The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide
INTRO
If there’s one good thing about this year, it’s that you finally have an excuse not to go frantically running around the shops in search of holiday gifts. In fact (lucky you) staying home is the right thing to do. So sit back, relax and peruse our carefully curated gift guide full of thoughtful, unique and distinctive gift ideas for everyone on your list.

By Staff

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Lamps
For A Faraway Friend – We’re all supposed to stay two metres apart, but sometimes it ends up being much, much more. Fortunately, clever designers have found an original way to bring us closer: long-distance lamps. Get one for yourself and another for a loved one, and every time either of you touches your lamp and illuminates it, the other lamp will also light up – no matter where it is in the world. Is there a cuter or more literal way to brighten someone’s day?

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Art Lover
For The Art Fanatic – Add a touch of genius to muted suits with these Curator Socks, inspired by the greatest masterpieces ever created. From Van Gogh’s Starry Night to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, each pair conveys the beauty and emotion of known and revered artworks without being literal copies. Designed and produced in Portugal, the socks are manufactured with 200-needle technology and are super comfy to wear. [Photo: Curator Socks]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Wanderlust
For The One With Wanderlust – The Germans call it ‘Fernweh’, this longing for far-flung places, and for those with itchy feet, 2020 must have been extra hard. Give them a reminder of their favourite corners of the earth, for instance in the shape of this stunning jewellery by artist Talia Sari. She was inspired by the street grids of famous cities, but offers personalised map pieces as well. Another surefire way to evoke memories of favourite places is through smell: these Homesick Candles that mimic the scents of cities, countries and places (‘grandma’s kitchen’, anyone?) will help.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
WFH
For The Work-From-Home Warrior – Toiled from the kitchen table all these months? The WFH hero deserves a gift, even though they’ve secretly enjoyed their pajama-clad commute from desk to fridge. This Commuting From Home Mug by artist Kera Till says it all, while – a bit more serious – this Personalised Desk Caddy helps them get rid of the desk clutter once and for all. [Photo: Uncommon Goods]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Elegance
For The Lover Of Simple Elegance – If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to just go with the flow. This Recycled Gold Ripple Bracelet is an elegant reminder of that mantra. It’s made of gold-plated recycled sterling silver, handmade and finished by artisans in London using the lost wax casting method. [Photo: Bar Jewellery]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Speed
For The Speed Demon – Can’t hit the pistes this ski season? These Sloping Ski Glasses convey a bit of that exhilarating downhill rush with every sip. The set contains four glasses with skiers in different positions on the slope, perfect for those who live for that fresh powder snow.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Hot
For The Hot Head – Got a chilli-popping braggart in your inner circle? Treat them to the World’s Hottest Rare Chilli Collection Gift Set, so they can turn up the heat. The set includes fiery ground chilli flakes from the spiciest chillies in the world, such as the Carolina Reaper and the Naga Ghost Chilli. To be used with extreme caution.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Cinephile
For The Cinephile – Life really is like a box of chocolates for film buffs – they never know what you’ll get them for the holidays! But we have a few ideas: Test their movie knowledge with this well-crafted card deck featuring 5 games in 1; sign them up to enjoy the perks of a Metrograph membership for live screening events and limited VOD runs to relish online; or get ahold of an eye-catching scratch-off film poster that will delight film geeks as they tick iconic movies off their master bucket list. [Photo: Popchart]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Student
