Alessi Colo-alto Salad Serving Set
I’m super into this serving set and kept giving it as a gift so I eventually bought myself a set. They’re such beautiful shapes and a good weight and vaguely art deco in a Poirot sort of way.
Strudel, Noodles & Dumplings by Anja Dunk
My vote for the best-looking cookbook of 2018, it is also super charming and I’ve liked what I’ve made from it—it is a cool little world.
The Nordic Baking Book by Magnus Nilsson
Really epic Nordic baking book covering basically everything. It feels like part cookbook and part travel journal. Bryan and I made a vow that we would visit all of the Nordic nations and this is inspiring us to plan our next trip. Also, I am into the photography.
A really great product from a really great company. Support businesses like Sana’s! You can make some Turmeric Millet-Nola with it and give that as gifts.
I was feeling a little spendy when I bought this, and like all of Aesop’s products it is an extravagance, but it is a beautiful object and a handsome way to diffuse fragrance.
Make fun of me all you want, my friends certainly do, but I love my selfie stick. We bought it for our trip to Iceland because we knew we’d be all alone in nature with nobody to snap our pics. This particular model (which I highly recommend!) transforms into a tripod and has a remote. It leads to even better photos for you to post on Instagram. Who cares what people think!
LA’s Gjusta is the most beautiful place to eat (my kingdom for one of their baklava croissants!) and last year they opened a little shop next door where you can buy things like these quality linen napkins.
Every yearly trip to IKEA I seem to find one thing I am excited about and recently it was this footed ceramic bowl (or SJÄLVSTÄNDIG, as they call it). I like it for chips or bread but it also looks cool just hanging out.
The best thing I read all year—an instant favorite. It is even better than Conversations with Friends which I didn’t think possible. Rooney is such a talent and I think about Connell and Marianne, the two central characters of this book, all of the time. This isn’t out in the US until April so you’ll need to order from the UK, making this a very special gift indeed.
Fancy aprons are kind of stupid but so am I so I bought this from one of my favorite British designers. I love it. It has a slick cut complete with an avant-garde pocket. I like to imagine that Nigel Slater also has one.
Talk about a unitasker! But I really love using this weird little device. The cut candle wick gets scooped up in the clever design and you can flick it in the garbage, saving your fingers from soot. The scissors are also satisfyingly goth. Though I guess so are sooty fingers. Your call.
Gardetto’s Party
A bag of Gardetto’s is the perfect gift for anyone. But the best gift is a family sized bag of Gardetto’s along with a bag of the rye chips (did you know they sell a bag of just the rye chips?!). Bust them both into a bowl and mix them up. The perfect proportions of the best snack mix are now yours!
This candle smells like you are using muscle cream near a bonfire, which basically summarizes my olfactory preferences. I’ll be burning this all winter.
Kelly says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 9:31 am
!!!!
Judi says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 9:42 am
Thank you for continuing the tradition of putting this gift list together so I can continue my tradition of buying everything for myself. :)
olga says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 9:54 am
Whaaaaaa, the IKEA bowl isn’t available online. Sadness! [pulls out a hankie]
Also, I’m super into that Aesop brass thingie, because Aesop just gets my aesthetic and also makes me spend LOTS of $. I’m really into their hair balm, because long, dry, jewish frizz needs love.
Ashley says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 11:00 am
wait every year for this! xx
kickpleat says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:09 pm
Best list always!! Thanks, Tim for making me want (and smell) all the things. I’m sad to note that the Gardetto’s aren’t available in Canada.
lis says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:20 pm
Even if your recipes weren’t delicious (which they are, I’m obsessed with your cranberry torte) I would read your posts purely for your commentary. We all contain multitudes and you put your multitudes in to entertaining and delightful text, which is a gift all its own. Thank you!
Lydia says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 2:46 pm
Your gift guides are always refreshingly interesting and not packed with a zillion disingenuous rStyle links. Thank you :)
Emily says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Love your gift guides and especially your talent for unearthing the best of what Ikea has to offer.
kelley says:
December 4th, 2018 at 10:08 am
this is the only necessary list. I had a dream last night that I was explaining to someone your favorite recipe (i.e. the gardetto’s combo), which is normal.
Maddie says:
December 4th, 2018 at 10:14 am
My favorite December tradition. Beautiful list, per usual.
catchicago says:
December 4th, 2018 at 3:10 pm
Cheers to the fine print (for once) and to you! Your posts never fail to inspire and entertain and your gift guide is always a favourite. I hope 2019 is good to you and yours! XXO
Erin says:
December 5th, 2018 at 1:41 pm
Yes, the fine print is the hit here. Captures the way I’m feeling perfectly :) Happy holidays!
Ben says:
December 5th, 2018 at 8:35 pm
OMG a selfie stick with a remote!
Rosie says:
December 6th, 2018 at 5:28 pm
I just want to say I love Lottie+Doof so much! I bake from it regularly and have learned so much from the site from reading it over the years. I think you have impeccable taste and you seem like a genuinely cool person IRL. Amazing gift guide as usual and I couldn’t agree more with the fine print. Merry Christmas to you and yours! x
Tim says:
December 10th, 2018 at 10:45 am
Thanks, all!
Ben- I KNOW
Rosie- You’re so nice! Thanks for taking the time to write.
Suzzanne says:
December 14th, 2018 at 1:45 pm
Ordered the selfie stick for my husband who has more cameras and gadgets than I have spice jars. Thanks for the suggestion and thanks for the playlist. Merry Christmas!
Tim says:
December 18th, 2018 at 2:38 pm
I so enjoy everything about this gift guide, especially the fine print! Any tips for those of us feeling overwhelmed about how to navigate the material world these days? I have a hard time figuring out what’s more expensive because the $ is actually going to materials and paying people who deserve it (yay) vs. luxury-marketing (barf).