It feels panic-inducingly late to be Just Now Thinking of What to Buy People for Christmas, and yet that’s where I am. I have not yet received a single holiday card this year, so I’m kind of hopeful that everyone else is similarly… slow to get into the holiday swing of things. If you, like me, are still scrambling to buy gifts, I’ve made a list of some of the things I’ve been considering for the people on my list. (Here’s where, if you normally exchange gifts with me, I recommend you consider bailing out unless you want me to ruin any semblance of surprise.) This list is meandering and haphazard, but I hope you find something that appeals to you or one of the people you need gifts for.
Cute Earrings: Carla got her ears pierced this past summer and so I of course want to give her ALL the adorable earrings. She expressly asked for “seasonal” earrings, so perhaps something like this would work well. But I love super cute and unique earrings, so I am leaning toward something like this or this (she loves pickles and croissants).
Something French Adjacent: Carla is taking French in school and we plan to visit Paris sometime in 2025, so I’d like to get her something French-ish to wear. Perhaps something like this or this or this?
A Sign for Carla’s Craft Room: I think she’d love something in neon but she might also appreciate this one.
Mason Jar Herb Kit: I cannot for the life of me grow herbs indoors, but that doesn’t stop me from trying. I wonder if my green-thumb friend would like this?
Personalized Planter: This same friend has a gorgeous flower garden. I wonder if she would make use of a personalized planter?
Custom Garden Sign: Or I could do a personalized garden sign. She might really love that!
Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner: A BUNCH of people on my list usually get books from me/us. Although I’ve read more books this year than ever before, I can’t think of many that I’d consider gift-worthy: really compelling, good writing, long-ish, and ideally published in the current year. The one that stands out to me is Long Island Compromise, but it’s so raunchy that I don’t know if I could really give it to anyone? Maybe there’s one person who would appreciate it; the others might find it shocking and distasteful. (It IS shocking and distasteful; it is also hilarious and well written and profound in its way.)
Burrito Blanket: This was kind of inexplicably on Carla’s wish list; she does not eat burritos.
Office Supplies: My sweet little big kid seems to have jumped right from All Toys All the Time into Office Supplies? I mean, I get it, who doesn’t love office supplies? But I’m not sure gel pens or even a pretty pink desk organizer will result in the exciting fun-filled Christmas of her imagination, you know?
Dog Lamp: Come on. This is adorable. Maybe it bridges the gap between “office supplies” and “toys”?
Sherpa Jacket: Another Carla wish list item. Maybe my niece needs one too?
Flannel Pajamas: Carla has a pair of jammies from Abercrombie kids and she LOVES them. She could definitely do with another pair.
Sweaters: Like the request for Office Supplies, I have a feeling that Carla’s enthusiastic list of clothing items – like this and this – may result in disappointment rather than elation. Although that dino sweater is pretty amazing.
Sweatshirt: Speaking of clothing, one of the only things my husband requested for Christmas is – wait for it – a sweatshirt. Since there were so few things he asked for, I kind of feel locked in to buying him one, so I have been googling “best men’s sweatshirt” trying to get a hot tip. Anyway, GQ rated this sweatshirt as its Best Overall Hoodie, and it’s a decent price, so: sold.
Bamboo Jogger Pant: The “googling it” option is how I landed on these jogger pants which I got him for his birthday and which he loves. They are SO soft.
Fish Trivet: Has anyone in my life asked for a fish trivet? Does anyone need a fish trivet? Doesn’t matter; I want to buy (or own) this fish trivet.
Stars Hollow Long-Sleeved Tee: One of my friends is a TV aficionado and I always peruse the merch from her faves to see if I can find anything she needs to have. She might need this.
Stars Hollow Pajama Pants: Or THESE. Who would object to another pair of comfy jammies?
The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop: I did already get her this memoir by the inimitable Emily Gilmore, but maybe you or the GG fan in your life needs a copy?
Gilmore Girls Socks: Or how about these GG socks?
Arconia Mug: I am really leaning toward this Only Murders in the Building mug. Simple! Classic! Useful! And I like that you have to have watched the show to recognize what the Arconia is.
Tree Kit: How fun would it be to give (or receive) a tree?
Freezable Pint Glasses: My husband got me a set of these glasses last year for some holiday or other and I love them. They are perfect for summer nights. My brother needs these, I think.
Freezable Wine Glasses: I also have a set of these and love them as well. I have a friend who enjoys sitting outside on a summer night and she may find these under her tree.
LaNeige Icons: All the ladies on my list would love this. I would love it, myself.
Joke Writing Book: I think I have considered this for Carla before. I’m sure she would get a kick out of it.
