Gift Ideas from Friends of SB
Things to get your loved ones (or yourself!), brought to you by the influencers of my life.
Katharine’s 8 Solid Gifts:
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Heat in Hot Cherry
“A universally gorgeous lip gloss and the tingling sensation from the lip plumper is really fun.”
“I use this as a sugar bowl! Very cute on the countertop.”
“I got these for my mom so she can wear gripper socks around the house without looking like she escaped the psych ward.”
“I never thought I could feel this way about a vacuum. It’s on big big sale right now and using it feels like your house has a big zit and you are popping your house’s zit.”
“These stay up ALL day without having to hitch them up. Plus sizes in all colors!”
“One of the very few cat trees that is not hideous and actually adds to my décor.”
Orvis Monogrammed Memory Foam Dog Bed
“Perfect for dogs that like to stretch out in their sleep and provides orthopedic support!”
Jacquard Français Placemats in Multicolor
“These are so cute and colorful and they also make matching napkins! My mom is obsessed with this brand; They ship straight from France but the shipping is still really fast. And getting a package from France feels very glamorous.”
Allison’s 9 Solid Gifts:
Brooklyn Candle Studio Catskills Escapist Candle
“This hand-poured candle features three layers of scents, all transportive to the Catskill Mountains. Its burn time is up to 70 hours and you can repurpose the votive into a cocktail glass.”
CapaBunga Multi-Pocket Canvas Market Tote
“The CapaBunga market tote elicits “oohs” and “ahs” at the farmers’ market and the wine store. It has seven pockets, a key ring, and, best of all, a strap for fresh flowers!”
Jones Road Miracle balm in Dusty Rose
“The Jones Road Miracle Balm is a multi-purpose balm you can use on your cheeks, lips, and eyes. It provides moisture, color, and a dewy glow.”
“My work-from-home wardrobe includes these no-fuss fuzzy slippers, and yours should too.”
“This cephalopod-looking massager fills with hot water and is the answer to tech neck and period cramps. It’s made of porcelain, and glazed with crushed tourmaline crystal to deliver heat energy.”
“This Japanese green tea is roasted over charcoal, giving it a mellow, nutty flavor. These Kettl tea bags bring ease to tea preparation.”
“This Liberty London tape measurer brings joy to utility. It is compact and smooth and perfect for crafters.”
The Wandering Flock Hand-Dyed Yarn
“This hand-dyed yarn from a one-woman operation in Brooklyn is truly cosmic. The muted neons and pastels are stuff dreams are made of!”
“Stepping into BonBon, a Swedish candy store in New York, is like entering a Willy Wonka universe. The pretty pink boxes of confections make for the perfect gift for anyone with a sweet (or sour) tooth.”
Reina’s 7 Solid Gifts:
Prospect Coffee Roasters Sweet Spot Blend
“Waking up and making a fresh cuppa with my favorite locally roasted coffee is a crucial part of my daily routine.”
“I have to plug my latest book of poetry! The intention of all my poetry is to give hope and fortification. We all need to be spurred on and I think that’s what poetry does exactly when you need it.”
iLive Portable Cordless Massage Gun
“These things work! They release tension and stress in the body. I love using mine before bed.”
[Ed. Note: Katharine is getting a Theragun for her dad this Christmas.]
“A dad hat is the perfect way to push that hair wash another day! This one lets me rep my husband’s band.”
HOKA Challenger 6 Running Shoe
“Hoka running shoes are the most comfortable, supportive, quality running shoes I’ve ever worn.”
Atelier Saucier Reclaimed Linen Napkins
“There are so many reasons to use cloth napkins: they’re better for the environment and feel better on your face, but doesn’t hurt that they look chic too!”
“A candle elevates the ordinary and wakes up my senses. They are a mental health purchase for me!”
Fer’s 10 Solid Gifts:
“Your vinyl never sounded this good!”
