2022 Xmas Gift Guide
Christmas Gifts for Your Special Person
Sonya Glyn – Journalist, PG Editor in France
An ideal fun small Christmas gift for HIM is to arrange a reoccurring delivery throughout the year for a few items he repetitively searchers for in life. In Hugo’s case, the items would include an eyeglass cleaner and a small package of tissues (he finds himself missing these items on a weekly basis). For less than 40 bucks a year, you can make a big impression with a small gesture.
A surefire medium-sized gift could be a video or print subscription related to his favourite pastime, e.g., last year I gave Hugo a subscription to a Rugby game channel. The Rugby channel subscription is a gift that keeps on giving and is a gift of time itself. Okay, it’s true that time cannot be bought, except in the realm of ballgames.
On a larger scale, a great gift for him is an item related to a hobby your guy enjoys. For example, I gave Hugo a drum set for Christmas a few years ago. It’s a little risky to purchase a musical instrument for someone, so you really need to know your partner’s preference before attempting this feat.
For other male acquaintances, I’m a fan of giving ‘trés français’ Simonnot Godard handkerchiefs or pocket squares—they are handmade yet affordable, so sturdy that they can be washed in the washing machine many times—yet appear delicate and exotic! Plus a guy who takes out a handkerchief at the right moment reminds us of times past, which is just plain endearing.
For HER, the same formula can apply. Small scale: shock her in a good way with a reoccurring order for something she always needs to replace; for example, a favourite mascara is a product most all women use—but it has to be thrown out every few months for sanitary reasons (this gift is an impressive gesture and saves a girl lot of trouble—plus it is a story about your thoughtfulness that she will tell others for years to come).
Medium scale: Show your love with a beautiful gesture while presenting a gift you know she loves. For Christmas, sometimes Hugo cooks dinner and wraps up my favourite perfume, Carlos Banaïm’s EAU DE MAGNOLIA from Frederic Malle.
Large scale: a man can never, ever lose when giving a woman the purse of her dreams. Over the years, I have cherished the Moynat purse Hugo gave me last Christmas.
For other female acquaintances, most women really like receiving a purse hanger to suspend a bag from the table at a restaurant; the cost is less usually less than $25 for a beautiful purse hanger.
HOTELS
When it comes to hotels, the prestige of the hotel name is less important than fulfilling three criteria:
(1) A central location to avoid having to hail taxis and to encourage walking.
(2) Food is so exceptional that people from the outside visit the hotel just to dine at its restaurant.
(3) A very comfortable bed (I think there is a correlation between the opulence level of a mattress and the cleanliness of the hotel room).
The convenience of eating great food at a hotel while enjoying a few good drinks, and then moseying back upstairs to your room shouldn’t be underestimated. But remember to make restaurant reservations at the same time you book your room.
The last hotel we frequented met the above standards: The Hotel Cortiina in Munich, which has the most outstanding hipster brunch I’ve ever encountered at a hotel, is within walking distance of many city attractions and allows you to choose from different types of pillows for a good night’s sleep.
As a final note, I attempt to select a room upgrade with every reservation.
My Christmas Gift Selections
Nick Hendry – Writer and Creative
For Him: Sterling Silver Cufflinks with Black Spinel from Tsai by Tsai
I’m going for shameless self-promotion here and recommending Sterling silver cufflinks I designed for Tsai by Tsai, but only because I tried my best to design something I would genuinely love to wear. Cufflinks are an important detail for a sartorial outfit; choosing the wrong ones can lower the tone of a look you’ve otherwise put a great deal of effort into curating. These are understated and elegant – no novelty guitars or cocktail glasses – and the combination of Sterling silver and Black Spinel stones gives a crisp look which will pair with most suit and shirt selections. Each pair is solid silver, to give enough weight to hold the shirt properly; the back is a one-piece button fastening, as versions with hinges can become loose and easily lost.
tsaixtsai.com; £150
For Her: Mini Secret Bag in Mosaico from Serapian Milano
A good quality bag is always a great gift as they are simultaneously extremely beautiful and immensely useful. Serapian Milano is a brand I have been a fan of for quite some time, and their Mini Secret Bag is one of the highlights of their range. The size belies a very roomy interior, but the real star is the stunning lattice pattern. The Mosaico technique used to shape the nappa leather into this intricate weave has been a trademark of the brand since they pioneered the process back in 1947, and allows for a wide range of colourways. This Azure and Sky version is my favourite as it will suit any season, but there are many more to choose from and even the option of going fully bespoke.
