The Gifts My Favorite Writers Want This Holiday Season
And what they're gifting.
More from Hung Up this week: Benny Blanco popped the question and I’m right and I know it!!!!
Are you sick of gift guides yet? Because I’m not. Something you might have noticed about me is that I am nosy. I’m always wondering who’s going to be there, what they’re wearing, what they did today, what time they’ll go to bed, who they’re seeing tomorrow. I have made peace with this — inasmuch as being professionally nosy, like turning my nosiness into a career, is “peace.”
I know what I’m buying (and hoping for!) this holiday season, but what about my brilliant friends, beloved mutuals, and gorgeous role models? What are they gifting, and what do they hope to receive? I asked a dozen or so friends for their selects. (And then at the very end … because I cannot help myself … 47 wedding guest dresses of various sizes and price points if that’s someone else’s nuptials are in store for you in 2025.)
Chris Gayomalli,
What I’m giving: A gift for anyone. “I'll be gifting bottles of Nazareth olive oil! More versatile than a bottle of wine, and this one's grown, harvested, and cold-pressed in Palestine. Great for salads and dipping bread.”
What I’d like: “Vintage Issey Miyake bandanas from Etsy. (It's winter and I'm trying to grow my hair out.)”
Sydney Gore, writer and editor at Architectural Digest
What I’m giving: “Lately I've been enjoying gifting a book paired with something grounding that lifts the spirit like a candle/incense/scented matches, a sampling of teas, or a bottled beverage. I make these selections specific to the person so it feels really unique to them; no one will ever receive the same book, especially if it's a rare copy that I found somewhere random like a flea market. There's A LOT of thought that goes into this level of curation! Here are few coffee table books I'd recommend this season: The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism, BLK MKT Vintage: Reclaiming Objects and Curiosities That Tell Black Stories, The House Book, The Dean and DeLuca Cookbook”
For the right person, a French rotating soap is an amazinggggg gift.
If you're ever feeling unsure, find out the recipient's favorite stores to shop and just buy them a gift card — this gesture may read as impersonal to some people, but it's actually a great way to support small businesses.”
What I’d like: “I have my own personal registry in a Google Doc, but for the sake of sparing your readers I'll go with a copy of 'The Power Look at Home: Decorating for Men' by Egon Von Fürstenberg. Otherwise, I'd really appreciate a restock of my favorite candle!”
Marlowe Granados,
What I’m giving: A gift for a best friend. “This is one of my signature scents and everyone compliments me (I mean EVERYONE), and they always want it for themselves.”
What I’d like: “I always want something very specific. I have to pause on housewares at the moment since I don’t know what country I plan on living in so I will always accept a handbag. I love Maryam’s stuff, so would like this HAND-bag.”
Akosua T. Adasi,
What I’m giving: “Charvet Slippers; I am just now realizing how difficult they are to find online and how pricey they are.”
What I’d like: “A pair of AirPod Max — I can't justify these because I've never had an amazing experience with noise-cancelling headphones but I have been sufficiently influenced to have asked for these for the last two years.”
Ezgi Eren,
What I’m giving: For anyone who loves movies and lives in/ is planning to visit Los Angeles. “I've been gifting Academy Museum memberships to my friends who love movies and it's been a hit every time. I've grown to really enjoy this museum with its thoughtful programming and gigantic screening rooms, and the more members I know the more likely I am to return. It's $100 for the whole year and in addition to all the nice perks you also get a very official thank you letter from Mr. Oscar himself!”
What I’d like: “A generous gift card to Sephora because there is apparently no limit to what I can spend in there.”
Joanna Goddard,
What I’m giving: “My twin sis has been looking for a toiletries kit for traveling and coming up short — everything is bland and dumb. then I saw this neon number at Clare V and knew it would make the perfect gift for her!” (Editors note: This has sold out, but I can vouch for this clear from Cadence! I’ll be gifting it this Christmas.)
What I’d like: “These silky pants — want to live in them this winter! they're like sweats but very sexy.”
