Once in a column for this magazine, I included an embarrassing fact about my home life, which is that my husband and I hardly ever buy each other gifts. I did not understand that this was embarrassing beforehand. The commotion! You have no idea. Or at least, I had no idea, or else I would have had the wherewithal not to mention it.
It isn’t that we aren’t consumers. The house is full of terrific stuff—a standing order for coffee beans roasted in Sussex, linen sheets, those easy-on-the-eyes striped tissue box holders from Alice Palmer that we bought for every room, because someone here is always snotty. But shopping for the sake of the time of year is a fandango I would usually rather skip.
I’m glad I’m in the minority. A thoughtful gift can be a moving gesture. With that in mind, here is a guide for people after my own, tchotchke-avoidant heart.
1) Floks Wool Winter Duvet
Last winter we swapped our high tog featherdown duvet for a wool one and haven’t looked back. The weight of the wool is pleasantly heavy in comparison to down, and feels a lot more cosseting during January in our arctic, single-pane-window house. This particular brand, Floks, is made in the UK, sustainably produced, and organic.
2) Bold Bean Company Organic Starter Pack
My favourite weeknight supper is a thing I call “soupy beans,” which we eat with sourdough toast. There aren’t many ingredients: butter, garlic, onion, herbs, milk, maybe a parmesan rind or lemon zest, and white beans. With so few components, the quality counts, and these organic chickpeas and white beans (I use a mix of both) have more flavour than any tinned version I’ve tried.
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3) WNU Denim Shirt
I own two of this useful, hard-wearing denim shirt: one in my usual size to wear on its own, and one sized up to wear over a rollneck like a cardigan, in the style of a sitcom character from 1995. The fabric is heavy enough not to wrinkle and looks tidy whether its tucked or left flapping. Add to that: it’s comfortable, machine washable, and to my mind, appropriate in 90% of situations.
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4) A Stanley Thermos
I collect thermoses the way that other people go for wicker baskets. At no time of year do I not want a hot drink, and I like the self-sufficiency of carrying a filled thermos. When there is a new vessel on the market I’ll try it, but inevitably I come back to Stanley, because they simply keep tea hotter than any of the others.
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5) A Year of Cards from Scribble & Daub
If you’ve received a birthday card, a get-well-soon, or a Valentine from me in the past few years, it will have been written in a hand-illustrated card from Scribble & Daub, the small business owned by my friend, the artist and gardener Caroline Kent. Caroline has an eye for everyday irreverence that translates into beautiful, often botanical illustrations and generous messages. More than once when she has sent our family a card, I’ve framed it for the work of art that it is.
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6) Ottolenghi red wine
The secret superpower of this biodynamic red wine—a juicy, medium-bodied blend of pinot noir, zweigelt, and dornfelder that was produced in conjunction with the Krásná Hora winery in South Moravia—is its versatility. It will light up grilled vegetables and curries, pre-supper nibbles and braised chicken. An ideal all-rounder to hand over to a host when you’re on the doorstep.
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7) Vivobarefoot Tracker II Hiking Boots
When we moved to East Sussex in 2020, our rental house was crouched at the foot of the South Downs Way. Thrilled, I went out and sunk a pair of trainers in the chalky mud. A friend who had recently travelled to the Galapagos islands pointed me towards these flexible, lightweight hiking boots. They are comfortable enough to wear all day, and the tough, slim sole helps me feel the ground and stay balanced.
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8) Taschen books
These oversized, sumptuously produced books are conversation starters with hyper-specific subjects (hello, “World’s Greatest Sneaker Collectors”). Two to look out for: “Cyanotypes” by the 19th century botanical photographer Anna Atkins, the first woman to catalogue plant specimens using photography, and the evergreen bestseller, “The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries” by Massimo Listri.
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9) John Julian Mugs
After we were married nine years ago, my husband and I bought a lot of newly-wedded crockery from the ceramicist John Julian: cake stands, mixing bowls, pinch pots, and most of all, mugs. The Georgian-style simplicity of the designs is easy to blend with other patterns, and the sturdiness of the pieces means that they wear beautifully with use (six-times-a-day-use, in the case of the mugs).
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10) Skye McAlpine Tavola Bud Vases
When my friend the cookery writer Skye McAlpine started a tableware business, no one who knows her was surprised—Skye lays enchanting tables, which are colourful and celebratory but never fussy. These small, simple vases are hand blown in Murano and intended for short springs of flowers, so they add brightness without getting in the way of chatting.
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11) BZZWAX dinner candles
These great smelling candles are made in London with local beeswax. The ones I like best are the Very Thins—a romantic, sharply tapered candle that will zhuzh up any takeaway.
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12) Paxton & Whitfield Cheese Hamper
There is an outpost of Paxton & Whitfield near our house, and we will use any excuse to beetle over there. A good day? Stichelton and black pepper crackers. A bad day? Ditto plus port. Around Christmas, you can’t go wrong with the potted stilton, which comes in handsome jar you can use as a tooth mug after the cheese is gone.
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13) Navygrey oversized jumper
This second I’m wearing the above jumper in the colour “noisette,” which is no surprise, because I’ve pulled it on most days for the past month. It’s weighty and loose, neat enough to wear to lunch but soft enough for the sofa. And after heavy use, it isn’t pilling.
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14) Cocoa Chai from Chai by Mira
While my family and I were visiting friends in Somerset last spring, I came across this small batch “Cocoa Chai” in the At the Chapel café in Bruton. I was floored by it—spicy, not too sweet, and comforting. It’s been a staple in our cupboard ever since.
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