An Ambivalent Shopper’s Guide to Festive Gifting

My parents have been married for 43 years, but if one topic is destined to push them to the edge of divorce, it’s the holidays. Both grew up without much money, and though they’re now more comfortable, their response to scant childhood Christmases couldn’t be more different. My mother now lives to shop-shop-shop, while my dad prefers to live as frugally as possible.

Like a true triple-Libra, I have ended up somewhere in between the two. I like gifts, but I hate buying stuff for the sake of it. If you find yourself in a similar camp, avoid seasonal antipathy with this extremely curated list of treats.

An Industry Favourite

One of my first media bosses introduced me to Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, which she drank almost exclusively on her corporate card. It’s now my favourite Champagne, and I was tickled to see it appear multiple times in the most recent season of Industry as a signifier of Yasmin’s insatiable snobbery and good taste. On this one, she’s not wrong.

Pay It Forward

I was pretty ambivalent about the theater in my twenties and thus spent most of my time drinking elsewhere, but something clicked when I turned 30. I will now see (almost) anything and I (almost) never regret it. For 2025, I’m excited about the Broadway-bound Operation Mincemeat, the Olivier Award-winning musical about a WWII caper which received rave reviews during its London run, including from my snobbiest British friends. Tickets start at $49.

A No-Homework Reading List

A few years ago I watched an interview where Martin Amis said, “If a novel isn’t giving you a good time, in whatever way, throw it across the room.” (Fun fact: This is what Kingsley did when he encountered a character named after his son in Money). This was a revelation to my people-pleasing, homework-completing self, and in 2024 I only finished books that I actually liked. Three of the best for your gifting pleasure:

• I finally read Riders by Jilly Cooper in January and thus understood what all the Tatler girls (who I briefly shared an office with in 2017) were so obsessed by. (Buy on Barnes & Noble)
• In June, I read Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt. I still think about this book often. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and very special. (Buy on Bookshop.org)
• I started working on a new video series in September, One Nightstand, in which our guests share their four favourite books. Two of our first three subjects — Jenny Slate and Anna Marie Tendler — recommended The Hearing Trumpet by Leonora Carrington. It’s deliciously and perfectly weird. (Buy on Books A Million)

Sweater Weather

In September I was gifted a red brushed cashmere T-shirt from J Crew. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this item of clothing earns me at least three compliments every time I wear it. I recently bought a dark grey cardigan in the same fabric, and next I’d like to add the sweater. I will say that this material provokes a lot of unsolicited stroking — of your arm, your shoulder, your waist — so choose your occasion appropriately.

Sweater Weather: Cardigan Edition

Does Kristin Scott-Thomas wear cardigans? In my head she does, so I do too. Sezane has a lot of excellent ones, and the good thing about theirs is that they major in being comfortable and minor in being a little bit sexy. I like this one in navy.

Hydration Is Key

I am obsessed with this Chanel Lip Balm. It might be the first lip product I have ever used to completion. I currently use Chilling Pink, which basically comes out nude and glowing, but I’m eyeing the rest of their colours for 2025.

Flicks Galore

My hairdresser (Logan at FourteenJay in Tribeca; please don’t take all of her slots) recently helped me transition from years of so-long-I-can-hide-behind-it waves into a tidy little bob. My hair is naturally thick and curly, though I’ve recently found myself beset by some thinning. Logan showed me this device when I saw her over the summer, and the benefit/cost ratio with the use of heat is extremely good. Plus, it makes your hair really shiny and helps you do fun little flicks.

For Nights Out

I already own this Rixo bag in black. It’s rather small, but perfect for phone, keys, lipstick, and a card holder. The best part is the oval handle, which means it hangs on your wrist perfectly so you can hold a drink easily and not have to squish a clutch bag under your armpit. Perhaps I now need it in red to go with my very-black wardrobe?

When In Doubt...

There is nothing like the perfect pear of jeans. I started wearing Levi’s 501s this year and love them because the fabric is thick enough to look smart, even when I feel slouchy. Plus, the little kick out at the ankle makes me feel young again.