Just Get Them the Fancy Version of the Thing
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You don’t always have to be too creative with your gifts. As long as it’spractical, you know your receiver will put it to use, whether that’s something as basic as coffee or a pair of gloves. Choose something a little more elevated than the usual suspects and your gift will be remembered for years to come. Below, I’ve gathered some of the nicest versions of the most tried-and-true gifts, things that your recipient will appreciate for their utility and the pleasure that they bring. For more gift ideas, be sure to check out our extensiveholiday-gift-guide hub. (And for some truly nice things, here’s my roundup of thebest gifts for the most discerning person in your life.)
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Once you’ve tried Davek’s umbrellas, you really can’t go back to using anything else.Our top pick for best umbrella, the Davek Elite has a top-grain leather-covered curved handle, a satisfying one-touch button to open, and a 50-inch canopy.
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Of all thehair brushesI’ve owned over my lifetime, this one is hands down the best — better than the Mason Pearson brush. (For context, I have long, thick hair.) I have yet to try theY.S. Park brush, though.
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Sure, they might already have a $30 cast-iron pan, but ahigh-end onelike this made-in-Wisconsin version from Yeti can be a joy to use.
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Autumn Sonata’s vintage-inspired patterns are always so surprising, and the Agnes print on this hand towel is no exception.
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A hand-blown universal wineglass from Zalto, the gold standard in glassware — and ourbest-in-class pick.
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Fancytea, specifically the “French Blue” Earl Grey from French teahouse Mariage Frères (which actressIsabelle Huppert can’t live without).
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Here’s a handsome copper tea kettle from British maker Simplex to go with the Earl Grey.
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For thematchadrinker, consider this gift sampler from Rocky’s Matcha that includes a single cultivar asahi from award-winning producer Kiyoharu Tsuji in Uji, Japan.
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And some specialtycoffeefrom Onyx Coffee Lab out of Northwest Arkansas.
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If they don’t have counter space for a proper espresso machine, the stovetop Mk.2 from 9Barista is the next-best option. It was designed by a jet engineer and uses a twin-boiler system, where one boiler sets the brewing pressure and the other regulates the brewing temperature, resulting in what they company calls a real crema-topped espresso. (I tried the previous version, the Mk.1, and was impressed by the coffee as well as the mechanics of the maker.)
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A bottle ofolive oilis always a welcome gift, especially if it’s from a small-batch producer, like chef Massimo Bottura’s Villa Manodori line.
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Skip the grocery-store panettone and get this one from Lower East Side eateryUna Pizza Napoletana. Like its pizza dough, this panettone is fermented and naturally leavened. It’s made exclusively for the restaurant in Verona, Italy.
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You can’t get more decadent than cashmeresocksmeant for sleep.
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And as far as throw blankets go, you might as well as splurge on a double-faced cashmere one from Sferra.
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For the baby, a made-in-Germany merino-wool fleece blanket.
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This is theblack T-shirtthatSusan Orleanhas been buying for decades.
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And for the men, theGerman heavyweight white T-shirtworn by Jeremy Allen White’s character inThe Bear.
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According to Kaitlin Phillips’sGift GuideSubstack, Yaser Shaw’s pashminas are the scarves of choice for a certain subset of women in fashion.
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These shearling-lined mittens will keep fingers toastier than your standard pair of leather gloves.
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Upgrade theirMoleskinewith a croc-embossed leather weekly agenda from Smythson. This one comes with a metal slide to keep it closed when not in use.
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The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
