2021 Holiday Gift Guide

If he endured countless plays of Watermelon Sugar, if he offered to chaperone the Harry Styles concert even though he distinctly remembers when “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” came out and thinks rock and roll is dead—adore him with a classic Swiss-made dive watch gone Gucci-fied. With bees, stars, and the iconic house’s red-and-green signature, a glitzy update to the functional staple feels modern, fresh, a Sign of The Times.

The Sega Genesis arrived in North America in 1989—basically the midpoint of the millennial generation—but sales were sluggish until Sega developed a character to compete with Nintendo’s red-hatted plumber. Sonic saved Sega, and even if your cousin doesn’t venture beyond Call of Duty these days, surely they remember blowing into a Sonic the Hedgehog cartridge to clear the dust bunnies when the system glitched out.

Returning to work doesn’t have to mean returning to a paper bag lunch. Cheer up your boyfriend’s commute with the luxury upgrade.

There are no more rules when it comes to sneaker design. At this point, we’ve seen sneakers with built in safety whistles. Sneakers made for space travel. Quilted and crocheted sneakers. With so much innovation, sometimes it’s the steadfast brands that stand out most. Not only are Asics behind some of the most exciting footwear collaborations—see Kiko Kostadinov and Brain Dead—but their mainline is proving just as on-point. This season, Asics is lowkey the one to beat.

“No dream is ever just a dream,” said Tom Cruise, in the guise of Dr. Bill Harford. But let’s shed the subtext and apply this philosophy to something a little more palatable for general audiences: if you want something, you can probably have it! Here a silk bralette and these matching silk briefs in the color of cream, for whoever wants to look like they stepped out of their favorite late-90s erotic holiday thriller.

How do you reinvent a flower? Launched in 2014, the Moscow-based brand J.Kim draws from founder Jenia Kim’s Koryo-Saram lineage. Vintage Soviet textiles mix with Korean jacquard, creating patterns of petal-shaped cut-outs in skirts, tops, and jackets. As a member of the ethnic Koreans in the post-Soviet states community, Kim’s perspective is impactful, making her designs all the more covetable for that friend who is always the one to wear it first.

The hold “dewy” has on beauty trends isn’t loosening its grip any time soon. And no one knows that better than TikTok GRWM girls. A gorgeously packaged set of luminizing, cream-based gloss + color pots are the perfect gift to boost that “Clean Girl,” your-skin-but-better GRWM to new heights.

Tired of being coerced into camera time? Appease your sister with this dress to ensure she’ll be more than happy to keep the focus on herself.

Remember wristlets? Jam-packed with loose change, Starbucks loyalty cards, and three different shades of Lancôme Juicy Tubes, the miniature bag-on-a-bracelet followed us everywhere from fourth period to the photobooth at the mall. Now, lunch money is carried on Apple Pay and the club accepts cryptocurrency, but for those who still want their look to fit the part of going out, Balenciaga's got something for that.

This hat is less stressful than a family trip to Disneyland.

“I’m sorry—can you speak up a little louder? I just got back from the gym, and I’m using the Theragun you got me. Oh, yeah, I love it; it’s the best gift I got this year. It was a shoulders day, you know, and I can’t stop until my muscles are still vibrating after I’ve switched it off.”

Experiential gift giving can be an act of love. While online cooking classes or certificates to the spa might come to mind, we're looking to glassware designer Nathalie Schreckenberg for the gift and the experience that keeps on giving: handcrafted sculptural vases perfect for any number of flowers. For added inspiration, revisit Big Love Records founder Haruka Hirata's breathtaking arrangements.

In the last ten years standing desks have grown in popularity. Perhaps one day you pushed your chair back from your desk, stood up to have a stretch, and looked across the open-plan office to find your colleague standing up, tapping away at their keyboard. They were upright—and working. The above image is of a chair, designed by Virgil Abloh, with artwork from Francisco Gaspar that depicts a scene from the Portuguese Carnation Revolution. This chair is not built to support a human body. But because your coworker already uses a standing desk, this chair’s status as an art object will not be an issue.

Looking for the perfect little something for the person in your life who is down with basenotes and accords of the civet, musk, or aldehyde variety? Look no further. (But maybe keep your eyes open for a new dating app? )

Passport? Check. Watch? Check. Ticket? Check. Arriving at the airport four hours before the recommended check-in time? Check. For the family member who prefers their travel to come with schedules, lists, and other best laid plans, this Aesop Montreal City Set offers everything: a complete set of the finest skin and hair care products in TSA-approved sizes. Wash up before meeting in the lobby for complimentary breakfast.

A basketball is an obvious choice.

The Rick Owens look is many things, but “cuddly” is not an adjective typically assigned to the beloved brand. True devotees know, however, that nothing is as cozy as being swaddled in a head-to-toe-to-couch look. For the ultimate in relaxation, picture the lucky gift-getter lying back under this Black Down Blanket after a long hard day of Google Image searching Michele Lamy’s best looks.

Wall decor is great, but, as Ariel LeBeau puts it, "the statement rug redirects us to look down, ground ourselves, and find pleasure in stillness." Thanks to designer and multidisciplinary artist Sean Brown, Picasso fans can admire this rest-inspiring piece from right beneath their feet.

For nearly 60 years Japan-based Audio-Technica has been crafting some of the most beloved phonographic equipment in the world. The AT-LP120XUSB is the ideal gift for someone looking to upgrade their record player, or for the budding LP enthusiast who wants to start on the right track. A USB connection makes it simple to create digital files of your records—streaming services don’t have all the music in the world, especially if you’re a vintage R&B or house fanatic. Always keep a library of your own, and then share it with friends.

If their first draft is taking longer than expected—as it always does—it never hurts to procrastinate with a little salve-ation for those hard-working hands. There's no one cure for writer's block, but when it comes to keeping hydrated (and stimulating your senses with notes of basil, pink pepper, green, and gardenia), NONFICTION's got you covered.

Your sweet dog might be so smart—just look at that face, clearly a genius—but somehow she never can learn that condiments are not quite for puppies. If your dinner isn’t the kind that can turn into a real treat for your good girl, throw her this Yellow Baby Milo Mustard Pet Toy to chew on instead.