A selection of best holiday gifts 2022 for everyone on your list—from coveted Chanel body oil, cozy cashmere, and holiday-perfect PJs, to Otherland candles that smell like “Christmas in a jar,\” a bit of Gucci, some wine by Cameron Diaz and even a little Harry Styles—here’s what Vanity Fair staffers are giving and hoping to receive this season.
Radhika Jones, Editor-in-Chief
Giving: I love these plates from SONA, one of my favorite Indian restaurants in NYC; the fresh palm pattern makes me feel like I’m on vacation somewhere delightfully warm and verdant. So I am giving them to a lucky person on my list, because what better way to feel during the holidays? See also the adorable chutney pots.
Receiving: Mondrian’s colored squares make my heart race. I’ve never been able to explain or even fully understand my visceral affection for his work, but maybe if someone gives me this biography, I will finally be able to articulate it.
P.S. On my all-time wish list, if anyone wants to splurge: is this vintage Saint Laurent Mondrian shift dress.
Claire Howorth, Executive Editor
Giving: I’m just paying it forward. My bestie introduced me to this glorious emporium of bespoke home goods on my birthday, and the treasures bring so much pleasure! Great and varied price points for all levels of giving.
Receiving: Mirth pajamas are some of the best I’ve ever had, and I love their beautiful handwoven textiles, like this sweater that I flagged for Santa Claus.
Maggie Coughlan, Vanities Editor
Giving: Otherland’s Fallen Fir candle is like Christmas in a jar. It’s crisp scent will hang around the corners of your home long after it’s been extinguished and the packaging is so chic. More thoughtful than a bottle of wine, I recommend keeping a few on hand this time of year.
Receiving: It’s taken me years but I finally understand that investment pieces are for more than your wardrobe. I’ve got my eye on this classic Le Creuset skillet (in Artichoke) in hopes of forcing myself back into the kitchen after too many weeks spent at the bottom of takeout containers.
Daniel Kile, Deputy Editor
Giving: I love this lightweight aloe- and coffee-infused face and body serum so much, and I go through it so fast that I figured it was time to start giving some away.
Receiving: For a recent bathroom renovation, I selected In Common With’s playful Up-Down Ceramic Sconces (in tan and white). Now I want more. Custom-made to order, the Brooklyn-based lighting brand offers a variety of beautiful and whimsical styles—in a range of colors—to suit every design need. No doubt the Dome Table Lamp would be an extravagant gift to receive, but it doesn’t hurt to ask!
Morgan Evans, Commerce Editor
Giving: The holiday season comes with a lot of toasting. So why not gift the host or wine lover in your life something fabulous to do it with? Elevate your giftee’s holiday dinning (and drinking) experience with these sleek black Waterford crystal goblets, a moody chic take on Waterford’s classic Lismore patterned glassware. As someone who loves Waterford products and owns some of the more classic items, these black goblets are bit more elevated, chic and would add a sophisticated touch to anyone’s bar cart or kitchen accessories. Cheers!
Receiving: The mule and kitten heel renaissance have been a blessing for women everywhere thanks to the resurgence of 1990s and 2000s trends dominating the current fashion scene. So falling into the trends of slip-on and slingback style heels, these glittering Gucci shoes are on my wishlist this season. With sheer and see-through looks also taking center stage as of late, I love the combination of the shoe’s mesh and crystal detailing that is so feminine, yet sexy. Plus, a sparkling shoe always makes the best festive accessory to add to any holiday party look.
Laura Regensdorf, Beauty Director
Giving: The sparkling water maker in our household is functional, not cute: a plastic contraption best stowed under the counter. If it was the training wheels that got us hooked on bubbles over the past few years, the time has come to graduate to a big-kid bike. Aarke’s architectural version (in an array of finishes, from matte black to polished gunmetal) plays for keeps—a gift for one and all.
Receiving: My apartment is tote bag central, and I’ve been looking for a handsomer way to lug around my laptop and other sundries. I’ve long appreciated Building Block’s elemental designs (two L.A.–based sisters run the brand); ditto the website’s “With Age” series, which showcases interesting people (La Réunion’s Sarah Nsikak, food writer Betty Hallock) with their well-loved accessories in natural vegetable-tanned leather. This bag has all the day-to-day details—roomy straps, snap closure, interior pocket—plus a long, weathered future ahead.
Katey Rich, Awards and Audio Editor
Giving: My three-year-old loves drawing with sidewalk chalk in the street, which makes for an excellent way for me to catch up with neighbors. To keep the habit going, I’m bringing in these very cute donut-shaped chalks—two things kids love, together at last.
Receiving: I love a practical item that’s just luxurious enough to be gift-worthy, and Cuyana’s sustainability-focused line of basics (I already love their cotton robe) make every item feel like a splurge, even when they’re not.
Daisy Shaw-Ellis, Accessories Director
Giving: A friend gifted these to me last year and I plan on sharing this secret with others this year. They do exactly what you’d think they would: keep your wine ice-cold.
