#40 Elise's Holiday 2022 Gift Guide
you've been asking for this to come back for years so I finally did it
I’m gonna be honest, these are such a pain to make. But I love you guys and a gift guide was highly requested, so consider this my gift to you! 🤲🏻
When I finished compiling these links, I realized they are not organized and in no particular order, because wake up sheeple!!! I’m not doing the full job of gift-giving for you! So no “for your girlfriend” and “for your grandma” categories. Put some thought and care into it! The best gifts are the most personal ones 💝
And you better write an accompanying card (the best part imo).
Elise’s Holiday 2022 Gift Guide
Boricha Tea Soap
I believe I found this brand through @empschultz! I am a big fan of bar soap (let’s talk about this) and I am a big fan of Boricha (Korean barley tea), so I can only imagine this soap is amazing. Also look how pretty it is! This site also has a lot of great incense, candles, and other accessories.
MUBI GO
They should be paying me for how much I talk about them. For $10/month, you get to go see a curated movie A WEEK and get the full MUBI streaming services. I love this subscription because 1. a movie ticket these days is more than $10, 2. you get the streaming service, 3. the movie is picked for you (they give you multiple show times) so you can watch something you wouldn’t normally pick, and 4. I’ve gotten to see movies at so many cool theaters I probably would not have gone to otherwise. It’s a nice mix of indie films and the big movies that screen everywhere. It’s currently available in NYC, LA, Chicago, Denver, Portland, Seattle, the UK, Ireland, and India. Gift this to your ✨cinephile✨ friend.
Decorative Figurines
Do you ever see something so cute online but it’s only for decor-purposes so you can’t really justify it? Here are some cute lil figures I’ve found that could be soooo adorable on a bookshelf or something:
swan girl
weird piggy bank
um a Soviet cat???
lil clown salt cellar
russian sables (bc of my favorite animal, @russian_sable on IG)
An old/vintage version of something they like
Like an old printing of a book they like or old band memorabilia or film thing.
A lot of towels
You know that one Brandon Wardell bit where he talks about going to the apartment of a guy who owns one towel, and he’s like “If you want to take a shower, that’s the towel. If you spill something, that’s the towel. If you wash your hands, that’s the towel.” So the easiest way to elevate your living space is to have an abundance of clean towels lmao. I can’t remember where I found these, but upon my research they’re supposed to be the best. I hate hate HATE when towels shed, and these do not do that. I’m also over the crazy patterns and textures. Thick, fluffy hotel/spa towels are it! Maybe gifting someone towels is a little weird…so maybe this is a gift to yourself.
Puffy Silver Heart Necklace
Every cool girly has or wants this<3
Vintage Desk Calendar
This one’s admittedly a little self indulgent because I asked for one for my birthday and I received it lol. But it is so satisfying changing the little dial every day! There this cute French(?) one, this one that I have, this globe one, or this cylindrical one.
Taper Candles
Very 😇🙏🏻, you know?
Hexagonal Beeswax Taper Candles
Hand-painted Floral Taper Candles
Hand-dipped Taper Candles
Chanel Baume Essentiel
The best highlight. Looks good on everyone. Look like a glazed donut<3
A Rug from Turkish Rug Empire
Everyone has been asking where my rug is from and it’s from here! And it comes to you sooo fast. How do you gift someone a rug? idk
Oishii Strawberries
This is the second time I’m sharing these and I’m begging for someone to try them so I don’t have to. Omg imagine you brought these to a holiday party.
MALIN+GOETZ Eucalyptus Deodorant
I know other things I put on or in my body are killing me but deodorant is for some reason a non-negotiable for me. This is my favorite nat deo (that’s short for natural deodorant) and look it’s on sale! Ok maybe also a strange gift but like the right person will appreciate it!
Weird gifts (possibly a nice white elephant situation???)
Spaghetti Fork
Goop apron
Silly Goose shirt (ok this one isn’t particularly nice)
goose socks
more goose socks
Danish wood bird
olive pillow
fried egg print
out of place glass
oyster bottle opener
orange surprise ball
Goldfish pillow lolllll
New Yorker Birthday Cover
You can look up and somehow print (idk I haven’t gotten this far) what the New Yorker cover was on your birthday. Mine is these lobsters sitting around a table. Print and frame as a gift! Ok maybe this is more suited towards a birthday gift or anniversary gift but ok whatever.
Stack Magazines Subscription
I’m always talking about this!!! A new independent magazine delivered to you every month.
