
To find the more than one hundred gifts you’re about to encounter, we did not merely scan our favorite websites for new products or even just select some of the nicest things we’ve written about on the Strategist over the past year. We did those things, then dug deeper. A team of dedicated editors worked for months falling down dozens of rabbit holes to find gifts (most of which are new this year) that you likely won’t find recommended anywhere else.
Among other nutty tactics, we scanned every single account that a particularly stylish Danish e-commerce site follows on Instagram (then shopped on those stylish Danish sites), slunk around on the “Buy It for Life” sub-Reddit, and crept through various shops to sniff their new perfumes and glad-hand their potholders. Then we started whittling things down and debating among ourselves. Would anyone really pay $430 for that scarf? (No.) Is that pair of pants too specific or just specific enough? (The latter.) The result is a range of gifts for really and truly everyone, from Virgil Abloh-designed cutlery to an electric pick-up truck, as well as some ultralight running glasses (with titanium temple tips).
Don’t miss all of the Strategist’s holiday gift coverage right here. You can also see our picks for gifts under $50 and gifts under $200.
Rainbow Rings
Eight sterling-silver–and–enamel rings from New York–based jewelry designer Fry Powers.
Rainbow Ring
A dozen sapphires in nine-karat gold.
Goose-Down Neck Warmer
Not a life jacket, just the reassuring sensation of one.
Fort Greene Park Bench
A better personalized gift than an ironic Boat and Tote.
Perfect Jeans
Unisex, straight-legged, and super-super-stiff, by designer Celine Eriksen.
Raf Tote
From Raf Simons’s (unlikely) Shaker-inspired collection for Kvadrat.
Right-Now Throw
Triphonic Speaker
Audiophiles are all in a tizzy over the Syng Cell Alpha and its three-dimensional aural experience.
Neon Knit
Made with real shell buttons and available in some quieter colors, too (among them: oatmeal, heather gray, and black).
Affordable Tennis Bracelet
Made with lab-grown white sapphires.
Cheerful Dog Bed
From designer Alex Proba’s new collection of highly colorful cushions.
Hiking-esque Boots
Better Zoom Camera
A DSLR-quality webcam with a mic that filters out barking dogs.
More Than 200 Birdsongs
Twenty LPs of poems and songs featuring Tilda Swinton and Yo-Yo Ma.
Linen Set
Australian line Deiji Studios makes linen loungewear that can, in theory, be worn outside.
Not an Ottoman
But rather a “bottoman,” meant to be used as a footstool or seat, inspired by Klimt’s paintings of gardens.
Art Bag
Designed by artist Park Seo-Bo, based loosely on his 2016 Écriture series.
Ultralight Running Glasses
Tested by athletes for two years before production, these have titanium temple tips.
Salvaged-Fur Slippers
New Eames
Handmade Tote
There’s a zip top and two side pockets.
Perfect-Fit Earbuds
UE’s FitKit technology creates an impression of your ear canal for custom-fit headphones.
Lighter Case
Your lowly BIC can slip inside this heavy silver holder designed to resemble a shell.
Vacuum Hair Styler
The latest beauty tool from Shark.
Collectible Cutlery
One of Virgil Abloh’s final projects, a collaboration with Alessi; only 999 sets were created.
Controversial Cards
Magic: The Gathering’s 30th-anniversary pack is expensive but guarantees four rare cards.
Greige Birks
Instructive Place Mats
French designer Sarah Espeute uses a 19th-century embroidery machine with a crank to make these table linens.
Persimmon Cane Chair
Updated Nordicas
The 2023 model has a carbon-reinforced chassis, making it lighter without compromising stability.
Silent Yacht
A classic Hinckley Picnic Boat with a hybrid engine that makes absolutely no sound.
Enormous Dollhouse
Five feet wide with a TV over the hot tub (which incidentally fits four American Girl dolls at once).
Scandi-Style Dollhouse
Complete with three floors, a garage, and a modest front porch.
Opera Coat
Dainty Purse
Wrapped in silk and satin and handmade over the course of six hours by New York designer Camille Albertine.
TV Anywhere
The Viture glasses somehow create the appearance of a 120-inch screen in front of your eyes.
Sonos-Friendly Turntable
From Victrola, it allows you to stream records directly to your speakers.
Bigger Clogs
Thanks to Tommy Dorfman, Simon Miller’s best-selling Bubble Clog is now available up to size 45.
Austrian Cardigan
The alpaca wool warms you when you’re cold and becomes breathable once you start sweating.
Flashy Fender
The Meteora’s body shape is as eye-catching as it is ergonomic.
Affordable Le Corbusier
A weighted tabletop version of the architect’s Villa Savoye.
Quite the Bucket Hat
From Acne, in lilac with lamb shearling busting from the seams.
8 Beauty Treatments
The TheraFace comes with an LED blue-light-therapy ring, a microcurrent ring, and four other add-ons.
Gorp-y Apple Watch
The new Ultra model has a brighter display and a giant notched crown you can turn easily with gloves on
Saturday Night Mirror
Made from disco-ball mirrored discs and sized for a vanity or an entryway.