Receiving: The versatility of a trusty cardigan with the sweet personalization of my childrens’ initials is what I’m asking for this year.
Nicole Chapoteau, Fashion Director
Giving: Lorna Simpson has always been so inspiring to me, I hope this collection of her work will inspire its receiver this season.
Receiving: The combination represents both my daughters as we spend a lot of time collecting shells on the beach.
Delia Cai, Senior Vanities Correspondent
Giving: Try as I did to resist the twee-chic force of nature that is Audrey Gelman’s Six Bells shop, which opened in my old Brooklyn neighborhood this year, I failed utterly when it came to the grape soap. In terms of a pleasant visual, olfactory, AND tactile experience, the grape soap is the whole package, and it’s been my go-to gift for all kinds of occasions. No one *doesn’t* need a status soap in their live!
Receiving: I’ve had a destructive crush on The Arrivals outerwear for years—think leather jackets and puffers, rendered martian chic—and their latest fall line is no exception to reigniting my lust. This year, I have decided to set my heart on this fluffy shearling bag. You can’t tell me it won’t fix all of my problems.
Mark Alan Burger, Associate Manager, Social Media
Giving: What can’t Cameron Diaz do? Actor, two-time author, one of Charlie’s angels, an early adopter of the Prius, Princess Fiona, and, yes, winemaker. Avaline, Diaz’s clean-wine brand, has the ideal holiday set to help see you through the season. Bring a bottle to your next dinner party, make a toast to the new year, and pass me the simple and cozy mushroom crostini.
Receiving: Somewhere in the late 2010s I nabbed a sample size bottle of Celine’s Parade and I’ve kept it close ever since. The sweet, oaky blend is enchanting and rich, and I find it’s the perfect accessory for every kind of occasion. So perfect, in fact, that I’m running low and can’t bear to be without a proper refill.
Keziah Weir, Senior Editor
Giving: When purchasing for a condiment-lover (and really, who isn’t one), Onggi Ferments & Foods is my perfectly curated one-stop-shop for host gifts and stocking stuffers. This kombucha vinegar is as chic as the prettiest bottle of wine—but don’t stop there. Wild Maine Blueberry Sriracha? Black Sesame Crunchy Butter? Yes, please.
Receiving: As a recently transplanted Maine resident with one winter under my belt, I’ve learned the importance of proper outerwear. I’ve been eyeing this longline puffer from feather-free, B-Corp certified Save The Duck, with the lofty hope that it might enable beach walks (and seabird viewing!) even in the frigid doldrums of deep February.
Kia D. Goosby, Fashion Market Editor
Giving: My mother never makes a specific holiday request, but this time these loafers are on the top of her list. She said that when she was younger my grandmother gave her a pair. We love a spark of nostalgia.
Receiving: This season, I am dedicating my wish list to items for my apartment. I have been wanting an Akari light sculpture for quite sometime, but they sell out so fast. I hope this time I am lucky.
Jessica Neises, Assistant Fashion Editor
Giving: Silent Opus allows you to engrave and customize the stones on any piece of jewelry for someone special in your life.
Receiving: The perfect earring gift set to mix and match multiple combinations of earrings.
Daniela Tijerina, Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief
Giving: One of the best albums of the year, by one of the most talked about men of the year. Because what’s better than the gift of music? Pro tip: I’ll gift this alongside a personalized playlist for some added dazzle.
Receiving: \”Are you wearing the-\” \”The Chanel L’Huile Rose Body Oil? Yeah, I am.\” Why not combat dry skin this winter in the most luxurious and spa-like way possible.
Kase Wickman, Contributing Editor
Giving: I love a scented candle. Love! I have a closet full of chubby little pillars in jars, just waiting for me to enjoy the. But there’s something that just feels so grown-up about a taper candle, and an elevated take on them, like these Dusen Dusen sculpted tapers, seems like a foolproof host gift to have on hand. They’re so cool, but practical at the same time. They say, \”your dinner deserves a soft glow.\” They say, \”I think you’re classy.\” They say, \”I’m great at gift-giving.\” (\”I,\” in this case, meaning \”you.\”) I’ll be stocking up.
Receiving: When I moved into my house a few years ago, it was 50 shades of beige, a type of neutral with which my home decor taste clashes terribly. I’ve been slowly but surely turning up the volume on the color and whimsy in my home and embracing my maximalist tendencies, and these ornate, retro-tinged, footed gelato cups are nothing if not maximalist. I absolutely adore them, and they’d somehow make fussy little desserts taste even better, I have no doubt. (Especially if some generous gifter were to give me a few sets in mixed hues, hint hint.)
Kayla Holliday, Editorial Assistant
Giving: I’ve been living in these boots this season, so I know they will make for a great gift. As a New Yorker my boots must be made for walking. The Tania boot by Anine Bing has just enough heel to satiate my desire for a little pomp and circumstance in the everyday but is so comfortable that I can really cover some ground. Not to mention the squared toe, curved in construction of said Cuban heel and black stitching on black leather up the boot shaft—it’s all in the details!
