Gift Guide, Part 1: Dads, Sisters-in-Law, and New Quar Romances

A Thing or Two with Claire and Erica

You have gift questions, and we have gift answers! Welcome to part one of our second-annual gift guide, where you’ll find so much cool stuff from small businesses (many run by women and BIPOC!), no Amazon links (but you do you), and thoughts on orgs to donate to, too. Part two is coming next week, and last year’s still-relevant installments are here and here. Now, hope you’re prepared for an outrageously long episode recap...

PARENTS!

My mom has requested “a new hobby” for Christmas which has sent me spinning. Any ideas? She’s very artsy and already gardens and writes fiction. Knitting hasn’t worked for her due to her arthritis, and she’s a lifelong hater of kitchen activities, most of the cute gifty hobby kits I’ve seen fall into those categories. Stumped!

• Joone Creative air-dry ceramics tiles kit
• Rose Pearlman punch needle hoop kit
• The Crafter’s Box arm-knitting workshop
• Melanie Abrantes Japanese bowl-carving kit

Fic & non-fic books that will nudge my parents to the left without them realizing it.

• What Unites Us by Dan Rather
• Evicted by Matthew Desmond
• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
• Good Talk by Mira Jacob

I need gift ideas for my almost 60-year-old, tech-y, suburban dad. Hasn’t finished reading the books he got for Father’s Day but he loves history. Does a lot of biking on his indoor trainer. He has an Apple Watch but we aren’t allowed to get him AirPods because my mom thinks he’ll accidentally put them through the laundry. He likes food/eating/cooking but had a heart attack 3 years ago so we’re not allowed to do fun things (unless they’re low sodium/cholesterol). Usually I try to find an activity (movie, bike, ride to brewery, etc.) but covid makes that hard. So many restrictions!!

• Claire puts her airpods through the laundry all the time and they still work! (Mostly.) But for an alt: Rapha x Bang & Olufsen earphones (made for indoor training—bigger than Airpods).
• Subscription to the Peloton app to use with his bike (you don’t need the Peloton bike!)
• Smart/wake-up clock: Philips SmartSleep, Loftie
• Beer-plus-history book: Pilsner: How the Beer of Kings Changed the World
• MasterClass: Doris Kearns Goodwin teaches "U.S. Presidential History and Leadership"

Mom and her husband who just bought a new cottage and are DIY fixing it up. The kitchen and garden are especially yucky!

• Online landscaping-design apps like Yardzen or Tilly Design
• Gardening stuff: Floral Society, Floret, and Father Rabbit
• Tools: MoMA Design Store Rainbow Multi-tool set, FIXR tool, and Bosch Blaze laser measurer
• Birdhouse: Andreu Carulla's Bird and Breakfast, Amish cottage
• Coffee-table books: The Gardens of Bunny Mellon and More than Just a House by Alex Eagle
• Donation to Habitat for Humanity

My Jewish parents who are IMPOSSIBLE to shop for and trying to stop eating sugar.

• Popcorn seasoning set: The Spice House or Oaktown Spice Shop
• Engraved Masala Dabba from Diaspora Co.
• Cookbook: Sweet Laurel or Ottolenghi Flavor
• Miznon Israeli falafel or lamb kebab kits
• Chefanie Oy Vey cocktail napkins
• Russ & Daughters tote, tee, hat...in R&D wrapping paper!

My crunchy fire-fighting dog lady MIL.

• Bon Temps tea
• Simpli quinoa
• Soapwalla tasting menu gift set
• Sashiko mending kit
• Ace & Jig x Project Thrive scrap coaster set
• Recreation Center dog bowl
• Donation to BARC Shelter in Brooklyn or her local animal shelter (many have wish lists where you can send dog food, etc!)

Stepmom: hates being cold. She’s always cold. But is entertaining outside now in CA.

• Hot water bottle: Amara sheepskin and Chickpea knit
• Something for cooking warm entertaining food/drink outside: Boska mini raclette cheese melter and grill, Royal Rose hot toddy mixers, or FLÎKR Fire personal concrete fireplace
• Flamingo Estate candles—scents like Roma heirloom tomato

SISTERS-IN-LAW!

My sister-in-law is a chic New Yorker and I live in Missoula, Montana. I am a needs-based gifter and she is very much a wants-based gifter. I love to cook, she dabbles in cooking (she’s dairy free) and I think she finds me kind of quaint for my homey ways. She is (and strongly identifies) as an Aries. She is a platinum-rewards-level business traveler and boss babe entrepreneur in the music industry. We get along great, but we literally could not be more different and I am ALWAYS stuck on gifts for her. This year I already gave her a gorgeous coffee table book of NYC night photography that I feel pretty good about, but I need a lifetime stockpile of ideas. Budget is $50- $100

• Hermès lipstick
• A pretty colored glass thing with utility: a couple Estelle wine glasses, Maison Balzac glasses, carafe, or pitcher, and Laurence Brabant A La Pointe Candle Holder
• Anything from Casa Shop—some is new, some is vintage, and it’s all very good.
• Beklina cashmere petite scarves
• Esker Beauty plantable candle

My very chic sister-in-law who lives in a shoebox in Paris and will need to clear TSA

• Alex Prager playing cards
• Glass oil/vinegar decanter: Gary Bodker or Stover Glass
• Me Issey Miyake Trunk Pleats Bag
• Gilded marble body brush (there’s a mini too!), Kate McLeod body stone
• Antipast gloves
• Fancy fashion socks: Darner, Comme Si, and Hansel from Basel

Sister in law who loves to cook. $50 and under

• Iris Hantverk dough scraper
• Visual measuring cups
• Bamboo steamer + chopsticks + Wing on Wo spoons and chopstick rests (or Pearl River Market)
• Trivets: Hawkins cork and Il Buco salvaged antique tile
• Home Cooking podcast sweatshirt
• Short Stack editions
• Colorful pasta from Pastificio del Colle
• Fog Linen oven mitt
• Donation to Soul Fire Farm or The Okra Project

HUSBANDS, BOYFRIENDS, AND OTHER UNDEFINED MEN!

