Zuzu's Petals
Rubber incense, silk tassel ornaments, Carl Auböck objects, and more.
This is part one of two gift guides this season. Across both will be 150+ gift ideas. First you’ll read my recommendations, and then below the paywall will be contributions from Krissy Jones, Young Kim, Devon Swartz, Thora Siemsen, Conley Averett, Chris Black, Rachel Day, and Emily Ferguson. Part two will include more from me, plus contributers. Gird your loins.
I started prepping for Christmas this year in October. I can’t wait until Thanksgiving is over so we can act like we all want to act without shame. The Grinch Award of 2024 goes to Saks Fifth Avenue. On the year of their 100th anniversary, they decide to discontinue their Christmas light show. A horrible, awful, dreadful choice. We are really living in Trump’s America. Might I recommend watching Meet Me In St. Louis, Metropolitan, or It’s A Wonderful Life to distract you from our reality. Or this video of Bing Crosby singing White Christmas with Marjorie Reynolds.
One of the most luxurious things you can give besides diamonds or sterling silver is soap. I almost wrote an entire newsletter on bar soap earlier this year. It’s one of the things that brings me the most joy. Kaitlin Philips, the master of The Gift Guide, mentions some great soap here (the paywall is worth it). I swear by Santa Maria Novella’s Melograno. This set is nice or you can buy a single bar here. I like giving soap as thank you gifts, or for a thoughtful hostess gift. I mentioned in last year's guide about my disdain for SMN branding changes, but I digress. They offer a nativity set made out of scented wax, which I’ll be buying it for my very Catholic parents. I recently went into their store on Melrose Place (I go whenever I think I’m having the worst day of my life) and complained about how much I miss their ceramic offerings, and hoped they’ll bring back the ceramic soap dishes. If you’re in LA, hurry over. They said they have a few nativities left in back stock. 8411 Melrose Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Put one on hold here 323-651-3754. Then I recommend going next door to Frederic Malle. If you want to give a marvelous candle, perhaps to your agent, your boss, or your ayurvedic healer– this is the place. I love the Notre Dame scent (not online at the moment), but Bois de Santal has a special place in my heart as it was the old scent Kathleen coined at Chickee’s Vintage. They also sell rubber incense. Great to stick in with your Charvet shirting. Every year without fail my mother gives my father a Molton Brown set, but maybe this year she’ll opt for Cologne Indelebile shower gel.
This is a sizable bar that smells like pine which is great for Christmastime. I use it year round. Here’s a bar in a circular shape if you’re into that. Or this Belgian soap I’m very curious about. Both my parents grew up partly in Belgium, so maybe a nice gift for them. I’ve been dreaming about installing Marseille wall soap in my bathroom. I don’t know why I’m not seeing wall soap more often…romance is dead. It’s also quite phallic…great for the washroom. Nickey Kehoe sells a great brass one and you can buy the soap refills on Amazon. They’re called recharges in French. Much better than refill in English.
Devon and I recently got a special cinnamon cardamom tea blend in Mendocino to keep warm during the storm. To receive a little jar of this tied with a velvet ribbon…peak romance? Masha Teas just came out with their signature teas inside colorful rainbow tins. I love the lemon balm. The orange tin will look great against my yellow and black tiled kitchen. If you need tea bags for the loose leaf cinnamon tea I mentioned, you can buy those here. Best results for loose leaf tea come out of a very granola and charming grocery store (also referred to as a natural food store) in the country. We got ours at Corners of the Mouth in Mendocino. Maybe they’ll ship to you if you say please 707-937-5345. Maybe I’ll get Devon this dog bowl because she adopted one this year.
Devon Swartz and I used to live together when I first moved to LA. Everything she touches turns to gold, including all the perfectly curated goods from her shop Simple Sundries (website launching early next year). From Devon:
My gifting philosophy will always be: things that are beautiful and luxurious (I’m a Taurus), things that I use and love and think that others might like to use and love, or something that is so specific to someone I know that I can’t not gift it to them. Like the ceramic piece I got for my dad at Cibone in Brooklyn last month that has a guitar etched into it. I can’t wait to give it to him. I’ve been holiday shopping throughout the year, stockpiling gifts for the people on my “nice list” because the last few years I’ve felt too rushed and haven’t given myself enough time. In terms of beauty, these are two things that matter most to me right now: a pocket-sized Mason Pearson hairbrush. It lasts forever, and it’s so small you can easily throw it into any purse. I keep mine in my car and throw it in my bag when I’m traveling. I like the bristle & nylon version, and it comes in four perfect colors, pink, blue, white or black. If you’re thinking, a hairbrush is an odd gift, you’re wrong! Trust me!
Next up is Lookout & Wonderland’s Medicinal Magic Balm. I met Niki, the founder, at a small goods fair and she told me all the ways you can use this little pot. It’ll heal cuts, soothe dry skin, and calm down a rash. I’ve been dabbing a bit on blemishes before I go to sleep and they are smaller when I wake up. I have also been using it all over my poor dry hands at night and they wake up totally cured as if by magic. She also makes bath salts and other very intentional apothecary products with ingredients mindfully sourced from small farms in the US and yuzu and hinoki oil that’s brought back from Japan. I discovered this incense when I walked into the Noguchi Museum in October. It was burning in their reception area and I bee-lined to the gift shop to buy a box. It’s a really great sandalwood, and the box is beautiful enough to sit out. Also, this incense that I couldn’t burn fast enough when I bought it at Colbo last October.
