In December, thinking about gift-giving usually oscillates between two extremes: panic-driven last-minute shopping and the overthought hunt for objects that are supposedly “full of meaning.” This list doesn’t want to belong to either category. The selection features design objects that survive festive décor, don’t require an emotional instruction manual, and have a good chance of still being exactly where we intended them to be come January.
A small piece of unsolicited advice for the final pre-Christmas sprint: no matter how tight the timing is, don’t buy something just because it’s there and you want to be done with the task already. Focus on objects that the recipient will enjoy looking at or using throughout the rest of the year—rather than relegating them to the highest, ladder-only-reachable shelf of the kitchen cabinet, only to sell them on Marketplace about two years later. This doesn’t even require knowing their deepest thoughts or secret desires: the key is to choose high-quality, carefully designed pieces with a strong sense of character. Where can you find such things? I’m glad you asked—because here comes another trailer-load of wonderful objects from my imaginary collection.
MiniCity Wrapping Paper, Dénes Sátor
Outer appearance and inner value, right? Honestly, I’d gladly accept a pack of tissues too, if it were wrapped in this cool, panel-building-patterned paper.
Snakes and Ladders, Wirth Abigail
This ceramic heart makes me think of motherhood compressed into a Polly Pocket: moving along stairs and slides between the washing machine, the crib, the playground, the cute angel and the screaming dragon—all day, every day, with no particular end goal. More of Abigail’s works can be found at the Ani Molnár Gallery.
Christmas Ornaments, BalazsBotos Ceramic & Design
These handcrafted porcelain ornaments are exactly the kind of pieces that even the next generation will appreciate. Their classic elegance and impeccable quality ensure that they’ll celebrate Christmas with us for many years to come.
Furniture can’t be missing from a list of durable, high-quality objects either. This coffee table made of travertine limestone will almost certainly serve its owner cheerfully for a lifetime. Ida Stone’s pieces pair this hard, heavy material with just the right amount of elegance—because that’s where good design begins.
While gifting household appliances can sometimes be tricky—I would never buy a washing machine for a mother—a kettle can still be a safe choice, especially when it’s this funky. Alessi’s iconic piece is both functional and full of character: the kind of object you don’t put away, but leave out on the counter.
It’s a given that an interior can never be complete without artworks on the walls—but I’d take it a step further. In my view, reaching 100% also requires objects beyond prints and paintings. The Polish brand Zieta’s air-inflated metal pieces resemble droplets of mercury: they reflect and respond to their surroundings at the same time. Their organic surface becomes a focal point in any space.
What Great Paintings Say: Masterpieces in Detail, Taschen
A book is always a no-brainer gift idea—and choosing a beautiful coffee table book even spares us the risk of missing the recipient’s literary taste. This hefty volume draws attention to the tiniest details of both famous and lesser-known paintings, providing a solid foundation in art history that allows us to confidently form our own interpretations of any artwork.
When it comes to tea mugs, bigger is definitely better for me. The Dragon Mega Mug is bold, a little wild, and very lovable—the kind of object you grow attached to, and that no one else is allowed to use.