Laura Jung,
What I’m giving: “A panettone from From Roy. Panettone is such a classic holiday staple for the dinner table but trust me when I say that you've never had panettone like this. Roy studied under the best pastry chefs around the world and perfected the art of making this Italian staple. He puts a creative, modern spin on the flavors and the result is literally insane. The pre-orders always sell out fast so get on it. She's pricy but truly the perfect gift for the family, for a crowd to all convivially enjoy something so delicious.”
What I’d like: “I've wanted a Mason Pearson brush foreverrrr but can't bite the bullet on the price but there is something so deeply self-loving and ritualistic about a luxury hairbrush. Even better if someone wants to engrave my initials on it!!!”
Marissa Mullen,
What I’m giving: “Can I plug my own merch? LOL. I've gifted this varsity sweatshirt to all of my cheese-loving friends. It's so comfortable and perfect cozy winter nights.”
What I’d like: “I'm a big fan of fragrances, and just learned that Le Labo has candles that smell divine. I love this candle trio set with three different scents.”
Brendon Holder,
What I’m giving: “Around this time of year, I always start to think about what I want for the next year. I'm greedy, I know. I'm a planner. A goal setter of Bree Van der Kamp variety and love to think about my wishes for the New Year well in advance of the ball drop. I encourage my friends to do the same. This is why I love giving Wish Cards. Not as a primary gift as that would be cheap but as an accouterment to something more significant. It's simple: each card has a candle stuck to it that you can light after writing out a wish. The design is chic and minimal and I like to fill them out with friends. It's the ritual of talking about what we want that is gratifying and I encourage folks to leave the cards out in a place they will see every day as a reminder of what they are wishing/working towards. Like Azealia Banks and Solange, I keep an altar. I've been known to be an advocate for wanting things this time of year. It sounds cheesy but I promise I'm being earnest.”
What I’d like: “This Martine Rose Black Crew Neck would make me the happiest boy in the world.”
Casey Lewis,
What I’m giving: “Last year I gave my husband a membership to Stranger Wines' wine club and it was such a hit that I'm going to give it to him again this year. I generally don't think you can go wrong with any local wine store's wine club, but Stranger's selection is super special, and they include really excellent tasting notes every month. I do feel like I need to acknowledge that while this is technically a gift for him, it's also very much a gift to myself since I get to drink the wine, too.”
What I’d like: “I first learned about Hanni's ‘The Fatty’ moisture stick from a Substack, but I can't tell you which Substack because it's since been mentioned in so many of them. Either way, I've been influenced! I hate putting body lotion on in the winter, because it makes me so cold, but I hate dry skin even more. I tried Kate McLeod's body stone, which is nice, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm rubbing a bar of soap on my body. I'm hoping this will be a more pleasant sensory experience.”
Soo-Young Kim Abrams, my favorite facialist in Manhattan
What I’m giving: “I'll be gifting fancy condiments and foods that people may not buy for themselves but will eat until the last drop because they're remarkably delicious: A spicy, crunchy, and highly addictive Indonesian topping that goes with everything. I honestly can't live without it! I discovered it at Big Night. My friend Cedar Pasori introduced me to this salty-sweet pistachio spread I like to drizzle on ice cream. The best dates in the entire world! Sweet, chewy, satisfying. My friend and food connoisseur Nicole Perry gifted me these once and I've kept a box in my pantry ever since. You can round this assortment out with a posh olive oil, tinned fish, or any other small-batch seasoning. It's thoughtful and curated enough for a close friend, and universal enough for anyone you need to gift.”
