorite because of the way the lip is shaped and the way it feels to hold. It’s great. May you will be better at keeping it out of the dishwasher!
Wordle might be the most delightful thing to come out of the pandemic. It’s NYT purchase and it’s many spin-offs (Worldle the geography one is huge in our house now) have solidified it’s legacy. I would give this to teens, and anyone who loves the crossword or other games.
Great for family game night, or to pull kids off their Roblox / Minecraft / whatever else they are playing online. Makes people laugh every time.
Magic is pretty awesome, VR is kind of weird but some people seem into it. This kit seems like a great way to learn a lot of magic tricks in a cool new way. I would give this to tweens and older.
If they won’t go outside, at least they can have some great gear for their gaming. Super cool sound and mic capabilities and compatible with gaming consoles, PC, and Mac.
But who also has a sense of humor. Don’t add to their clutter, get them something they have to use up, and make it potty themed. Comes in other colors, including black to really make a point. This sells out frequently - if you don’t see the one you like, try this one for the holidays.
This women’s hat has sun protection rating of SPF 50 (which I find confusing, because it’s a hat and that’s its job??!) but I really like the style and how it does not have a huge floppy brim. Also, it’s packable and looks good on everyone.
I would give this to any friend or family member who likes to craft or do art projects or gardens (could pair this with the Christian Tortu book - link in the candle blurb) for added inspo. As I think of this, I might give this to some of my older friends and family who are in nursing homes and still have manual dexterity. I would love this personally.
A home compilation by Martina Mondadori who is one of those chic Italians that has more style than you can shake the proverbial stick at. She has put together a book of articles from her cool home decor and design magazine, Cabana. Great coffee table book that is not everywhere yet, so it feels cooler and more exclusive and has terrific inspiration. Good gift for those who love Pinterest, Houzz, Architectural Digest, or other home / shelter reads.
This is a long-burning candle you unroll as it burns down toward the clip. It’s based on a traditional (from like the 1700s) courting candle where dudes would come over to chat up a gal and they would have the amount of time that it takes the candle to burn to the point it needs spooling up again (about 20-30 min). I think it’s kind of cool and something I would absolutely get someone I don’t know that well. Couple of notes from the reviews are that it can be a little persnickety to get the candle to thread in the first time, and that you have to unroll manually it a bit more every 20-30 min or so. So maybe don’t give to an older person who has a tremble or someone with no patience. That said, I think it’s an unusual and good gift.
Did you know making popcorn on the stove top impresses people and it’s very easy? Just take a large skillet (preferably a silver bottom one - teflon is no bueno for health reasons), add a drizzle of olive oil (or some other cooking oil) and heat up the pan. Get a top, because this is one time you FOR SURE need one. Dump in the kernels, put on the top, and as it heats up, gently shake the pan back and forth to keep the kernels moving. This is one activity you need to do continuously, and you need to pay attention. Listen to the cadence of the popping. It is a fun activity, and a great way to impress your kids or guests. This gourmet flavor set is the razzle dazzle!
And swears they have “healing powers'‘. Support their spiritual journey with this scent package including diffuser and a fidget stone. Maybe sometime you can send them to Esalen for the real deal.
IDK - it made me laugh. Maybe add a bottle of wine to the package to really go full circle. Glasses too if you want.
Promising smoother skin and hair while you sleep, the feeling itself of sleeping on silk is a bonus. This is an easy way to treat someone to a daily life upgrade. Comes in a wide range of colors too. Good for
I hope this guide is helpful, and please remember you don’t need to spend a lot on gifts if you don’t want to. Just let the person know you are thinking of them with a note or something little. And, if you left things to the last minute, lots of these gifts are on Prime. Happy gifting!
(Please note! Some of these items sell out REALLY FAST - so your best bet if the link doesn’t work is to check back or shoot me a note and I can try to find something good that is similar.)