Originally Published: December 11, 2024
I secretly love gift guides. As I’m getting older and my bandwidth for coming up with original Christmas gift ideas shrinks (I did too much gifting in my twenties and now I’ve got *nothing*), I appreciate when people with taste curate a list of things worth looking into. Romilly Newman’s gift list is a lot of fun, and it follows the cardinal rule of gift guides: you need a theme. So here’s mine:
The Gift Guide for the Ambitious Person in Your Life
I. The ambitious person is always cold. I assume this is because their brain has redirected all blood meant to warm the extremities to their brain. Here are some of the things that keep me the warmest
- This sherpa-lined long puffer coat. I bought this after the first time I had to warm up my car in under 20 degree weather, and I simply shall never be cold again.
- Tea or coffee (duh). If you can get coffee from a local business, all the better. People balk at the idea of getting people consumables, but in a time when people prefer less stuff, I think consumables are not a bad idea.
- A good throw. Naadam has cashmere throws (Quince has some too) if that’s the vibe you’re going for. Rifle Paper Company has some beautiful fleece throws, including one with a Nutcracker motif, which is keeping me warm as I type.
II. The ambitious person always has a grand project (or four) going on in the background of their lives (also known as hobbies, but “grand project” sounds more ambitious, doesn’t it? Find out what one of those grand projects is, and you’ll have a lovely source of inspiration. For the record, my grand project is writing (I already have a computer and internet, and the only thing I need for this project is *more time*); my fantasy grand project is getting pilot’s license, but that will require me selling a few more plays…
III. A month’s subscription to their gym, or favorite exercise class or studio, so they can work through their big, ambitious thoughts.
IV. A year’s subscription to their favorite news outlet, so they can have inspiration for those big, ambitious thoughts they are working through at the gym.
V. The ambitious person is always doing a bit of light reading (it’s never really light reading though, is it?). Here are some of the best books I’ve read recently:
- The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo (themes: oppression, magic, politics, agency, all set during the Spanish inquisition)
- Real Americans by Rachel Khong (themes: race, class, family, privilege, playing God)
- In Search of Deeper Learning (if they’re interested in education policy)
- Why Nations Fail (if they’re interested in international development)
- If they love Percy Jackson and you’ve got some money to spend, this exists, and it’s beautiful.
VI. The ambitious person does not go on vacation, they go on full scale adventures. For travel:
- I do not believe in hard shell suitcases (I have never seen a flight attendant using hard shell suitcases, and that is all I need to know on that subject). Away now makes soft side luggage, which I will be purchasing when (if?) my current suitcase ever gives out.
- The answer to the question: What really is the right travel credit card to sign up for?
- Speaking of reading, Flâneuse is one of the best travel books I’ve ever read.
- A playlist for their next flight is a free consumable gift; my playlist entitled “for the plane” that I made for a friend going on an adventure of their own is still one of my favorite playlists of all time.
VII. The world’s best olive oil (okay fine… my favorite olive oil) because the ambitious person has excellent taste.
VIII. Do not attempt to get the ambitious person planners, notebooks, or pens. They already have what they need, and they only like what they like.
IX. The ambitious person enjoys being spoiled (being spoiled is the ambitious version of receiving a gift, of course). My best friend bought me a Box Fox for my birthday, and I still think about the lovely box she curated for me. It’s been eight months, so that’s a pretty great gift.
X. The ambitious person also probably has a philanthropic streak. Here are a few places to donate in their name:
- World Central Kitchen: WCK provides meals on the ground to people experiencing natural disasters or conflict. I cannot think of a better organization to donate to.
- Camp Encore/Coda is a fantastic music camp in Sweden, ME. The Mouhamed Cisse Scholarship brings campers of color to Camp Encore/Coda for the summer. As an educator, I have seen how music, theatre, and other creative activities are *so* important to a kid’s sense of self, independence, maturity, and joy, and helping a kid get that experience is one of the best things you could possibly do.
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital: Nationwide’s specialists do amazing work, and we’re grateful for the hospital every day. A donation lights up a light display on the lawn for the kids who will be receiving treatment during the holidays.
XI. The ambitious is person is chronically dehydrated. I don’t make the rules. I predict metal water bottles are on their way out, and glass water bottles with supplant them in popularity. I have a *beautiful* spiky glass water bottle from bkr (purchased by the aforementioned best friend… maybe she should be writing this gift guide???) and recently obtained a non-spiky bottle from bink. I bought an alternative cap for the bink bottle that allows for a straw, so the water bottle can change form from water-proof to sipable without having to switch out an entire bottle. BIG FAN.
XII. This glass “snail orb” from Anthropologie from their “Gifts for Me” list that they’ve wanted for years but have never actually bought for themselves.
XIII. If all else fails, peruse the Uncommon Goods website. Their website is organized by interest or role in one’s life, which I find helpful, and I’ve gotten a lot of good ideas from the Uncommon Goods website over the years! I like that the website tells you about the artisan who is making your gift.
XIV. And if *really* all else fails, listen to the blueprint of the ambitious person: Lucy van Pelt. All we really want is real estate.