What I’d like: “This 14k gold ‘Wave’ ring by Jeannie Kim and more devices for my skincare practice SYK Skin ;)”
Madeline Hill, and
What I’m giving: “For your best friend! Your mom! Anyone who loved school supply shopping as a kid! The Louise Carmen Organizer. Was I hypnotized into purchasing this after watching the TikToks in French of the owner putting together these custom, leather-bound notebooks for months before deciding to pull the trigger? Not NO. I did a virtual consultation (embarrassing) to pick out the leather (red), my custom charm (a dog in honor of my dog, of course), and cord color to wrap around it (orange). The leather wears so beautifully over time and I feel like I've Jane Birkin-ified my own planner. It's the perfect, niche gift for that hyper-focused friend or family member in your life who already has EVERYTHING. Give them the gift of a chic, Parisian planner that is probably too expensive, but will look so good on their desk and impress their coworkers.
What I’d like: “I'm not a watch girl, but I would LOVE a vintage Cartier Santos. Trigger warning: They are NOT cheap, but we did say this was a gift you *actually* want, okay! I'm in my 30s now and I feel like I've entered the decade where I need a watch WATCH. One that I can look down at when I've checked in with the hostess at a restaurant for my 7:00pm reservation and it's 7:14pm and I haven't been seated yet. Time! Is! Money! Will I ever own this watch? Well, a girl can dream…”
Lily Sullivan,
What I’m giving: “My best friend and I are doing a little gift exchange and she is in the process of re-doing her apt with her boyfriend who just moved in. We are big wine drinkers and I love how sculptural these are!”
What I’d like: “Well, it should come as NO surprise that my answer is a gown. I was at an appointment at Vintage Grace—a chic studio run out of the owner's apartment. I tried on the most iconic Vivienne Tam 90s gown. Here she is on ebay.”
Yohana Desta, writer and filmmaker
What I’m giving: “This is for my sister, which also makes it a gift for me, because we share everything. (Except for the stuff I don't want to share, which is my legal right as an older sister.) There are two things that came out this year that seem like a natural pairing: 1) the Criterion box set of three films by Ousmane Sembène and 2) Amy Sall’s The African Gaze, a book about postcolonial African photography and cinema. (Sall is also a featured speaker on one of the special features in the Criterion box set!)”
What I’d like: “This Sewit Sium gold pendant, inspired by Eritrean culture. Sewit’s jewelry is beautiful (she makes those Harriet Tubman and Nefertiti pendants/rings that are everywhere). She let me borrow this piece for a short film I directed and I’ve been coveting it ever since.”
Emilia Petrarca,
What I’m giving: “Really good olive oil makes a really big difference, and it's not something everyone is willing to spend on. I like my gifts to have a personal element, and I spent a week in Sicily this fall learning about those little green jewels of the earth and how to turn them into liquid gold—and even picked them off the tree myself. I'm gifting everyone I love a bottle of freshly pressed Regaleali EVOO because it's from where I was, but any nice bottle will do. Try to avoid international shipping, but sometimes, it's worth it.”
What I’d like: “I'm still waiting for a man to buy me a bouquet of Lego roses (so that I can assemble them). I feel like this isn't something a 32-year-old woman can buy herself. Or, I would prefer not to.”
Me (Hunter) (Obviously)
What I’m giving: “Those Cadence parcels (toiletry bags)! A cashmere throw from Quince (surprisingly high quality), a View merch mug (Auntie and Uncle love The View), this gorgeous Alvin Ailey coffee table book. The limited edition Diptyque Friandise (Sweet Treat) candle. I picked up a Flamingo Estate Manuka Rich Cream — absolutely overpriced but a luxury I needed in a spiritual way — the other day and want to give one to another aunt. For the baby: These bones that Remy is obsessed with.”
What I’d like: “A Blu-Ray player. When I moved over the summer, my Apple TV and my Blu-Ray player mysteriously disappeared. Truly: I have no idea what happened to them. I got a new Apple TV almost immediately but I miss my Blu-Ray player and need a replacement! And, sure, I wouldn’t say no to a Studs gift card for one or two more ear piercings.”
More (46!) wedding guest dresses behind the paywall…
I didn’t include any Reformation dresses on my last list. They are perfect for weddings, which means at least two other guests will be wearing them. Here are some less Ref-looking options:
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