For The Student Of Life – Learning from the world’s best? It’s possible – and surprisingly accessible. With a MasterClass all-access pass, gift the learner in your life admission to pre-recorded classes from more than 70 inspiring instructors at the apex of their fields, including Anna Wintour, Gordon Ramsay, Serena Williams, Jodie Foster and Dan Brown. For a more pragmatic approach, learning platform CreativeLive offers 1,500 expert-led classes on everything from Photoshop to money management and interior design. What it lacks in star power it makes up for in practical and detailed instruction designed to impart specific skills.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Suitcases
For The Conscious Traveller – A win-win for the world wanderer with a social conscience: Donate 50 EUR (60 USD) to enter your loved one’s name for a chance to win one of 26 unique artist-designed Tumi suitcases while raising funds to support Waves For Water initiatives that bring clean water to vulnerable communities. Even if they don’t take home the prize, they’ll still get the gift of doing something good.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Beach Bum
For The Beach Bum – It’s always summer somewhere! Whether your beloved beach bum is based in the southern hemisphere, or you just want to gift them some coastal vibes year-round, this hand-woven bag made by local artisans in the coastal Moroccan town of Essaouira is just the thing – large enough to contain all their summer accessories (and sun-soaked dreams). [Photo: Silver Sahara]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Library
For The Bibliophile – It’s a little old-school, this Personal Library Kit, but we love it so much more than spreadsheets. It contains card catalog checkout cards, bookplates, a date stamp and an ink pad. All because: “There’s no greater pleasure than sharing beloved books, but no crueler pain than losing them for good.” True bibliophiles looking to illuminate their home as much as their mind will also rejoice at this Smart Book Light, with a beautiful fibre leather cover. [Photo: Knock Knock]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Cheese
For The Big Cheese – Artisan cheeses make everything better, and pure craftsmanship deserves to be presented on boards like these. For the true cheese lover, we suggest this turntable-like board (including a hidden slider!) or this board inspired by the ocean (made with food-safe resin). Extravagant gold cheese knives finish it off.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Animal friend
For The Animal Friend – Who knew a cuddly plush toy could help an actual octopus threatened by the tragic impact of bottom trawling? Or even be the fluffy symbol of a blue-footed booby, a honeybee or a red panda in danger of losing their natural habitats? Put a smile on the face of your animal-loving loved one with a symbolic adoption of an endangered animal on their behalf – complete with a plush toy and adoption certificate.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Climate Neutral
For The Climate-Neutral Curious – Send your climate-conscious BFFs on their way to leading a more sustainable lifestyle with this Zero Waste Starter Kit. It contains all sorts of beautiful items that make going trash-free super easy, from a water bottle to a tote bag, bamboo utensils and airtight stainless steel containers.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Rock
For The Rock Buff – The amateur geologist in your life will be aghast at this gorgeous agate wooden jigsaw puzzle. Created using a computer simulation that mimics natural variations in colour, shape and composition, each entirely unique puzzle is cut into tightly fitting, labyrinth-like pieces that make it a real head-scratcher to solve. Tough and beautiful – just like the real thing.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Tea
For The Teatime Connoisseur – The ultimate gift for anyone who knows that life is all about the little moments shared over a good cup of tea. This stunning Jian Zhan Tenmoku tea set is the result of 72 hours of painstaking craftsmanship by artisans highly trained in the centuries-old techniques, and each unique piece is fired at extremely high temperatures with an iron-rich glaze that creates a distinctive look. Give this to your favourite tea lover, and they’ll be thinking of you with every sip.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Sound Hound
For The Sound Hound – Top-notch audio quality meets sleek aesthetics in the Halo One Speaker by wizards of design-forward tech Gingko. With its captivating curves and natural wood finish, this bluetooth/NFC speaker is a functional work of art that might just have people wondering what the heck it is – until it delivers that silky-smooth sound.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Fred
For The Chore Procrastinator – Doing dishes is a raw deal, right? Make the dreaded chore a bit more fun with these Fred Washabi Sponges. With this set featuring a shrimp, tuna and tamago sponge and scrubber, you’re ready to roll.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