Grace Atkinson’s textiles should not be overlooked. If someone you know and love needs a rug that can also be used as a blanket, or a blanket that can also be used as a rug, you should probably get them this. A picture frame I’d love to give, and receive. Lastly, Ava Woo Kaufman is a brilliant artist who works across different mediums. I’ve been following her on Instagram for a while and am very inspired by the things she makes. One of her practices is clothing design, where she mostly works with dead stock fabrics and all of her pieces are made-to-order. She makes pieces you haven’t seen anywhere else. I bought myself a beautiful top by her last winter and think any of her pieces would make for a very luxurious and special gift, for yourself or someone special.
Sky Ting’s Krissy Jones’ favorite body oil is from Santa Maria Novella. She recommends getting the spray attachment. Murano glasses, and a floral arrangement from Meta Flora in NYC.
Thora Siemsen told me that the best gift she received recently was a one-of-a-kind cow mug from BDDW’s weekly auction. She also says to bring a 10-pack of Crodino Rosso (the non-alcoholic aperitif) to your next holiday party. I like mine with sparkling water. From Thora—Regional photography books: in my case, as a Coloradan, I’d go for Summer Nights, Walking by Robert Adams and The North Fork by Trent Davis Bailey. Find a beautiful collection of photos taken in the recipient’s home state. Buy gifts for trans youth in need through Transanta.
I’m a long-time fan of Conley Averett’s brand Judy Turner (also a designer at Khaite). Their zip-up is the most worn sweater in my closet. Unfortunately, it’s no longer for sale, but he tells me the other must-have knit from his line is the Orlando jacket (pictured on the front page of their site). It comes in a super vivid red color, “Vivace”. It is part of our Pre-Spring ‘25 collection, but has become my own version of Chanel flap bag. We will have it stocked at Browns London in December, but I’ve been selling them directly to those who reach out (c@judy-turner.com). The jacket is made of a luxe cashmere wool blend and hand-knitted in New York (Brighton Beach to be exact). The tiny details are what most excite me, the loopy fringe and the hand crocheted buttons on a surface of 3-D stitch elements. I’m fortunate to be able to travel to Europe for work a few times a year. When I’m not at work I’m always looking for gifts to pick up here and there for family. My latest finds have been silk tassel ornaments from FORTUNY in Venice, and a set of over-dyed antique table linens from Laure de Villoutreys at Marche aux Puces (99 Rue des Rosiers Marche Vernaison Stand 101 Alee 6 Saint-Open-sur-Seine) outside of Paris (@lespuceslaure). Instead of a scented candle from any of those brands, a set of mixed vintage glass votives from Portobello Market, leather-bound journals, or hand-printed stationary from a vendor you stumbled upon by chance can tell a meaningful story and enlighten someone’s own experience at home.
This winter Conley will be trying recipes from The Book of St. John and the new Four Horseman cookbook. Always a bonus to package a special piece of cookware with this, I’m hoping to get a set of copper pots and pans for myself this year.
I adore the artist Emily Furgeson and am lucky enough that she’s become one of my good friends. When I asked her to contribute she sent me a dispatch from her New York hotel room where she was for the opening of a group show she was a part of at Prince & Wooster. She let me know she woke up at 5:22 AM because her vape exploded on the bedside table. From Emily: It’s time to get a pack of cigarettes when the sun is up. My family only gives used gifts for Christmas, Emily tells me, It’s granola but it’s really good. Of her recommendations is a vintage Le Creuset, you can find a beautiful mini for a friend for under $100 or a big boy with a beautiful patina, which makes it so much sexier. Even better you can fill the sexy patinated pot or dish or whatever it is with beautiful salts and peppers, dried herb sachets, recipe cards, tea towels, jams, jellies, etc. A Georg Jensen silver vase can fit into any room and looks sexy and expensive. Best accompanied by a thoughtful dried floral bouquet. Floral Art by Mia in Los Feliz makes a good one if you’re not up to it.
Chris Black of How Long Gone says cashmere is always a good gift. This rollneck from Notting Hill's Speciale is done in the perfect shade of brown. The legendary Swedish photographer, Lars Tunbjörk, captured the banality of offices in New York, Stockholm, and Tokyo in 2001 in Office / LA Office. Loose Joints just republished the work, and it's a must-have for any library. My friends Katie Crutchfield and Brad Cook put me on to this. It smells great and is very well-priced. Burn with abandon. And of course, the best running socks in the world.
Acupuncturist Rachel Day recommends all knitwear by Annie Lee Larson. I recently ordered a custom vest from my good friend Annie. I have many sweaters, hats, and a special rare scarf from Annie that I treasure. During treatments with Rachel, she often plays The Magic Place by Julianna Barwick. It was just re-released. I have been listening to this album since it came out in 2011. It never gets old yet it also feels like a time portal. The re-issue vinyl is available via her bandcamp. Lastly, my friend Tania makes these bookmarks, she calls them 'book jewelry'. They are beautiful and I have given them as gifts many times!
I was fortunate enough to read A Year on Earth With Mr. Hell by Young Kim earlier this year. I wrote about it here. I went down a bit of a rabbit hole on Kim’s life. She is the former romantic partner of Malcolm McLaren. Here’s a great interview I watched. I’m very happy that Young agreed to recommend some things, as I really admire her and her work. For children and adult children: stocking stuffers and advent calendars. Alessi Sweetheart nutcracker. The most beautiful beauty accessories: lipstick cases, makeup brushes, combs, pouches, and pocket mirrors: Dries Van Noten. (See more Dries in last year's guide here) Any object by Carl Auböck (paperweights, letter openers, keychains, ashtrays, coasters). For all around silly fun: Rubberband gun. Rory Dobner Alice in Wonderland or Winnie the Pooh china (mugs, candles, teapots, diffusers, trinket boxes, trays....) I love this snack board, glass pitcher, ornamental plug, and bottle opener. Oh, and some fruit knives.
I’ll be seeing you quite shortly. Until then—Judy and Barb.
Plus, Metropolitan (1990). Holiday season dressing inspiration.
