Gift Guide for You, Me and Your Wees

Yeah, another one! (Wee in the old-tymey sense.)

I’m sure you’ve already received about 400 gift guides in your inbox since mid-November, but this one is different because it’s all things I genuinely want, and since you’re a subscriber here, we veryyyyyy likely have a similar sensibilities!

Gift Guide for Me ‘n’ You:

Clockwise from top left!

1. This is the perfect bag. I’m not a “bag girl” (I’d always rather have a new dress and just wear the same bag for 5-7 years), but this is the perfect bag for my next decade. Compact, easy shape, now that I have kids over 5 and no longer need to cart around a backpack full of wipes/bandaids/multiple snacks/water/drawing materials on a daily basis! Black is more practical but this pistachio cream color is calling meeeee…. Sezane, $435

2. Like bags, I like to affix earrings to my head and only change them out once a season for a party. These are fantastic every-day chubby hoops that have personality and are sleek and low-profile yet glint-y enough to go with everything. Otiumberg, $175

3. I’ve coveted these kick-flares long enough! The time is nigh! Easy elastic for everyday, yet with a tailored look that work for dressier affairs. It was with glee that I spotted them on my always-chic friend Rachel the other night as we walked to our cars after dinner. THESE ARE IN MY OPEN TABS RIGHT NOW, I screeched, as she did a little pirouette in them under the late-night drizzle. Donni Kick Flares, $184.

4. This coat is Edwardian meets medieval meets modern Parisienne girlie, all 3 things I aspire to be at once. I usually buy my coats vintage for less than $75 on eBay or on my FB mom closet purge group but I can’t find a worthy dupe for this one so just putting this coat out there as the Platonic Ideal! Doen Watson Coat, can’t even type how much it is, too gross, but want it!!!!!

5. I’ve heard nothing but incredible reviews of Orbital by Samantha Harvey. “Winner of the Booker Prize 2024, Orbital snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men traveling through space. Selected for one of the last space station missions of its kind before the program is dismantled, these astronauts and cosmonauts--from America, Russia, Italy, Britain, and Japan--have left their lives behind to travel at a speed of over seventeen thousand miles an hour as the earth reels below.” I have a strange aversion to sci-fi and a strong affinity for space, but this one seems like it’ll straddle that finicky astral divide perfectly!

6. A few other books on my read-list:

   The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya

   Family Happiness by Laurie Colwin

   Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

   The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

Clockwise from top left!

1. The time has come. Rowan is 7, and the world has colluded to inform me that it’s nigh time he learn how whittle wood. I agree with this sentiment, and actually he probably would have been ready for one of these 5 years ago but obviously wouldn’t have been trusted even with a butter knife back then. The amount of times I’ve had to say “No, you can’t bring that stick into the house, even though it is an extremely special one,” numbers in the thousands at this point. He forgot a rock that he found at a park once when he was 2 and he screamed the entire 15 minute ride home “ROCCCKYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!” The tiny man loves his tangible natural elements. Opinel, $17

2. My 7th grade teacher took 15 minutes out of every day for us to all learn how to juggle. It’s provided endless entertainment to my kids and even (almost) got me a couple acting jobs. Time for them to learn! These are cute and old-tymey. Juggling balls, $22

3. My friend is hand-painting your own pet onto necklaces, and she’s really good at it!!! These are cute and delicate, a little ceramic pendant portrait. I’m thinking of getting my kids a little Mabel to wear around their neck. Or maybe for me. Maybe the mini-Mabel is for meeeee?! Pet necklace, $62.

4. These lil’ cloud hairclips are CUTE! Zoe’s hair has almost grown back after chopping it all off in the middle of her TK class one full year ago!!!! Clips, $8

5. This might be me, but if I were a kid I’d be OBSESSED with pretending to be a librarian of my own domain and stamping my name into all my books. Personal Library Embosser $46

6. These digital cameras without screens are great, they encourage little budding photographers without noodling them with the disgusting immediate gratification we get from our phone cameras. Camp Snap, $60

7. I’ll never stop recommending the best kids book series of all time. I recently was Mystery Reader in Zoe’s class and read this to the kids and they were all falling over on the floor laughing. It’s just so clever and funny and cute and delightful for parents as well as kids (unlike, say, sorry, but Dog Man, which…I can’t even bring myself to read that with Rowan, I’m out). Dory Fantasmagory starter set, $29

8. Who doesn’t love a novelty candle? My kids blow their gasket when we get a new TAPERED candle (“Mommy, WOWWWW!!! Did we make that one????” … “No, I told you 75 times already, we already used the one candle you made at the Waldorf Holiday fair 14 months ago”). Anyway, get them A FARFALLE candle, $20.

Hope this helps make shopping for your friends or your family or the kids in your life a little easier this year. But if it gives you an idea for something you want to get yourself? Just as good, my friend. Just as good.

Also, if you want to upgrade to paid, I’m offering a December birthday special! Get 50% off the price of a year to this substack for just about $24! Happy birthday to me!!