Receiving: High shine was everywhere on the SS23 runways. Sequins, rhinestones, you name it—there was sparkle galore. I’ve been after the perfect way to channel this trend…then I found the Sparkle Pouchette bag by BruceGlen in silver (a color way designed exclusively for StitchFix). This bag is at the top of my wishlist this year. It’s an immaculate melding of elegance and streetwear, and the statement accessory I need going into the new year. Also, who doesn’t love a little twinkle under the tree?
Erin Vanderhoof, Staff Writer
Giving: For guys that gravitate to rock and roll T-shirts 24/7, a low-key and extremely comfortable cashmere sweater is a must have on the days when weather and circumstances demand something a bit more substantial.
Receiving: I’m a Southwestern girl, and the desert-inspired clean beauty line Athr is full of colors that remind me of the technicolor sunsets I loved growing up. There is no better gift for the makeup obsessed than a loaded eye palette, and this mineral-tone gem is perfect for the ethereal smoky eye I’ve gravitated to in my Midnights era.
Emily Kirkpatrick, Vanities Writer
Giving: I can’t explain it, but the moment I saw this manual kitchen timer, my iPhone’s timer was immediately obsolete. This is the only way I want to track the passing of time in my kitchen from now on, and I know it will be the only way my friends will want to too as soon as they lay their eyes on this chunky, colorblocked boy.
Receiving: I am obsessed with all things Lauren Manoogian. Her website is like a zen oasis of cashmere in a digital shopping desert. My only trick to making it through a harsh New England winter is to fully swaddle myself in the warmest items money can buy, and this sweater certainly fits the bill. Plus, it’s the closest I’m going to get to being able to wear my robe around outside 24/7 without getting any weird looks.
Kenzie Bryant, Staff Writer
Giving: Give a good oyster shucking knife to the shellfish lover in your life. This one is a collaboration between Duxbury, Massachusetts’s Island Creek Oysters and Ayers, Massachusetts’ R. Murphy Knives. The blade is stainless steel and the handle is made of recycled plastic. It’s easy to use and easy to clean, and you’ll be giving the gift of a party trick to the recipient. Everyone loves the oyster shucker! Add a dozen local oysters on ice alongside it and you’ve got appetizers.
Receiving: If someone wanted to be incredibly nice this holiday season, they’d look into Octave, a jewelry brand by the Brooklyn-based designer and maker Ope Omojola, on my behalf. The pair that I have my eye on is made of Mother of Pearl and Abalone, all materials that Omojola personally sourced and hand cut. So generously proportioned, such stunning colors!
Sara Marks, Director of Special Projects
Giving: Decorate your giftee’s home (or your own) this season with vintage-inspired Vanity Fair pieces. From a sleek notebook featuring a 1919 cover to a special portrait book celebrating a century of iconic V.F. images.
Receiving: It’s an always request—looks great and can fit however much you want!
Khoa Tran, Senior Designer
Giving: Want to slow down an impatient loved one? Or maybe boost their mood? These dahlia seeds might be a good source of therapy to start in late spring. The special thing about Dahlia seeds is that they will produce a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors. Every plant will bloom differently and that’s how flower breeders discovery new varieties. When there’s a variety that you love, you can dig up the tuber and plant it the next year. Also they’re edible flowers and make beautiful garnish in a salad.
Receiving: I will be celebrating Lunar New Year this coming January. In Vietnamese culture, it’s a tradition to wear new clothes during this spring festival because it symbolizes a fresh start for the new year. It’s always nice to receive new clothes on Christmas and wear them later during the Lunar New Year festival. On my wish list is this beautiful landscape printed silk shirt from Act N1. This luxurious flowy shirt with a pair of tailored trousers would be perfect!
Eric Miles, Visuals Editor
Giving: Colorful and fun, these Dusen Dusen for MoMA slippers are like little cozy down jackets for your feet.
Receiving: The Philosophy of Modern Song by Bob Dylan contains the iconic singer’s commentary analytical essays on more than 60 songs by other artist Dylan admired from Stephen Foster and Hank Williams to Nina Simone. The book is also an incredible visual treat.
Jaime Archer, Editorial Operations Manager
Giving: A holdout from my Seattle era, Pike Place’s Market Spice is still a favorite tea store, even if it means shipping cross-country now. Nothing beats sniffing straight out of the myriad glass jars, but ordering a pound of the Princess Grey tea is the next best thing: a classic, upgraded with rose petals and lavender.
Receiving: I’ve found myself in desperate need of an easy weekender bag that fits just enough but doesn’t require schlepping a wheeled suitcase up and down subway steps. Baggu’s version seems the perfect balance: massive, but still able to fold down and get thrown beneath my bed—and the pretty color doesn’t hurt either.