Monster Mat: After many years, our original monster mat finally bit the dust, and we recently replaced it. How were we living without it?! This is THE BEST craft mat.
Bean Bag Chair: Carla has one in her room and I keep promising (threatening?) to get her another one. I think my niece would love this too.
Low Light Duo: Houseplants are a perennial item on my wish list. Our house, however, has kind of a light problem. We get very little direct light. But this low-light duo would be perfect.
Bookends: My husband and I just got a new book shelf with open edges, so we are now on the hunt for great bookends. I want them to be minimalist and/or beautiful. These are good on the minimalist end of things.
Plant Stand: Most of my plants are just crowded together on the floor. They can barely see out the window! A plant stand would fix that problem.
Sous Vide: Jen raved about this sous vide a long, long time ago and I have had it in my Amazon cart ever since… and yet even on sale ($119 down from $199!), it feels like too extravagant a gift to buy for myself. But it would be a PERFECT gift for someone to buy for me.
Coffee Subscription: It’s been a long time since I’ve gifted my husband a coffee subscription and maybe it’s time to do it again.
Croissant Stuffie: Carla loves croissants, she loves stuffed animals; why not join these two loves into one adorable gift?
Croissant Stuffie with Moustache: Or what about a croissant stuffie that’s also demonstrably French? (His name is Monsieur Croissant, omg.)
Croissant Throw Pillow: This throw pillow is not quite as cute as the anthropomorphic stuffies, but it is a much better price range AND it’s enormous.
Fancy Teaspoons: For those of us experiencing Spoon Drift, perhaps these would be a wonderful addition to the cutlery drawer.
Gentle Pressure Sleep Mask: I see that I included this on last year’s list and didn’t get one. I still feel like I could use it.
Kindle Remote Page Turner: This feels like kind of a silly/lazy thing to want, and yet I would LOVE it. I love my kindle, but I prefer to snuggle up with my hands under the covers and it’s a (teeny tiny) pain to uncover one hand to turn the page.
Fancy Jams: My husband loves jam and he loves food gifts. Bonne Maman does a gift box of little jars which would be super fun. Oooh I like the different flavors in this one. Apricot with jalapeno! Persimmon! Olallieberry! I have never even heard of an olallieberry. (Ah. I see. It is a kind of blackberry.)
Hamster Warmies: Carla recently made herself a little pillow filled with rice that she microwaves and snuggles with. I bet she would love a stuffed animal that she can warm and snuggle. The only question is, which critter would she like best?!
Fancy Chocolate: Sometimes, the best gift is edible and these truffles sound amazing. Hanukkah begins on Christmas evening, which means we’ll have one night of gift overlap. These menorah-printed chocolates would be so fun to give (or receive).
Chocolate Cake: I read rave reviews of Dandelion’s Tokyo gateau; this chocolate gateau Basque looks just as decadent.
Mouse and His Dog by Katherine Applegate: We got Carla the first Dogtown book last year, and she loved it. So I’m eager for her to read the next installment in the series.
Cloud Eau de Parfum: I am a little reluctant to spend $70 on a perfume that my kid may not like, or may love, in which case it will become our home’s signature scent for the foreseeable future. But I think she would love a perfume by Ariana Grande, and it’s a kind of fancy and mature gift for a kid who’s not really that into toys anymore…
Perfume Sampler: An alternative my husband and I discussed as an option for Carla is this perfume sampler, with a voucher to buy the one you like the most. We decided it could be very fun or very stinky. Maybe one of my sisters-in-law would like it instead?
Bread Bow: I am very intrigued by this knife.
Tomato Leaves Soap: Listen, in my opinion, this is a completely bonkers gift. It’s hand soap, for Pete’s sake, and it’s EIGHTY DOLLARS. I prefer my soaps on sale at Target, you know? And yet, ever since I read about this in one of the seven million gift guides I peruse this time of year, I cannot stop thinking about it. What if it is magical???
Wood Penguins: I am utterly enchanted by these penguins.
Avocado Vase: Carla asks me if we can try to grow an avocado every time one of us eats one. This pretty vase might inspire me to endure the rooting phase.
Book About Art: This book may be slightly on the young side for Carla, but it looks SO neat I might get it for her anyway. Maybe this How to Think and Draw Like an Artist Book would be more on Carla’s level?
Book That Takes Place in France: I want to build some happy anticipation for Carla in advance of our upcoming trip to Paris, and maybe a fun novel that takes place in Paris (or the surrounding areas) would be perfect, like The Time Traveling Fashionista at the Palace of Marie Antoinette by Bianca Turetsky? Or maybe The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette by Carolly Erickson would be better? We read a fictional diary of Eleanor of Aquitaine last year that Carla really enjoyed.
