The Gift Guide

35+ gift ideas from tastemakers Ali LaBelle, Liz Libré, and Shannon Maldonado.

Nov 21, 2025

Hi! How’s your week going? Are you getting excited for the holidays?

Every December, we watch the movie Home Alone. This year, we’re planning to go uptown to see the Plaza, where Home Alone 2 takes place. “We could stay there for the night!” said Toby. “Or walk by!!!” I replied. What rituals do you look forward to?

And for gifts for loved ones, we asked three women we adore to share their ideas. Hope you enjoy! Here goes…

Ali LaBelle is a creative director who writes the newsletter, À La Carte, which is filled with fun finds, like vintage homewares and bags that are “little sculptures for your shoulders.”

She lives in Los Angeles and is looking forward to spending the holidays with her sister and parents. “It’s just the four adults, so we make good food and drinks and lean into relaxing,” she says. “Every year, my sister and I binge the Great British Bake Off, and it’s comical how little we move from the sofa.”

Ali looks to her mom for holiday inspiration. “My mom is the ultimate celebrator,” she told us. “One of those people who just knows how to make you feel special.”

First up, Ali shares a few holiday favorites…

Decor: My sister and I both have the Lucia Eames menorah.
Recipe: Melissa Clark’s latke recipe is the best, in my opinion. (NYT gift link)
Film: Miracle on 34th Street (1994). I thought the mom was the most beautiful woman in the world.
Gift wrap: Always in a box, wrapped in JAM paper and tied with vintage ribbon.

And, here are 10 great gifts Ali would give to family and friends…

Soap: Santa Maria Novella almond soap is the best smelling soap of all time and it comes in the prettiest packaging. ($20)
Sweater: This is a splurge, but an investment in a well-made sweater is a worthy one. This 100% lambswool jumper is warm and soft, a closet classic. ($280)

Face mask: The Hanacure mask is unlike any other face mask in that it is a total joy to wear — as it dries on your face, you look like a 100-year-old version of yourself, but when you wash it off, you look incredible. You can also buy these in sets of four. Wouldn’t they make a great girls night? ($37)
Stationery: Rossi has been making paper goods in Florence for almost 100 years. Classic and just so fancy! (25 for $25)

Pajamas: There is literally nothing cuter than a child in a pajama set. Nothing!!! This classic poplin set is so sweet and comes in four colors. ($60)
Miniature furniture: When I was a kid, I would have loved miniature furniture for my stuffed animals. The rocking chair, dining set, and stove would have blown my mind. ($24–$60)

Edible gift: Olive oil that goes well with pasta. And after they’ve used the oil, they can use the ceramic bottle as a vase. I always give my dad Italian pasta in fun shapes — it’s my favorite thing to put in his stocking. ($68)
Travel guide: For travel lovers, Cabana magazine makes travel guides in collaboration with Ralph Lauren. They have recommendations that you won’t find in your average guidebook. I’ve used the London and Milan guides for my own trips, and they’ve led me to some of my favorite-ever restaurants, home tours, and shops. ($45)

Frame: St.Bingo sells magnetic photo frames that are sized perfectly for a photobooth strip. Such an inexpensive, easy gift. ($12)
Candle holder: My friends at Cherche collect and sell beautiful vintage decor objects, like this candle holder. ($86)

Ali, thank you! We love À La Carte!

Shannon Maldonado is the founder of Yowie, the Philadelphia boutique hotel and lifestyle shop filled with colorful finds. Last year, she hung a huge yellow bow over the shop entrance, and, this year, she and her staff have been working on giant papier-mâché models of their favorite products to place in the front window. “I haven’t done papier-mâché in years, and it’s surprisingly soothing,” she told us.

Shannon says she feels lucky not to travel during the holidays, since she and her husband both have family nearby. “Both my mom and my husband are good listeners,” says Shannon. “They surprise me with gifts that I’ve mentioned in passing months before. To me, that’s what makes gifting so special.”

These are a few of Shannon’s holiday faves:

Edible gift: My mom makes the best rice and beans, so every year I ask her to make me a big pot. I just feel like a little kid again.
Film: The Family Stone! I love Sarah Jessica Parker, obviously, and I love when she spills the strata.
Gift wrap: With old magazines or brown paper and neon dot stickers.

Here, Shannon shares 12 delightful, tried-and-true gifts…

Scarf: A chunky scarf from Uniqlo is the perfect gift under $30. I gift at least one every year. They’re oversized, come in an array of colors, like dark purple and green, and look very chic. An all-around great gift. ($29.90)
Bag charm: Bag charms are sweet and fun. This star charm is vintage-inspired and would add personality to pretty much any bag. ($38)

TV crosswords: The 99 TV Crosswords book by A24 is such a cool twist on the crossword. There are puzzles on fun categories like Sexiest Men Alive, as well as shows like Only Murders in the Building and Succession. ($34)
Serving utensil: Saber is such a cool brand for home cooks, I love everything they do. This tart server is stunning and would make a sweet little gift. ($39)

Buffing bar: My skin is currently dry because of the changing seasons, but after a couple of showers with this green banana buffing bar, its texture completely improves. The bars smell like vacation, and since they come in a set of two, it’s a perfect one for me, one for you situation. (2 for $30)
Puzzle: This solid, one-color flat lemon puzzle by Le Puzz is super challenging. Plus, the fruit sticker is just so cute. Would be great for a family to do together after the holiday dinner. ($20)

