The Best Christmas Presents for Your Wife, According to Gifting Experts
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Gifting whilst betrothed is a fraught process. The best gifts for your wife will vary wildly depending on interests, current hobbies, expectations, and the length of the marriage. As easy as it is to miss the mark, it’s equally as gratifying to watch her unwrap a home run present she gushes about for years to come. Let SPY’s gifting experts lead you towards the latter.
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A wife who loves entertaining shouldn’t receive the same gift as an introvert. A wife who prefers wine doesn’t need a mini keg. A wife who’s never bowled in her life shouldn’t receive a bowling ball. And so on and so forth.
Tow the balance between something luxurious, something useful, and something nice to look at that feels like a treat. SPY has consulted gifting experts and seasoned experts across product categories to find the best of the best this year. This is by no means a comprehensive shopping list of slam-dunks for every spouse, but we’re confident there’s something in here that even the pickiest of wives won’t cringe at.
What the Experts Say
Sources with gifting expertise say that, while there is no one-size-fits-all gift that will make every wife happy, there are things to keep in mind when shopping for them. For this story, SPY interviewed Duy Vo, a consumer trends analyst and the founder of Sandjest, a personalized gifting brand, to help sort through some of the best gifts for different kinds of wives available this holiday season.
“People crave connection, utility, and a sense of being understood and appreciated,” Vo says. “Gifts that resonate with personal comfort and needs or preserve memories hold a special place in the receiver’s heart. This personal touch, this hint of bespoke connection, makes all the difference.”
His advice is meant as general gifting advice, but it’s particularly pertinent when picking out gifts for wives. There are lots of great gifts— useful practicalities, gifts that align with interests and hobbies —that don’t work coming from a partner because they lack that emotional, personal je ne sais quoi that Vo describes.
BEST FOR INSTANT NOSTALGIA
Fujifilm Instax Minilink
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Made For: Wives who love connecting with others. The Minilink is a small photo printer that can connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth. Users can add filters and frames before printing onto the same film that Fujifilm’s Instax line of instant cameras uses. It can give any photo on her phone the old fashioned treatment without having to tote around an actual film camera.
Why It Stands Out: Mark Steinberg, senior technologist at B&H Photo Video, says “I know you can share pictures very easily on your phones, but there’s still something about watching the picture come up instantly. People get a kick out of it.” Having a physical souvenir that takes 12 seconds to print is a great way to commemorate family gatherings, starting with Christmas morning.
BEST FOR SWEET CRAVINGS
Vesta Chocolates
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Made For: Wives who appreciate sweet treats and luxury. Chrissy Fichtl, APOTHEKE Founder, says they’re “a sweet gift to give that everyone will love and they make a great stocking stuffer.”
ROI: They’re expensive, yes, but that’s part of the point: chocolate of this quality should cost more than a Snickers bar. Seeking out something this beautiful sends a message that your wife deserves extravagance.
BEST FOR AN EVERYDAY UPGRADE
Von Baer Elegance Leather Tote Bag
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Made For: A wife who’s relied on that free magazine-branded tote bag for too long. Tom Carbone, an adjunct professor in the Fashion Accessories Design program at the College for Creative Studies, says that the leather Von Baer is top-notch. “They literally could track it back to the farm where the cow came from. They know every aspect of it and every aspect is controlled and environmentally sound.”
ROI: A bag like this is something that she can use every day and will appreciate for years. Put a price on that!
BEST LOUNGING AIDE
Subset Essential Robe
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Made For: Relaxing, naturally. There are plenty of silk or sateen robes on the market, but organic cotton is what makes this one great. Frej Lewenhaupt of Scandinavian clothing care brand Steamery says that cotton is a superb material for robes because it’s “both durable and soft.” After the brand sent us this robe to test out, it’s hard to disagree.
Coolest Feature: The kimono fit — ¾ sleeves and half-calf length — means this robe is easy to move around the house in and comfortable to wear on all but the coldest of days.
BEST FOR FILLING GLASSES
Avaline Organic
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Made For: Wives who live to entertain and celebrate. This organic wine is delicious, decadent, and just a little better for her than the standard bottle.
Why It Stands Out: Fichtl says that “anything” from Cameron Diaz’s line of organic, additive-free wines is worth drinking.
BEST UPGRADED BASIC
Novella The Preface Sneakers
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Why It Stands Out: There’s no shortage of white sneakers on the market, but these Novella sneakers are the only ones that come individually numbered (each variety up to 2020) with unique touches like patent leather heel tabs and a herringbone-to-fingerprint translucent tread. They’re like Stan Smiths or Air Force Ones, in other words, but elevated. Any sneaker wife will be happy to unwrap.
Made For: Leather lovers. Carbone says “The unfortunate or fortunate truth is that leather is a fantastic material,” irreplaceable by the current vegan options. These Novella sneakers are proof that he’s right. The brand sent SPY a pair, and the Italian leather uppers are soft, supple, and striking.
BEST FOR RELAXING
MIKO Foot Massager
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Made For: Wives who work hard. Vo says this electronic massager can “provide real relief after standing all day or pounding the pavement,” so it’s a great way to acknowledge and support a wife who works a physically demanding job.
Coolest Feature: There’s a wireless remote that can adjust the settings without stooping over, allowing for uninterrupted relaxation while using.
BEST FOR NIGHTLY RECOVERY
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
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Why It Stands Out: Vo says this lip mask is “a savior during the dry months, keeping lips supple and pampered, a small nightly routine to show self-love.” It’s a nightly excuse to pamper herself and avoid the dreaded chapped lips during winter.
Coolest Feature: This lip mask can be applied in the morning or at night.
BEST KITCHEN ACCESSORY
French Rolling Pin
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Made For: Wives who love to cook and aren’t in the kitchen out of obligation. Buying a tool that helps a baking enthusiast up her game: good gift. Buying a tool that helps a baking-averse mom bake cookies for the school bake sale: bad gift.
Why It Stands Out: It’s handle-free. Salvatore Martone, executive pastry chef at the Michelin-starred Le Jardinier, says it’s his “favorite because it has no handles, allowing you to feel the thickness of the dough under your hands and it can be used in combination with a lever set.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Gifts for Wife
What makes a good gift for my wife?
Vo says that the best gifts provide “connection, utility, and a sense of being understood and appreciated,” sentiments that are doubly important for committed romantic partners who are also often partners in child-rearing.
Shouldn’t I just buy my wife something I know she needs?
Maybe, as long as it still connotes that sense of connection and romance. She might need a new set of windshield wipers, for instance, but that doesn’t mean that they’d make a good gift during the holiday season.
Why is this so hard?
You’re tasked with translating the personality of the person you love more than anyone into an item you can buy in a store, an impossible chore that, nevertheless, is annual.
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