Ugg Boots: Ah yes. Everything old is new again, and Carla has been begging for her own pair of Uggs. I am always hesitant about spending money on trendy things, especially when she is sure to grow out of them in a year… so this might remain a wish.
Hanes Comfywear: Who doesn’t need a set of super comfy loungewear?
Squishmallows Mystery Pack: I don’t think Squismallows have remotely lost their allure for my tween. Maybe this would be a good “toy” to include alongside the clothes and makeup and books and other tween gifts?
Temporary Tattoo Markers: Carla is always drawing on her arms. It kind of drives me nuts, to be honest, but it’s not a battle I’m willing to wage. Maybe I should lean into the (temporary) body art craze?
Golden Girls Coasters: One of my best friends and I do a bit wherein she’s Blanche and I’m Dorothy and I really want to get her these coasters.
Golden Girls Tea Towels: Or maybe these tea towels would be more useful.
Sleuth & Solve: Science: This book looks fun and educational.
Mini Karaoke Machine: I love that this karaoke machine has TWO microphones. Sounds like it will be a hit at sleepovers.
Dog Walking Bag: Carla is desperate to have gear for her dog walking business. (A couple of neighbors have hired her to walk their dogs over the past several months.) Not sure if she would get a ton of use out of it, but she would LOVE to own one.
Balloon Animal Kit: Not that Carla needs a second business on top of her first (which already conflicts with the things *I* want her to do, like homework and chores and instrument practice), but this is such a cute and fun idea. I could see her making balloon animals for the birthday parties of the little kids on our street.
Pottery Kit: Oh my goodness would Carla love this. I don’t know if her craft room would survive, though, but perhaps that’s exactly what a craft room is for.
Sherpa Lined Gripper Booties: One of my family members has very cold feet and these seem like the exact kind of thing she’d use all the time.
Blanket / Throw: One of my gift recipients recently moved and I think this throw would go really well in the house. Or perhaps this plush blanket would work even better? It looks so soft! Oooooh… maybe I like this monogrammed throw best of all. If only this particular gift recipient were a Mariah Carey fan, because this blanket is fire.
Red String of Fate: Carla is considering this for some of her friends which I think is so sweet.
LaNeige Midnight Minis: I think this would be a great gift for Carla to get and divide up among her friends.
Marine Layer Saturday Pants: Not quite sure where I read about these pants, but I am eyeing them for my husband.
Smoothie Cup: One of the only things I could come up with for my own wish list was a cup from which I can drink smoothies. I have very specific criteria though. Must not be plastic, (I hate drinking from plastic), must be dishwasher safe, must have a lid, must not have a straw. I like this one because it’s ceramic, but it’s a little utilitarian. I like the look of this Stanley Pint Glass a lot (and maybe I have a teeny bit of Stanley FOMO?), but there’s no lid and I really only need a smoothie cup when I’m driving somewhere and can’t drink it out of a regular glass. Now this Kate Spade Tumbler is more like it! Super cute color options, lid, insulation. Hmmm. It’s hand-wash only, though… but maybe I could deal with that since I probably won’t use it all that often.
Ember Smart Mug: Because we are apparently both lacking in drinkware, one of the only things my husband requested for Christmas was the larger size Ember smart mug. He already has the 10-ounce version, which has lasted for years… but he needs a bigger cup of coffee, people. Can you blame him?
Paris Hilton Mug Warmer: I really wish I had someone to give this to. Somehow I don’t think my husband would appreciate it, but I feel like SOMEONE will.
Paris Hilton Pot Holders: THERE ARE ALSO POT HOLDERS.
Lay’s Ornament: Carla spotted this ornament in a store somewhere and fell in love with it; Lay’s are her favorite chips. Alas, I failed to buy it. But I can buy it for $28 on Etsy and I just may do so!
Skincare Set: The Bubble brand is all the rage among the sixth grade set. I could totally see Carla liking this set. Or this trial set of “super cuties.”
That’s all I have for you this year, Internet! As usual, making this list was super fun and wasted a ton of time that I could have spent DECIDING rather than DITHERING. But if you are still in the dither boat with me, hopefully this gave you a thing or two to add to your own cart.
My late husband had a whole closetful of gray sweatshirts like that. He loved the front pocket for carrying various construction stuff around! As a former French teacher, I’m all about the croissant theme. You will love the Parisian croissants; they are the best! (or used to be anyway) I would love someone to buy me some of those pjs; for some reason they are something I don’t replace and most of mine are decades old!
Great fun to look at everything!