A dude who I’ve been seeing since early October. We’re exclusive but not serious….helllp

• Slippers: Vince suede and shearling, Yoko Wool
• Cool lighter (and possibly candle—Norden??): Tetra slide lighter or Tsubota Pearl tortoise lighter
• Nice bottle o’ booze—the one a shelf or two above what he buys himself
• A game for two that you can learn to play together: dominos from Printworks, Wolfum, or Fredricks & Mae; 2-in-1 chess/checkers Set from Ridley’s or MoMA
• D.S. & Durga auto fragrance set

Fiance! Together 8 years, postponed wedding. Xmas AND his bday SAME WEEK!

• A piece of art—maybe decide to pick it out together for Xmas (and then you only have to shop for his bday): Picture Room or Absolut Art
• You could even reach out to an artist you like on IG and ask about commissions!
• Custom neon sign with something you two say or your initials : Yellowpop or Brite Lite
• Something sentimental framed via The Heirloomist

A 35-year-old man who loves sports, his dog, his Jeep, the Cubs and classic music.

• Yeti cooler
• Vintage Cubs something—glasses, mug, etc.
• Vintage Jeep sign from eBay
• Dog bed: Dusen Dusen or Found My Animal
• Studio Proba x Slash Objects pet mat
• NES Classic Edition

A 37-year-old suburban dad who misses dance parties and loves the Book Review

• Pop-Up Magazine membership
• Books Are Magic subscription
• MasterClass on dance music with EDM DJ Armin van Buren
• Turntable and mixer

FRIENDS!

My long-distance bestie and I turned 30 this year and we’d originally planned on going on a trip together and getting welded gold bracelets as some grown-up version of friendship bracelets. However, THESE TIMES(™). So now she’s moving from Toronto (same country) to New Zealand (different hemisphere! Different continent!). We thought we’d do some sort of big co-gift! Pertinent details for your brainstorming pleasure: She’s a Capricorn (reluctantly) and I’m an extremely Pisces Pisces (love 2 cry). Budget is up to $200ish. Needs to be mildly packable considering she has to get it to NZ somehow along with the rest of her earthly possessions. Needs to ship to Canada. LOVE YOU!

• Fancy pair of stud earrings—you each take one. Or singles of White/Space birthstone studs.
• Catbird smallest love letter charm or tiniest key charm that you can get engraved
• Some sort of art/print: Tappan and Uprise Art

Group text friends

• A little food thing: Rice & Miso Everyday soup ball things (if in Brooklyn!); Copper Cow Coffee Vietnamese-style pour-over, Kusmi Tea set with 12 diff flavors, or Sakara popcorn trio
• A mask or mask chain that’s a little more *special*: Lizzie Fortunato, Diarrablu, Injuri, Baggu
• Porcelain fortune cookies that you can slip a fortune/wish for them for 2021 into
• An ornament related to an inside joke
• Three Potato Four key tags, specifically the "thank you for being a friend" one
• Rattan pop socket
• Sage bundle
• Verloop pom ribbed slippers

GRAB BAG!!!

My great-grandma who lives across the country and has never met my baby, because COVID

• Calendar with pics of your baby: Artifact Uprising brass easel and Parabo Press classic desk cal
• Locket with pic of your baby: Catbird (can be engraved!)

People whose hobbies are “going for walks in the neighborhood.”

• Fanny pack: Tory Sport color-block, Baggu, or Beklina ribbed leather
• Hiking/all-weather boots: Bernardo Winnie
• Puffer scarf: Echo, Eileen Fisher, or Patagonia NanoPuff Scarf
• Audio subscriptions: Libro.fm or Audm

Someone who hates things/prefers experiences, but with Covid it’s hard to experience!

• Online cooking class: Sonoko Sakai, Goldbelly Live! Cook-Alongs, League of Kitchens, Momofuku, and Ole & Obrigado.
• Things to enjoy the experience of winter: Yaktrax, Crescent Moon eva foam snowshoes, or cross-country ski lessons
• Dipsea subscription
• Bokksu Japanese snack subscription
• Merch from favorite restaurant/hotel/place they’ve traveled to
• Games: Ridley’s Card Games, Actually Curious, Lacorsa Grand Prix Board Game, Maharam Memory Game, or Helvetiq Matchmaster or SixStix

You know what else makes a great gift—a digital stocking stuffer, if you will? A sub to Secret Menu.

Do you have other ideas and just thoughts in general to share? Hit us up at 833-632-5463, [e-mail], and/or @athingortwohq.

On 12/21, we’re going to be talking about the romance novel Reckless by Selena Montgomery (aka Stacey Abrams). Join us for a read-along!

Look no further than Sakara for some hearty, healthy deliciousness. 20% off your first order with the code ATHINGORTWO.

Explore b.serene’s handmade crystal jewelry, and get 15% off your first order with the code ATHINGORTWO.

YAY.

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