Socks: My four-year-old niece is obsessed with socks — she loves the feeling of dressing herself independently and exploring her style. These Hansel from Basel striped crew socks are so cute, I wish they made them for adults. ($11)
UNO Artiste Deck: My family are big UNO players. We play every year during the holidays and it gets so competitive. This artiste deck, featuring the artwork of Nina Chanel Abney, really elevates our tradition. I gave one to my sister, and I also have one. It was a limited edition deck, but you can still find them on eBay. ($40)

Belt: My husband’s belts are falling apart, but for some reason, he won’t buy himself belts and wallets. I’m like, please just get a belt! This year, I’m giving him this everyday belt, which comes in black and brown. ($52)
Pocket knife: Almost every production assistant I work with has a pocket knife. This lark knife comes in a really interesting blue. It’s a nice, unexpected gift that comes in handy all the time. ($58)

Cocktail book: I’ve never been to the iconic Swans Bar in England, but they recently published a book with drinks recipes. It’s beautifully designed, and all the drinks look delicious. ($30)
Espresso cups: Most people have plenty of coffee mugs, but a pair of espresso cups makes for such a nice gift, especially when paired with locally roasted espresso. Feels kind of old world. (2 for $34)

Thank you, Shannon! You’re the best!

Liz Libré is the co-founder of Lewis, a brand known for its baby and kid essentials with gorgeous patterns. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and three kids. Every year they invite their friends and family for a tree-trimming party, but the twist is that it’s a paper tree. “We paint an eight-foot tree and tack it to our wall,” Liz explains. “Then, everyone decorates it with pom poms and sequins. The real gift is everybody just being together, but the paper tree is a showstopper.”

This year, Liz, who recently ran the New York City Marathon (for the second time!!!), is asking for a watch: “I feel like I might be the only runner who doesn’t use a watch!” As for her gift-giving approach? “I look for gifts that are useful or beautiful — ideally both,” she says.

Her holiday favorites include:

Tradition: My parents have passed away, so my three siblings and I make a special effort to gather as a family. We have 14 kids between us, so we do a huge family secret Santa. It’s rowdy with lots of clapping and cheering.
Movie: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I grew up on it and can still hear my dad laughing, years after watching it with him.
Handmade gift: My friend Jessie of Loeffler Randall once knit me mittens. I still use and love them.
Recipe: My husband’s family is Swedish, so we make Swedish raspberry caves (hallongrottor) every year. They’re delicious and freeze well.

Here, Liz shares 14 gifts…

Craft kit: A basket weaving kit. I’ve done several, and it’s always such a nice accomplishment. You could keep yarn or other craft supplies in the basket, or use it in the kitchen to hold onions and fruit. I love the idea of someone taking the time to sit down and make something for themselves. (From $52)
Candles: Beeswax tapers are a great alternative to scented candles, since it can be tricky to choose a fragrance for someone else. Greentree Home makes my favorites in beautiful colors. I give them with pretty matches. (2 for $12)

Zip pouches: My go-to gift is always the Lewis zip pouch set. I’ve given so many over the years and use them all the time myself. They help keep an oversized bag organized, especially if you’ve got kids, and the dose of print is always so nice to see when you’re traveling or running around. ($48)
Athletic socks: For active friends, nice running socks are a great gift. Bandit, a Brooklyn-based running company, makes my favorite pair of crew length running socks. New workout wear is such a nice motivator — it can really rejuvenate your six a.m. wake up! ($36)

Tray: The textile company Fog Linen makes coated trays. I keep a small one next to our kitchen sink for dish and hand soap. We have white counters and having something colorful and patterned to display things is delightful. ($19)
Scarf: Loeffler Randall’s bandana scarf is the perfect winter accessory — when you arrive somewhere you can keep it on because it’s not a huge scarf that you remove with your coat. ($150)

Pajamas: I like to give our Lewis pajamas along with a picture book. For example, I’d pair our tiger sky pajamas with Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. ($44)
Game: Klask is like air hockey but magnetic. We put it on the coffee table when we’re entertaining, and people just start playing. Our kids love it. ($70)

Loom: My kids got really into this loom and made tons of potholders. You can buy refills in great colors. It’s a mess-free activity that they can just pick up and work on when they want some quiet time with their hands. ($30)
Hair ties: My daughter loves Kknekki hair ties, which double as bracelets. A handful of them would be fun in a stocking. ($3)

Sports jersey: My husband and I went to school and got married in Maine, and Portland just got a professional soccer team, called the Hearts of Pine. He’d love a kit. ($110)
Socks: Since John is trying to get back into tennis, I’d give him these socks with a tennis logo that I think is really cute and fun. ($20)

Gloves: My husband, John, always could use another pair of work gloves. His favorites are made by the brand Wells Lamont; they’re insulated and warm. I buy a pair every year for his stocking. ($30)
Sweater: J.Crew’s cashmere crewneck is such a classic. My husband always tries to buy them on sale. He credits these sweaters for keeping him warm during our daughter’s soccer games. If it’s 10 degrees out, he’ll wear three! ($158)

Liz, thank you! We adore you, always and forever.