Yes!!!! A croissant themed Christmas sounds pretty excellent, right?!
Some nice ideas here!
And I have the freezable glasses, they are fabulous.
Aren’t they great?! I love a nice frosty beer in the summer.
I can’t believe how long they keep the liquid cold. Perfect for hot thirsty days.
And I LOVE Quiddler!
Yay! It sounds really fun!
OMGOMGOMG SUZANNE! I AM going to be in Paris in 2025! We are going to Morocco and having a stop in Paris in late Sept/ early Oct!!!! WHAT IF WE WERE THERE AT THE SAME TIME (if only you knew how many typos there were in that sentence, so excited I cannot type). Probably Carla will be in school at that time though, but a gal can dream.
SO MANY THINGS HERE. Long Island Compromise was SUCH an amazing book and yes, you would REALLY have to know someone’s tastes prior to, um, gifting it.
The Golden Girls! I love that you’re identifying with Dorothy. I’ve always thought I was a Blanche but honestly I’m probably a Rose. “when I was a girl in St Olaf” By the way, I recently went to Golden Girls – The Laughs Continue at the community theatre with my girlfriends and it wasn’t until the show started that we all realized it was a drag show. And it was SO raunchy but not fun-raunchy, more like “cheap jokes about pearl necklaces” raunchy. Hilariously I don’t think anyone in the audience knew. We were the youngest by a couple of decades. So…that was interesting. Nothing at all in the promos indicated it as such, other than a “18+” rating, which I took to mean swearing.
If that daisy-print sweater was bigger and not cropped I would want it for myself! Also I have to say that sorry for the gendered comment here, but it is SO fun to buy little things for girls, and there is just not the equivalent for boys. I know, boys can like all those things too, but mine sure didn’t.
Oh, last thing (today is the day of epic Nicole commentary) those freezable wine glasses! I have Yeti insulated ones and I thought they would be great for white wine in the summer, but you know what, they are not great, Bob. They really don’t keep the wine cold and I need white wine to be ICE cold. And I don’t want to add ice. So those freezable glasses, I’m putting them on my birthday list for the guys. Thanks for the amazing ideas and pure joy this has brought me.
Oh wait, this is the last thing: your holiday card is sitting right here in a pile on the desk beside me. The Canada Post strike means I can neither send nor receive mail and believe you me, it’s causing me much sadness. Hope you like your card when you get it in summer of 2025! (it BETTER resolve before then, be better, Canada Post and striking employees, don’t you know I have holiday cards to send????)
I also love ice cold white wine!
Nicole, our holiday cards will reach each other at some point! If that point is March, so be it!
Why are we not planning on a joint Paris trip?!?!?!?!?!
Paris in 2025!! How exciting! That is my favorite city that I’ve visited. I’ve been there 3 times and could go back every year if I had the time… and didn’t have small children. Those French word clothes are so fun!
I DNF’d Long Island Compromise. I loved her last book but this book was a bridge too far for me. I am bummed that I ak too sensitive of a reader to enjoy it since you and Nicole both loved it! I mean when I blogged about DNF’ing it, my blog post got marked as sensitive content because I used an acronym to describe the section that pushed me over the edge (I think the youngest child… it was the hotel room activity). So as long as they are not like me (a bit of a prude), it could work as a gift!
We have those freezable wine glasses and they are the best. I only have 2 so should ask for more.
You come up with great gift lists! I don’t love other gift lists but I adore yours because you come up with clever and unique items across the budget spectrum. We get off quite easily as we don’t exchange gifts with many family members – really just the cousin drawing. And the nephews we drew mostly want gift cards! I am going to frame a photo of Paul and the cousin he drew because Paul just adores him and has since he was a baby so I figure his 16yo cousin will think it’s cute still to get a framed photo. I hope.
Aww thanks, Lisa! I love looking for gifts but boy do I panic when it comes time to BUY gifts. I kind of wish we could agree as a family to just do gifts for the kids. Since there are only two kids total, on both sides of the family, it would make things a LOT simpler.
I love Paris so much. I think my kid is going to ADORE it and I’m so excited to introduce her to such a fabulous city. P and W are going to be ready for international travel before you know it!
That bread knife intrigues me for The Husband…except he’s left handed and the description clearly says Suitable for Right Hand. 🙁 Maybe I’ll buy it and hope for the best?
I missed that it was right handed!!! Perhaps your husband has become so adept at using his right hand in a right-handed world that it will be easy for him?
I love your gift lists! I’ve gotten ideas from them in the past, and I may or may not have gotten myself a thing or two.
Thoughts:
My kid currently uses an old fanny pack for her dog supplies! (“Supplies” meaning dog food that manages to get all over our house.)
