“Children at heart, games and gadgets are the crux of successful gifts for the men in your life, be they dedicated sons, generous lovers, handsome fathers, hard-working assistants or otherwise. A set of tools might see the light of day half as often as a traditional envelope opener, but both provide a sense of agency for the hands-on tasks of daily life. A little luxurious coziness by way of a cashmere crew neck or grown-up quilt offers an ode to his softer side.”

“Spoil your lady. That’s the mandate. Obscenely generous is not generous enough. Let your gift signal you know she is worth frivolity and quality. A gift that implies time—time reserved for her alone—becomes a love letter written in invisible ink that says you appreciate all the hours she devotes to others. A hand-blown perfume bottle invites a special occasion fragrance. A gorgeous vase for flowers insinuates she will be the recipient of blooms. Silk pajamas are a conduit to restoration. Above all, make it joyful. The world’s finest candy dish, filled with strawberry bonbons? Yes please.”

“We all have those friends who throw together the perfect gathering without seemingly breaking a sweat. Elegant and low-key, the nibbles are delicious and unfussy, the drinks chilled and plentiful, the music just upbeat enough. But creating an ebullient atmosphere takes work, and a gift that says ‘it takes one to know one’ will be warmly received. Anything that can be shown off on a fabulous tabletop is this friend’s métier.”

“Contrary to what you might think, go for form over function here—a kitchen professional will likely have everything practical they could possibly need, so present a point of distinction. Let your filter be the staples propping up any serious chef’s ‘at-home’ diet: eggs, butter, bread, coffee. And while gifting a knife to a chef might seem superfluous, the right one will always be appreciated in a collection: just remember to gift a penny along with it, so that the receiver can symbolically ‘buy’ it from you.”

“Style may be subjective, but comfort is a universal language. So what transforms the familiar into the exquisite? A gift that is cozy but not sloppy, considered but not superfluous, a finishing touch, something that can gently tantalize the senses: it brings as much life as it does serenity.”

“Remember, a wedding doesn’t always signal the start of two people combining their lives, so they may already have the essentials covered. Take the opportunity to spoil them with something utterly original. A subtle nod to the auspiciousness of marriage rooted in antiquity such as a pomegranate, or a picture frame to treasure a memory from the big day or a shared memory, is a way to acknowledge the unison without veering into staid, traditional territory. And when you can make it useful, do: the perfect coffee pot, corkscrew, or serving dish, can all be used daily and bring pleasure to life’s little rituals.”