You guys! It’s almost here! He’s almost here! With his boots and his belt and his boxes of toys! In just one week he’ll be squeezing down your chimney to rob you of cookies.
…Santa.
Have you been too busy working/playing with sparkly ribbons/shopping for yourself/eating cookies to get your actual holiday shopping done? I mean I totally haven’t been doing those things. I just thought that, you know, maybe you have. Lucky for me — I mean you, definitely you, because I totally have all of my gift shopping done and I also definitely didn’t not clean all the dishes in my sink this morning — Emily is here.
You may have heard of my sister Emily. She is younger than I am, yes, but she is a sultan of style, a colossus of class, and the best goddamn gift giver I know. As her older sister, I find this both endearing and irritating. There’s no denying Emily’s gift for giving, and it would be a shame not to share her top last-minute gifty picks with you. So, here they are! Miss Emily’s top six giftable gifts this holiday season (not including that gorgeous and snappy Salty Rosemary Toffee Crunch, above):
1. Slate Cheese Board ($40 from ShopTerrain)
These are made in Brooklyn, so you know they’re, like, totally rad. What a gorgeous way to serve cheese! Wrap up a hunk of salty Manchego or a wheel of Cowgirl Creamery’s rich and tangy Mt. Tam (one of my personal favorites!) to go alongside this beauty for one amazing/cheesy gift.
2. Hand-Assembled Mulling Spices & A Bottle of Red Wine
A booze gift. Obviously. Let’s DIY this one! The folks over at Refinery29 can show us how. You’ll likely have most of these spices on hand, and can choose any bottle of red wine (best choices are Cabernet, Merlot or Chianti) to suit your price point. You’re so thoughtful and crafty!
(Other boozy gift ideas: homemade cranberry syrup & a bottle of tequila for “merry margaritas,” or a great bottle of prosecco & a jar of freshly squeezed OJ for Christmas morning mimosas. Yes!)
3. Foiled Dot Napkins ($24 for a set of 4 from Anthropologie)
I love, love, love these linens. Playful and richly colored, they’re a fun and simple way to spice up the dinner table, or to turn a basket of muffins into the absolute cutest basket of muffins. Throw in a pretty mug or some fun coasters to round out this girly gift.
4. Truffle Salts ($28 for a jar of white truffle, $30 for black truffle from Dean & Deluca)
Whoa. You’re so fancy! It’s time to get all umami on someone. This is a solid gift for the person who has everything. It feels delightfully indulgent, but can be used to liven up the simplest of snacks, like buttered popcorn or softly scrambled eggs. In fact, if you want to go the high/low route, wrap up a box of humble microwave popcorn to pair with this decadently truffled treasure.
5. Kate Spade Small Square Studs ($38 from Kate Spade)
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These little gems look like gumdrops, are under $40 and, according to Emily, showcase THE color of 2013 (emerald green). They’re cute and on trend! And they’d look pretty perfect with this scarf. Just saying.
6. Marrakkech Tea Tins ($11.95 per tin at Teavana)
For the cozy home-brewer in your life – these beautiful tins can be used to store fragrant loose tea or fresh coffee beans! This tea blend looks particularly delightful and relaxing. And if it’s java your giftee prefers, you can’t go wrong with a pound of beans from San Francisco’s hottest coffee establishment, Blue Bottle Coffee – try their Bella Donovan blend.
So there you have it! Six nifty gift ideas (seven, if you include the homemade toffee!) for the last-minute holiday shopper. Which is definitely not me.
…Except it’s maybe me. Oops. Thanks, Emily, and happy gifting, all!