I have also been thinking nonstop about the dinosaur sweatshirt and the fish trivet. Who knew they would turn out to be so high on my WANT IT NOW list?!
We just started to think about gifts two days ago. Luckily we don’t have too many people to buy for and our kids are adults. Our son will just be getting money to go and buy some clothes for his trip to South Africa to meet his girlfriend’s extended family. His girlfriend told me she intends to take him shopping and make sure he has appropriate clothes that are not black so I said don’t go until after our early Christmas gathering (they and a few other’s of my family will be overseas Christmas Day) and we will give him some money. So that will not be hard. The girls are a bit hard to buy for. We usually give them a book but need to work out what else.
And I hve both of those low light plants and they are very easy to look after.
Can you get an unpainted or undecorated sign for Carla’s craft room that she can then finish? That seems like it would be up her alley.
I have been looking for The Perfect Bookends for myself for approximately 83 years and I have never found any. I am still using sad black standard office ones.
Get the sous vide. Do it.
Yes, croissant pillow. The French guy one.
Costco has/had a Bonne Maman pack of jams that I almost bought. I love those little jars of jam so.
I am also utterly enchanted by those penguins. I don’t think *I* want them. But I want SOMEONE to have them.
My sixteen year old teen still likes Squishmallows and so does every other kid I know.
Elizabeth had temporary tattoo markers and loved them and has since passed them on to Alex and she loves them. They aren’t as annoying as I expected.
I can make balloon animals (on an amateur level) and I call it my party trick and it is very fun to occasionally bust out. I did it at my BIL’s wedding and someone literally gasped in amazement. (They may have been quite drunk, it was still fun.)
Dorothy has 2 Uggs and she is getting 2 more for Xmas– they’re the very best for kids. So practical! So warm! No socks! Srsly– just buy them. (I make Minnie wear target knock offs t preschool because that’s the place everything gets ruined, but she also has them).
Noah and I watch Only Murders in the Building. I would buy him that mug but we have so many and he lives at home. I mean, I guess he’ll move out someday and need his own mugs…
Meanwhile the Stars Hollow clothes are tempting for North.
What a great list!! You have so many wonderful ideas here! I love office supplies, and as a kid, I would’ve been delighted with pens, desk organizers, and THE DOG LAMP! Oh, I want one of those!! I also love the fish trivet and the croissant stuffies. And the burrito blanket! I need to go shopping!
This is a great, all-encompassing list. Curly is really into Gilmore Girls right now and it never occurred to me to get her GC gifts. She’s picked out her gifts (clothes), but I hope to have something that’ll surprise her. And, I ordered the card game before I got to the end of your post. I’m debating whether or not Mouse and His House is too young for Kay. Thanks for dithering. Much appreciated.
That’s so funny, because I was just wondering if you were going to do one of your famous gift guides this year! I love it!!! I wish our girls were the same age- my daughter is almost 16, and every time I read about what you’re thinking of getting Carla, I groan and think “Angie would have loved that A FEW YEARS AGO.” But it’s fun to read anyway. I love those Ember mugs- I want one for myself (as I get up again to put my tea in the microwave…)
I love this list! Amazing. I’m bookmarking this post for future reference, all these gloriously fun goodies and ideas will come in handy this coming week as I figure out gifts for everyone.
These are such good gift ideas! I love when you create these posts.
I’m deciding right now if I want to tell my husband to ignore everything I put on my holiday wish list and just buy me a neon sign. No, I don’t NEED it, but…
Your gift lists are the BEST. Thanks for spending all that time doing it, I got some fun ideas from you, as usual! 🙂
Suzanne! I keep reading your posts at work where I can’t comment and then forgetting to comment when I get home because, memory. I’m so happy the Quiddler thing is useful. I likewise took the dog lamp idea, which of course is not available from Canadian Amazon, but there is a balloon dog lamp that is just as cute that I’m getting for Angus for his quite spare new room or new desk at work, so thank-you!
I desperately want the Arconia mug now, or maybe to get it for Eve, although neither of us really has space for new mugs and I am bad at getting rid of older ones to make space. I just really love cute mugs.
I love that blue and gold stanley mug, although I am likewise annoyed by the lack of a lid. I have zero fomo about the regular ones, I think they’re ugly and look like they would hurt my hand to carry (no judgement for people who like them although that first part definitely sounds judgy – I’m just not cool and my aesthetic sensibility is weird).
Well obviously I am reading this way too late so …. sigh.
But you had some interesting ideas here.
I love the snowflake earrings – no surprise. I wore a snowflake necklace on Christmas Eve so…