Not-Hideous High Chair
The Lalo chair you know in a new, limited-edition acorn finish from West Elm.
Soft Poplin Pajamas
That are still a little dressy, like all things Sid Mashburn.
Wraparound Suicokes
Secured with Velcro on either side of the foot.
Exceedingly Fresh Matcha
Shipped from Greenpoint within 24 hours of milling.
Devilish Carafe
From glassblowers-about-town Heven.
Just Chunky Enough Boots
Pull-on style, wide-calf friendly, and new from Swedish brand Vagabond.
Terra-cotta Menorah
Liz Lauter hand-sculpts her colorful, ornate menorahs in Marin County.
Gelato Spoons
In colorful Murano glass from Italian design studio Yali.
Regeneratively Grown Vegetables
Farm-to-table greens from Huron, Ohio.
Very Long Vest
Offhours’ first foray into clothing that can be worn outside the house.
Adult Beanbag Chair
Floyd’s Squishy Chair is made of recycled plastic and excess couch foam.
Bag of the Year
Go to any Chinatown gallery opening and you’ll see at least three of SC103’s linked-leather purses.
Bag of Yesteryear
A reissue of Marc Jacobs’s big-in-2008 Hillier Hobo for its 15th anniversary.
Cold-Weather Tent
Much roomier than other two-person tents, with a dome structure that quickly sheds rain and snow.
New Nii
Takeshi Nii’s rereleased Nychair X 80 has a higher seat than the classic Nychair X and a foldable backrest.
Vatican Exposé
242 glossy pages of popes.
Snow-Aged Strip Steak
From cows raised in Japan’s wintry Niigata Prefecture.
Cold Tub
Plunge obsessives say the practice helps with mental clarity, pain management, and weight control.
Hot Tub
This wood-burning bathing basin heats up in as little as 90 minutes with “just an armful of fallen limbs or brush.”
Fully Submersible Backpack
Can withstand a rainstorm or an accidental capsize.
Toteme Twofer
Jolie Laide Sneakers
The Defender’s sole was inspired by a tire.
Cloudy Watch
Grand Seiko’s latest attempts to re-create the blue-tinged clouds that form over Japan’s Shinshu Mountains.
Workout Box
Princess Ring
Look closely to see the cutout star refracting through the ultraviolet glass.
Long Dining Table
Designed by Copenhagen’s in-demand Theresa Rand with wood from a Croatian forest.
FDA-Approved Laser
A powerful cosmetic laser that can be used at home.
Mini-Hoop
Inspired by West 4th Street’s “Cage” and one of only 100 made, it’s ideal for hanging above a door.
TikTok Toaster
It revives croissants, makes a perfect grilled cheese, and rose to fame via Emily Mariko.
Going-Out Top
Embroidered with crystals, and the straps are adjustable.
Warm Bag
The padded Kassl Editions tote provides extra insulation when wrapped across your coat.
Very Fast Car
The 2023 Corvette has the highest horsepower on the market for a naturally aspirated engine.
Plug-in Pickup
Ford’s F-150 truck is entirely electric.
Handsome E-Bike
It goes 20 mph, has a removable battery, and features synthetic-leather handles and seat (unusual for bikes).
BMW Touring Bike
The handlebars can be raised should you want to stand while you ride.
Platinum Panther
Backup Power
BioLite’s latest offers ten outputs and can be recharged through solar power, the wall, or a car.
Unbreakable Drone
If it bumps into something, it will bounce back and keep flying.
Useful Pigeon
As spotted on SJP in the new season of And Just Like That … The actual bag is accessed by raising the right wing.
Batman Skate Deck
Designed by Iranian French artist Mélodie Hojabr Sadat.
Minus-13-Degrees Jacket
A well-insulated collaboration between Canadian coat-maker Kanuk and skate brand Dime.
Tuna Pillow
Made by Vancouver-based Planet Sun Studio with a hand-embroidered eye.
Functional Flats
Evidence of the Tory Burchaissance.
Knoll by Newson
The designer gave the task chair a new, cantilevered platform.
Velvet Opera Gloves
At checkout, indicate the custom color of your choice.
One-Touch Pour-Over
Impressive Keyboard
It’s like having three grand pianos in one.
Prefab Greenhouse
It comes fully assembled with two interior potting benches and plastic tabletops.
Pooch Gucci
A bouclé-wool dog sweater from Alessandro Michele’s first pet collection.
Flippable Side Table
From Hem’s Glyph collection designed by Kwangho Lee; it can be turned on any side.
Legs Table
This will memorialize what anyone’s bottom half currently looks like.
Mohair Sofa
Uruguay-born designers Emiliana Gonzalez and Jessie Young prefer to work in monochrome.
Puffy Backpack
Designed by Faye Toogood, better known for her chubby Roly-Poly chairs.
Bead Belt
Double wrapped, it’s a necklace.
New Haven Hoodie
The classic shaggy-dog sweater, now available with a hood.
Danish Ruffles
A pillow created by Copenhagen designer Cecilie Bahnsen for the shop-slash-gallery Studio X.
Gardening Ladder
Monty Don, host of Gardeners’ World on the BBC, is obsessed; the ten-foot version is ideal for “orchard work.”
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.