A Psychic Reading
OK STAY WITH ME. Last year in LA my friend and I happened to walk into this sweet spiritual shop called Liberate Emporium (in Los Feliz) and we both got very insane 15 minute readings from this gal Sol (scroll to book with her). I like…had to take a walk after (and it was on the side of a busy ass road bc we were in LA duh). I think a reading would make a really fun gift for a believer or a skeptic!!! OK DO NOT CLOSE THIS WINDOW, I’ve gotten lots of psychic readings (lol whole other story) and this is one of the good ones! Happy to tell you about my reading if you’re curious… You can book remote readings or if you live in LA, call the shop to see when she’s in.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise Cancelling headphones
A few weeks ago I asked my Instagram followers what their favorite over-ear headphones were, and it was tied between these and the Apple Airpod Max headphones. They are now on sale and the cheapest they’ve ever been!
Frank O’Hara-inspired print
Inspired by his sweet poem A True Account of Talking to the Sun at Fire Island. The Paris Review site also make art prints of the new issues, and I think it would be sweet if you got someone the actual issue+corresponding print as a gift.
Ami Colé Lip Treatment Oil
Hunter Harris says this is the best lipgloss/lip oil and I will believe anything she says… These colors will look good on anyone and are v hydrating and never sticky! Also comes in this little trio of colors that I may or may not have bought for myself 👀
Cute tableware
I’m obsessed with the shape of the Felt+Fat bowls and mugs!!
Bummer Wines Wine Club Subscription
Bummer Wines is a Chicago-based wine club I interviewed a while back (here!). If you are local to Chicago this would be a very fun gift! They also have some great merch.
OFFHOURS Homecoat
Another day one recommendation that I cannot justify buying for myself but I can absolutely recommend it to you. Imagine lounging in a duvet cover but being able to use your limbs.
An Escape Room
LOL if you know me in real life you’re rolling your eyes right now because I cannot stop talking about the one escape room I [barely] participated in. If you don’t know what an escape room is (how could you not know) you’re put in this interactive themed room where you have 60 minutes to find clues to let you out of the room. Might I recommend the train one… These ones are in NYC but surely every city has these.
Sheertex (tights that aren’t supposed to rip)
I was soooo skeptical when I heard about these last year. HOW would tights not rip AND you’re going to charge me $60??? It took a sale, a recommendation from a friend, and the incessant OOH ads all over the city to convince me to buy these, and honestly they’re pretty great. Will they rip eventually, yes probably, but they 100000% will last longer than any other pair of tights. They’re not as sheer as I’d like but definitely not opaque. The sale price is still a little steep but I think worth! Gift these to your friend who is always wearing (and ripping) their tights! Ok now I sound like The Strategist goodbye.
Mulberry Silk Eye Mask
If you live in a city and don’t own blackout curtains, then you know it does not get dark. This eye mask (oh look, it’s also on sale) is the best one I’ve ever had. It’s so soft and not constricting on your head while you sleep.
Mulberry Silk Pillow Case
Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is good for your hair and also feels so ~luxe~ A good companion to the above rec.
Aēsop products
A claaaassic classy gift. Their hand balm and hand wash never fail. And now they have incense???? I am foaming at the mouth.
Apartamento magazine subscription
Everyone’s favorite magazine. Comes out to about $66 for a year.
A vintage watch
Like this one, or this one, or this one, or this one,
Vintage match strikers
In the way that you get those weird cardboard beer coasters at bars, these vintage match strikers would have lil advertisements or the establishment’s name on them.
here’s one
this is a fake, new one but cute lol
also new
vintage one
another vintage one
tall boi
and another vintage one
in the same vein, Vintage match holders
Here’s a porcelain one
an enamel one 🥺
a cast iron one???
this one with a wood top
A Class from Index Space
I’m currently taking The Launch (shoutout Olivia–ur the best! & go check out her gift guide that is way less capitalistic than mine<3) and it is truly the most fun and wholesome and inspiring two hours of my Tuesday evenings. Some are more technical, but there is this one called How to Give a Gift (lol what a coincidence) that I am intrigued by (and it’s very affordable!). I guess that one would be an early holiday gift or maybe you could take it yourself to help you prepare.
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Ok I also did not organize these links for you because there are so many and I was lazy.
Lucky for you, I sent this before Black Friday deals are over. You are obligated to notify me if you buy something from this list. Happy shopping and happy holidays from twenty three tabs<3