‘All I want for Christmas is you’ sings Mariah Carey year in, year out. We respect her love of quality time together, but our own Christmas wish list is a bit longer. And if you’re not sure what to buy for your favourite woman? Kitchen utensils were once off-limits, but can now be approached with caution, as long as they’re unusual and amusing. Read our blog for these and other brilliant suggestions.
Unlike Mariah Carey’s minimalist approach, some women go to the other extreme. Eartha Kitt sings in ‘Santa Baby’ that she wants a cabriolet, a yacht and a fur coat from Father Christmas. We suggest a more measured position: a few original, top-quality presents.
- 1 Christmas bauble from Feinserie
- 2 Socks for chair legs from Side by Side
- 3 Decorative ants from Broste Copenhagen
- 4 Lamp and dish from Mejd Studio
- 5 Cake slice from Philippi
- 6 Wooden spoon stand from Monkey Business
- 7 Ceramic decorations from Onshus
- 8 Salt cellar and pepper pot from Toast Living
Take a second look
These gifts can be pressed into service straight away for your festive guests. They may also make people do a double take. Shoes on the table? Ants next to the cake? That doesn’t sound funny, or festive – but it is. Philippi’s wry high heel cake slice will not only delight footwear fans but also raise a smile more widely, and the delicate brass ants are welcome in the kitchen because they just sit pretty instead of crawling about. This salt cellar and pepper pot by Toast Living are shaped like stones, so stay incognito until you take a second look. These crazy chair leg socks from Studio taschide for Side by Side will certainly raise a smile; they seem to suggest that all legs need wrapping up in winter. The socks have built-in felt pads to protect your floor from scratches, so they’re practical despite looking frivolous.
A hand-blown glass bauble by Feinserie should go straight on the Christmas tree. But wait! On closer inspection, it contains a biscuit recipe: real eye candy. Ceramic decorations by Onshus are also at home on the best-dressed Christmas tree. They can be customised with patterns produced by threading through the small holes. Better than your average Christmas decoration, these will work all year round.
- 9 Notebook from Nuuna
- 10 Jewellery holder from Philippi
- 11 Room fragrance from Chando
- 12 Fountain pen from Meissen
- 13 Choker and earrings from Georg Jensen
- 14 Table lamp from Lladró
- 15 Bag from Aly Shea
- 16 Dish from Rosenthal
Brilliant prospects
Christmas is a time for shiny stuff – and that includes the presents. Meissen has made an artistically wrought fountain pen with 23-carat gold plating, which goes very nicely with the white shaft. For a pretty gift to pair it with, try this notebook by Nuuna bound in metallic artificial leather in which you can see own reflection. Spanish brand Lladró also employs this successful combo of cool white and warm gold in its table lamp with fine porcelain base. If you really can’t get enough of this combination, how about giving a room fragrance from Chando? The white flower in the golden bottle emits a lovely scent of peonies, even in the bleak midwinter.
If you’re not swept up in the gold rush, other good gifts are also available. Shining examples include Astrid Fog’s sterling silver choker and the clip-on drop earrings from the Archive Collection by Georg Jensen. These classic pieces have distinctive designs, both modern and ultimately timeless. The calfskin bag by Aly Shea will also delight lovers of silver and is certain to be a real talking point.
- 17 Boxes from House Doctor
- 18 Lamp from Vita Copenhagen
- 19 Candleholder from Applicata
- 20 Clock from Progetti
- 21 Tablet case from Aveva
- 22 Picture frame from Natalini
- 23 Mirror from Nude Glass
- 24 Coffee table from Serax
Sleek and lovely
If you want a gift for someone who can’t wait until the excesses of Christmas are over – and the Nativity scene, tree decorations and glitz are back in the loft – try these plain but lovely objects. This candleholder by Applicata might even escape being put in the loft once its advent wreath duty is done. The wooden dish could be filled with all sorts of items, and the number of small candleholders can be changed to suit the occasion. This is sure to become a firm year-round favourite. The clock by Progetti also has a winningly simple shape and avoids distracting details, using its material to particularly good effect. The small cuckoo sleeps at night thanks to a light sensor, so it won’t surprise Father Christmas on his rounds. Nude has a motto: simple is beautiful. We can see this reflected in their mirror-in-a-bottle with a smart wooden dish at its base. Aveva has made tablet cases that use just the beauty of nature. Each case is unique, made from recycled leaves; the cases are also water-repellent. These boxes by House Doctor are ideally suited to storage with style. Tidy away jewellery, documents and knickknacks, or even kitschy Christmas decorations! However, it would be a waste to put these beautifully coloured boxes out of sight.