serapian.com; from £1,290
Christmas Destination: Le Meurice, Paris
I’m lucky enough to travel quite a lot for my writing work and have stayed in some wonderful properties over the last year. By far and away my favourite has been the utterly breathtaking Le Meurice on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. This extraordinary Palace hotel has been the home of artists and thinkers since 1835, playing host to Picasso and Dali over the years. Today it boasts 2 restaurants signed by Alain Ducasse (one of which holds 2 Michelin stars), a wonderful 1920s-style bar, covered in opulent wood panelling and featuring gentle live jazz every evening, and views across the Parisian skyline that simply have no equal. Despite all this magnificence, its most valuable asset is actually the team looking after you, who will make anyone feel truly at home whenever they stay.
dorchestercollection.com; rooms from £1,560
Cultural Vagabond - Photographer
For Him: Tweed Notebook from Fox Brothers and Co
A new year means new ideas and what better way to write them down than with a tweed-covered notebook from Fox Brothers? Handmade in England with English materials, it may be the perfect accessory for an English tailoring enthusiast. Either order online or stop by the Merchant Fox London pop-up at No. 20 Savile Row.
TheMerchantFox.com; £43
For Her: Silk Scarf Gift Box from E. Marinella
World-renowned for its silk ties, E. Marinella also produces some of the finest scarves. In a beautifully packaged gift box for her, the contents of the boxes vary, containing a combination of scarves, belts, bags, fleurs, and other accessories, all with a silk-wrapped ornament to match.
EMarinella.eu; boxes from £240
Christmas Destination: Monte Carlo, Monaco
When you think of Christmas escapes, you may think of a quick flight to Gstaad or St. Moritz, not sunny Monaco. Full of coastal Christmas glitz and cheer, Monaco hosts a variety of festive activities from Christmas markets, fireworks, and lights that challenge even that of London’s. Hôtel De Paris Monte-Carlo will surely bring the Monégasque style and seasonal charm into one beautiful bundle.
MontecarloSBM.com; rooms from €1,110
John-Paul Stuthridge - Etiquette Coach
For Him: Green Prince of Wales Check Tweed by Fox Brothers
I think this Fox Brother's sportscoat is pretty perfect in every detail, from weight to buttons, it would be the ultimate gift for any sartorial man.
spierandmackay.com; $598
For Her: Ô De L'Orangerie
Having smelled Ô De L'Orangerie on some women, it goes down as my favourite scent a woman can wear; it's such an elegant but fresh and feminine smell that makes the perfect present for that perfect lady.
lancome.co.uk; from £42
Christmas Destination: London
While I love European Christmas markets, London has always been a favourite of mine to visit at Christmas, just walking through Covent Garden or having Afternoon Tea at Fortnum Mason before it just gets dark is an idyllic Christmas destination for me
James Farnell
For him:MCDXCIV from Lindores Abbey
Lindores Abbey offers whisky lovers something a little calmer, a smooth elegant whisky with notes of dried fruit, citrus, vanilla and spice. Delicate and lingering for a refined palette. Despite emerging as a new distillery, with its fist bottles of whisky being available in 2021, the whisky does not lack heritage. The distillery stands on the officially recognised site of the first recorded distillation of Scotch in 1494. The whisky itself reflects both this heritage and the tranquil terroir of Lowland Scotland.
For Her: Night Scented Jasmine from Floris
A particularly seductive, light and mysterious scent from London’s own Floris. Night Scented Jasmine lingers like a summer breeze carrying notes of trailing white jasmine, neroli blossom, green flora and rose. The scent was created by Juan Floris as a love letter to his wife Elizabeth and inspired by their summers spent in Minorca. It is an elegant scent reminiscent of warm summer evenings amongst the blossoms as dusk gives way to magic and intrigue.
florislondon.com; £60
Destination: The Swan Inn, Ascott-under-Wychwood
Nestled amongst the rolling grassland and picturesque honey-coloured stone villages of the Cotswolds is a refuge of timeless comfort. With good transport links from London, the Swan Inn is the perfect destination for a country weekend away. Housed in a 16th Century pub, the Inn offers 8 beautifully designed rooms with a cosy bar and dining room featuring a large fireplace. A good destination for foodies too with a modern menu that offers classics with a twist. A perfect base on which to embark on some brisk walks or maybe just curl up with a book
theswaninn.com; rooms from
