88 *NICHE* Gift Ideas for Very Particular People
8 hyperspecific guides for the hotel snob, the ultimate hostess, the voracious reader, the frequent flyer, the Francophile and more!!
Hi, friends!
At nearly this exact time last year, I sent out my first-ever gift guide. There were about half as many of you subscribed (!!), and I had no idea what I was doing on ShopMy yet. But a year later, I’ve gotten a whole lot better at sourcing links and even more strict in my curation—of course, a skill powered by my obsession with romanticizing even the littlest things…right down to the kitchen gloves we’re wearing to do dishes and the touch-up mirrors thrown in our handbags. I’ve learned that having gifting as a love language is something I can share with you to help alleviate the stress that can often accompany tracking down the perfect thing to give your very discerning family member / partner / friend / colleague / crush / neighbor (etc., etc.!!), and nothing makes me happier.
So, today’s roundup of eight distinct gift guides prioritizes smart, investment-worthy pieces that’ll satisfy the frequent flyer, star reader, epicurian, and the person in your life who, like me, adores New York, France, and Italy. Oh, and a damn good hotel…because hotel merch just might be at the top of my gifting food chain! Now GIRD YOUR LOINS, fire up your Rakuten Chrome extension (if you aren’t getting cash back on your shopping, whaaaat are you doing, babe??), settle in for a session where you forget what the world looked like before Shop Pay was integrated across the internet.
💸 Aaaaaand as a disclaimer, today’s post—as my shopping sections always do!—includes affiliate links. These little babes help me continually reinvest in making The Sunday Series better. I make a small commission when readers click and shop through my links at no additional cost to you—so if you found something through a link I sourced, please do consider purchasing through that link so I’m credited! Speaking of, I’ve been using the ShopMy platform for a year now, and I love it. Want to start making commission on the links YOU share? Sign up with my referral link for a 10% bonus on your fist six months of linking.
And as ever, this issue is too long for email (brevity has never been my strongest suit), so it’s best you read on Substack, where I’d be forever grateful if you engaged with this by ‘hearting’ it or sharing with a friend x
As an index to stay organized, here’s a recap of the categories we’ll be covering today:
GUIFT GUIDE for Santa, from (and for) me.
GUIFT GUIDE for the ultimate hostess
GUIFT GUIDE for the one who has a Goodreads goal
GUIFT GUIDE for the one who’s tracking for Delta Diamond status
GUIFT GUIDE for the hotel snob
GUIFT GUIDE for the one who says ‘ciao’ unironically
GUIFT GUIDE for the Francophile
GUIFT GUIDE for the New Yorker at heart
So, basically, I created this category for my family to shamelessly shop my links. I was raised in a household where we sent our lists to avoid disappointment on the holidays, and honestly, it’s a great policy IMO. Mine this year is very reflective of where I’m at in my life, craving cozy and comforting rituals and upgrading basics, like my desire to swap out my old shi*ty straightener for the Dyson and my Nutribullet to a Vitamix. Can you blame me?
Frēda Salvador | Elba Penny Loafers in Hickory Embossed Croc
Coyuchi | Cloud Brushed Organic Flannel Duvet Cover in Fawn Herringbone
I pride myself on being a thoughtful host, so this category is a mix of things I own and love and things that I think would really uplevel any gathering. Sabre cutlery is top of my personal wishlist, as is an ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchenaid. We got my mom the Coravin wine opener a few years ago and she still claims it was one of her fave gifts of all time…lets you have a glass of your ‘nice’ bottle without having to uncork it!!
It only seems obvious that gifts for the reader is my longest list of any category in my gift guides. I’m particularly enamoured with the customizable Library Card Charm Necklace and the Etsy finds, including Library Card Coasters and an Annotation Kit. As someone who always aims to have flowers in the house (reading ambiance is KEY!), the silk flowers are beyond intriguing.
Would be BIZZARE if I didn’t have a traveler-focused category, right? Of course, the item that I’ve likely influenced the most number of people in my life to buy is here: the AirFly Pro Bluetooth Transmitter. This device allows you to use your own headphones in flight! Game changer. Also, my exact Rimowa may be pricey, but she’s a true lifer (no really, you get a lifetime warranty).
This category was weirdly hard, because most hotels don’t sell their merch online (rightfully so, as it’s meant to be an IYKYK, aka if you stayed…you shopped), but here’s a roundup of some standouts. The GHT robe is beeeeyond (the kids’ ones? I cannot!) and I’m also weirdly obsessed with the Chateau Marmont key tassel. You’re welcome!
Palm Heights | Large Logo Beach Towel and Transparent Beach Bag
Slim Aarons| Framed Photo of Guests by the pool at the Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc, Antibes, France, 1976
Italy, Italy, Italy. She dominates our brains and feeds all summer, so why not incorporate her into your everyday life? This category is bursting with fun, from games like Italian Road Trip Monopoly and Backgammon to bringing the smells of Florence home.
Le DUH!!!! Way too many faves to count here, including OGs like the Guerlain Rouge G Customizable Lipstick Case to newcomers like the Hermès Eyelash Curler and my darling friend Meghan’s Demi-Sel Baseball Cap. Makes me crave a croissant, TBH.
Officine Universelle Buly | The Great Traveller’s Beauty Kit
Maison Francis Kurkdjian | Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait de Parfum
Guerlain | Rouge G Customizable Lipstick Case and Rouge G de Limited-Edition Lipstick Refill
Last but certainly not least, it wouldn’t be a guide curated by moi if we didn’t give some love to New York. Ultimately, I think some of the chicest gifts you can offer a New Yorker are museum memberships, but if you’re in the market for something more tangible, the New York or Nowhere Knicks Motto Hoodie or I Love New York Cocktail Napkins are both hits.
Thank you for reading! I hope this resource makes your holiday shopping all the more merry. If I missed a particular category of gifting that you’d like to see, please do let me know in the comments! xxKD