hop
For The Hoppy Camper – Nothing irks a beer aficionado more than a warm brew! Vaunted as “the most versatile can cooler in the world”, the BrüMate Hopsulator is made to hold one 16oz or 12oz can – or be used as an insulated pint glass – to keep any drink ice-cold down to the last drop. Plus it comes in a huge range of colours and designs to please the brew buff in your life. [Photo: BrüMate]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Watch
For The Discerning Watch Lover – The newly released Nomos Neomatik is fully worth the splurge. Its classic, yet modern design features one of the few genuine innovations in watchmaking in the last 200 years: a rotating date on the outside of the dial, clearly marked in red. Available with a white silver-plated dial and in dark ruthenium. [Photo: Nomos Glashütte]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Tablecloth
For The Budding Biologist – If your little critters can’t sit still for two seconds at the table, try this Pond Life Colouring Tablecloth with which they can dive into a fascinating world of fish, frogs, insects and more. An eat-cosystem, so you will. And the best part: Once they’re done colouring, the tablecloth is fully washable, so they can start all over again.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Dog
For The Dog Person – Benji is adorable, but can’t hold still for one doggone second, and Bella makes a run for it the moment she sees the phone. Dog owners have it ruff capturing their four-legged friends, but this Dog Treat Selfie Clip might help, for at least a few seconds. For a gift that entices pup and owner, get them The Original Dog Hamper, filled with natural grooming products, delicious treats and an eco-friendly toy.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Lamp
For The Design Fiend – Especially now that we all need some extra brightness, treat the design lover in your life to an indomitable classic: the Block Lamp. After its 1996 launch, Harri Koskinen’s design of a ‘frozen’ light bulb became famous around the world. The bulb is enclosed by two hand-cast glass blocks that undergo an extremely long cooking process to avoid cracks.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Hydration
For The Skincare Addict – Face cold winter weather head-on. During these months of chilly winds and dry indoor air, everyone needs an extra dose of hydration – and this eco-friendly Hydration Heroes Bundle provides maximum moisture to all skin types. All that hand-washing got you chapped? This 100% natural Balancing Hand Wash with fennel extract is formulated to deeply clean and hydrate for soft, smooth hands.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Cosy feet
For Cosy Feet – If we’re spending 99% of our time indoors, why not gift some indoor shoes? Everlane’s ReNew slippers are made from recycled materials and designed to give feet a soft cushion to land on during those holiday stay-cations. For a furry alternative, nothing will feel cosier than these cruelty-free white alpaca slippers, entirely handmade by indigenous artisans in Peru.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Cat
For The Cat Lover – Just as parents appreciate a certain aesthetic when it comes to their children’s toys, cat parents would want the same for their feline overlords housemates. This soft, eco-friendly cat bed made with chunky yarn fits the bill, as does this personalised wooden cat food bowl and this ultra-cool cat scratching DJ deck.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
jacket
For The Minimalist Closet – Outerwear is in again. This Juniper jacket, available in tons of different colours and made sustainably from fabric leftovers, is designed for dressing up or down and layering as needed. It’s that holy grail of versatile garments that your minimalist friend will love and wear all year long.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Creativity
For The Creative Kid – Boosting creativity one box at a time. These Winter Art Boxes include all the materials your crafty kid needs to create amazing art projects – and the final artwork is the perfect holiday decoration. Choose from winter, Christmas or Hanukkah-themed boxes, and gift your little ones a creative activity they’ll love.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Blocks
For Civically Minded Tots – Got a budding builder or little city planner on your hands? This set of 20 Tiny City Blocks by designer and illustrator Suzy Ultman will have pre-schoolers building and rebuilding an adorable miniature city, all while developing motor skills, fostering creativity, expanding problem-solving skills and more!