Mission Workshop Spar Sling Pack
“Who says men can’t wear a purse?”
“Smooth rock solid bottom.”
Olympia Provisions Salami of the Month Club
“Like having your birthday 12 times a year.”
“Start your day right.”
“Happy feet!”
Mario Party™ Superstars for Nintendo Switch
“You, too, can be a superstar!”
MALIN+GOETZ Eucalyptus Deodorant
“Natural and aluminum-free for my sensitive armpits.”
Assos of Switzerland Equipe S9 Bib Shorts
“Your ass never felt this good!”
RCC 12-Month Cycling Membership
“It’s like riding a bike.”
Greg’s 4 Solid Gifts:
I’m a side sleeper with creaky knees and a tender spine, but I resisted buying a body pillow for ages, thinking it would be an admission of loneliness that would leave me marked for a lifetime of celibacy. Not so! But when SB and I moved in together—and later, when we were joined by our supremely snuggly dog, Pablo—things got much too crowded in the bed, and the body pillow didn’t make the cut. I still need some posture-aligning supports to sleep comfortably, but I make it work with a combination of standard pillows and oversize stuffed animals. This “huggable hog” is the perfect shape for nestling against one’s torso at night to prevent morning shoulder soreness, and doubles as a comfortable phone rest when taking a midday break to write a gift guide.
iOS Puzzle Games
I recently deleted all of my social media accounts (and so can you! A few months in, I don’t miss them at all). But I’m still addicted to my phone, and my App Store drug of choice is puzzle games. Here are my recommendations, all easy to send as digital gifts:
For the daydreamer: Gorogoa, a purely visual and comfortably challenging journey in the style of a wordless, magical, and pleasingly ominous children’s book.
For the surrealist: Monument Valley, a colorful, Escher-esque quest that once enjoyed a sales bump after appearing, incongruously, on the iPad of House of Cards protago-villain Frank Underwood. The show and its lead actor have both been cancelled for years now, but the game lives on (and even has a sequel, for those looking to get a head start on next year’s holiday shopping).
For the logician: Baba Is You, a lo-fi series of brain-twisters that falls somewhere between ontology and ActionScript. You are, at least at first, Baba: a crudely animated sheepoid trying to reach a simple goal. But you are also responsible for rewriting the rules of Baba’s hand-drawn world in order to get there.
For the recovering online dater: Reigns, a cheeky choose-your-own-medieval-adventure (not a puzzle) built entirely on swipe-left/swipe-right mechanics. Take a break from the paralyzing choices of modern mating and decide, for example, whether to risk an oligarchic coup d'état or “die alone, rotting in your bed.”
I spent years trying to find a bag that would allow me to safely carry my camera and quickly take it out when the moment struck—while also lugging around some daily essentials. SB saw me eyeing the 10L Everyday Sling in a camera store, but bought me the 6L instead—part of her mission to help me live more minimally. I take it with me everywhere.
Fortuny Cesendello Silk Yellow Ochre Lamp
If you’d told me in my college years that I’d one day be advocating for the purchase of orientalist luxury lighting, I’d have collapsed into my tattered armchair and rolled myself a cigarette to “soothe” my dissonant cognition. But growing less radical with time seems as inevitable as wrinkles, and sometimes all you can do is Be the change you want to see in
the worldyour living room. Now I relax under the soft glow of this gorgeous lamp, on unbroken furniture, with a Tobacco candle burning on the coffee table. It’s lovely.
Susan’s 10 Solid Gifts:
Norden Idyllwild Ceramic Candle
“Lovely soft smell.”
“A visit with a friend or family is sure to be a wonderful outing.”
“Creamy moisturizer for your lips 👄”
Marion-Bosser Premier Cru Brut Millésime Champagne
“The best for a special celebration.”
“Any little plant is a treat 🌵”
“Keeping clean.”
“Cheers to the holiday!”
Paulina’s 5 Solid Gifts: