I Shop Stylish Home Products for a Living — Here’s What I’m Gifting Everyone This Year

I love anything from Anecdote Candles for its kitschy branding, and this 2022-inspired vessel, the Smells Like High Hopes and Low Expectations Candle, feels spot on. What better mentality to take into the new year? Honestly, humor and candles just feel like the best life coping mechanisms right now, especially when the latter's touting pretty pink packaging and a delicious citrusy scent.

Anthropologie’s assorted initial gifts have been a go-to of mine for the past few holidays — I’ve shopped their personalized mugs, coasters, and notebooks. This year, these beautiful celestial trinket dishes couldn’t be more perfect to keep my monogrammed streak alive. Why, you may ask? Because they’re cute and easy (and affordable!) to buy in bulk for your whole friend group or family.

Maybe you’ve had to postpone international travel plans, maybe you know someone who constantly dreams of channeling the Parisian lifestyle (because the obsession isreal). Whatever the case, you can’t go wrong here. In it, four Paris-based female friends delve into the city's inimitable lifestyle with fashion and beauty tips, recipes, and more. Anyone will love this, not only for the read, but also the styling potential the book itself brings... bonjour, coffee table addition!

I used a birthday discount to get myself a rechargeable lighter this past summer, and it might be one of my best purchases to date. Although I do lighta lotof candles and may be somewhat biased, I’d consider it particularly practical for just about anyone to have on hand. It’s compact enough to stash in a drawer and just one charge equates to 300 uses, NBD. Food52 also carries a handful of hues on top of this luxe-looking rose gold.

For the friend who’s been working remotely, give them something to make their 9 to 5 a little more merry and bright. Homesick Candles is another one of my favorite brands, thanks to their minimalist designs and alluring fragrances, like this soy-wax blend with notes of fresh air, water lilies, and amber. They're also on the taller side, which means a fairly substantial burn time — between 60 and 80 hours, to be exact.

Who can say no to adding another ornament to their collection? I’ve seen a huge rise in fun, food-themed motifs, but I’ll toast to this chic mini champagne bottle. You can keep this on the back burner for any newly engaged friends or as an NYE hostess gift, too.

Last but not least, I’ve not-so-subtly hinted at wanting this book for myself this year. This hardcover comes from famed floral designer Lewis Miller, who’s widely known for his spontaneous “flower flash” displays around New York City. Miller and his team turn the city into a creative canvas, building stunning arrangements around trash cans, construction sites, lamp posts, and more. Even for those unfamiliar with the so-called “Flower Bandit,” the book’s a beautiful roundup of some of Miller’s most prominent floral installations. Don’t just take my word for it though — Barnes & Noble added this to their 2021 Holiday Gift Guide list, too!