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Frida
For The Frida Fan – Give the gift of Mexican culture – and fun. This 1,000-piece Viva La Vida Frida Kahlo puzzle celebrates the life of one of Mexico’s most beloved artists in a lively and engaging way for both adults and kids, while Andrea Kettenmann’s illustrated book Kahlo showcases her life and work, revealing the many faces of this icon of Latin American culture and art. [Photo: Puzzle 1000 Pieces]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Chef
For The Chic Home Chef – The kitchen accessory that the foodie in your family didn’t know they needed: This unisex Dandelion stripe apron will have them looking sharp while making their delicious mess in the kitchen – and they’ll take pride in knowing their gift supported independent artisans, as it was hand-woven by members of a family-fun cooperative in Chiapas, Mexico. Does your chef love matching sets? Get them the coordinating napkins and placemats. [Photo: Minna]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Love
For Sharing And Caring – They call it ‘retail therapy’, but we know that nothing brings more joy than spreading the wealth, especially to those less fortunate than us. Charitable initiative Choose Love makes it as simple as one click to give a good hot meal, winter clothing or access to education to displaced people living in refugee camps across the globe. After all, isn’t that what the real holiday spirit is all about?

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
scents
For Scent-sational Pampering – Give the gift of relaxation and indulgent aromas for months to come. These soy wax aroma bars, for example, are available in three different scents, and can be placed in any space to create a calming atmosphere. Alternatively, these cruelty-free, plant-based candles – with over five combinations to choose from – come in a pretty and reusable recycled glass jar, so it’s like giving two gifts in one. [Photo: Modern Sprout]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Secret santa
For The Helping Hand – This really is the season to give. And if we’re already doing some shopping for our loved ones, why not help those in need while we’re at it? Make someone you love a Secret Santa by picking a gift to be sent – in their name – to a vulnerable child in the UK. Knowing that children are warm and well-nourished this holiday season is definitely the best gift of all.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Snuggle
For The Snuggle Bunny – After the usual messy eating, playing and spilling, seeing your kids clean is a lovely feeling. Make them comfy, too, by wrapping them up in this soft, highly absorbent and eco-friendly Kid’s Nautical Stripe Robe, hand-loomed and dyed in Turkey from 100% Turkish cotton. It’s a good look that they’ll also enjoy – even if it’s just for a couple of minutes before they get into the next mess. [Photo: Made Trade]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Alligator
For The Animal-Loving Child – Later ‘gator! With this soft organic cotton Knitted Alligator Scarf, your little one will stay warm for hours – maybe even without putting up a fuss. Plus, its floppy legs and toothy grin are sure to turn heads on the playground. More of a unicorn or puppy type? The online shop offers lots of other animal scarves to choose from. [Photo: Meri Meri]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Didgeridoo
For The Adventurous Musician – Know a music lover looking for an instrument to take up? This ought to didgeridoo it! The Didgeridoo Start Kit comes, of course, with a didgeridoo made of termite-hollowed eucalyptus wood from Australia’s Northern Territory – the very place where Aboriginal peoples invented the instrument millennia ago. Also included is access to online didgeridoo lessons that will help the recipient nail all the right techniques and be on their way to woodwind success.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Vendetta
For The Responsible Rebel – Remember, remember… to always wear a mask when venturing out in public. But it doesn’t have to be boring: why not give this year’s must-have accessory a gunpowder plot twist? To help your rebel stay healthy as they rage against the machine, get them this V for Vendetta Mask that’s fun, subversive and safe.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Detoxer
For The Digital Detoxer – Help your loved one get into that focused workflow with this Anti Phone Signal Bag, a simple metal-fibre pouch that safely blocks phone signals. It holds up to eight phones, so it can also be a perfect solution for families looking to enjoy uninterrupted quality time together. Need to take more drastic measures? This Time Locking Container seals away your devices for a set amount of time. [Photo: Kikkerland]

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Potterhead
For The Potterhead – Harry Potter ultra-fans are just like everyone else: The way to their hearts is through their stomachs (no Amortentia love potion needed!). So gift them this spellbinding cookbook featuring more than 150 easy-to-prepare recipes inspired by the beloved book series. Who knows? They may even invite you to an abundant banquet in full Hogwarts Great Hall style!

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide.
Shawl
For The Woman With Timeless Taste – Gilded Age artist Louis Comfort Tiffany embraced the peacock feather motif, most famously in his 1900 iridescent Favrile vase – now part of the Met Collection. The artwork is reinterpreted in this soft, jewel-toned shawl, a perennial favourite in the museum’s store.

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The Essentials: Our Ultimate 2020 Gift Guide

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