All I Want for Christmas

A last-minute gift guide

Did you wake up and realize it’s just days before Christmas and you haven’t checked off your shopping list yet? I’m here to help.

Two years ago, I wrote that you should consider giving experiences, not things, and I stand by that. This year, my husband and I are gifting each other a shared trip (a week in Lamu, our absolute favorite place on earth, the place we both want our ashes scattered — and you can join me there on my Kenya storytelling retreat, if you’re so inclined). A retreat really is a great experience to give as a gift, whether it’s one of mine (if Kenya’s not your style, maybe Greece?) or someone else’s. End self-promotion now, a spa gift certificate is always welcome, or one at a local massage place. Is your intended recipient into a particular sport or activity? A gift card for that thing is great — a month of unlimited spin classes at the studio they like, a few turns at the driving range, a personal training session at their gym, an infrared sauna session, a gift card to a running or sporting goods store, and so on. Is there something your loved one has long been keen on learning? A lesson or pack of lessons is a great gift: Think classes for language, dance, a particular sport (tennis, pickle ball, golf…), cooking, cocktail-making, wine-tasting, cheese tasting, fermenting, and so on.

Subscriptions are also excellent. Obviously I would love it if you would gift a subscription to this newsletter, which will also sign your loved one up for Writing Practice in January:

But I can recommend so many others as well.