Tonight: Gifts that give us cute aggression. Plus …  | | Dcuk, Baggu, Jellycat; illustration by Con McHugh for NYT Wirecutter |
The cutest gifts we’ve ever seen |
Let me get this out of the way: No one will ever give — or receive — a cuter gift than the one my ex-boyfriend gave me a decade ago. He gave me my dog. A dog is not something I would ever recommend giving anyone. I would especially not suggest giving one to your 26-year-old partner, who — over the next three years — you’ll grow up alongside but also inexplicably further from, and eventually have to lovingly, wrenchingly unravel your life from. A life that now includes a perfect dog. It is a terrible idea for a gift. It is the best gift I’ve ever received. A few weeks shy of my birthday, he dropped her, at just 6-weeks-old, onto my lap inside of a Costco-sized Cheez-It box. No present will ever intoxicate me like the sight of her ridiculously teeny-tiny, smushable head peering up at me. But we can try and get close. Gifting something preposterously cute — adjacent to gifting something tiny — is like asking someone to play with you at recess. In lieu of a bouquet for my best friend’s birthday this year, I wrapped up a mini vase and one itty-bitty glass flower. I have no idea what possessed me to do this except that when I saw them, I adored them. She was besotted. It’s this kind of exchange — one that requires stepping back into a sort of guileless, childlike awe over something’s adorableness, and asking your giftee to join you in the land of whimsy — that I love about cute gifts. They suspend you in a single, squealing moment outside of adulthood: “WHY IS IT SOOO CUTE?” Each of these silly little things made us say something to that effect: - Head of social Julia Bush’s friend recently described Julia’s decor style as “just little guys with faces.” Take this hand-painted 5-inch vase. “It’s orange, Matisse-like look brings me great joy,” Julia says. And though it holds zero water, she considers that a feature, not a bug: She bought it specifically to house fake flowers. (A perfect gift, if you ask us.)
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- You know him, you love him: This austere, glow-in-the-dark, little Smiski toothbrush holder is one of our absolute favorite cute gifts. But may we introduce you to his lackadaisical cousin, this reclining lamp? “I just love that awkward blank face,” says writer Sri Rain Stewart.
- “It’s so small it’s really upsetting,” said newsletters editor Brittney Ho’s sister upon seeing her new friend, Milk, a 1-inch tall figurine designed to peek over a phone. For no particular reason, her whole family recently ordered Sanrio blind boxes and unwrapped them together, “like Christmas in July.” Brittney describes her own as Smiski-esque and “just really cute!!!!”
- Squishy things are having a moment. And while I hesitate to recommend another piece of cheap plastic (not normally our thing), please look at this slime. The cookie bear latte, are you kidding? The small store changes their stock regularly, but editor and slime enthusiast Hannah Rimm promises every drop is adorable. After trying dozens of shops, Hannah says this is “the cutest, most consistent, longest lasting slime in the game.”
- Ah, Jellycats. Trailblazers of the genre for a reason. I’d argue it’s hard to find a non-cute one of these soft, squishy toys, from which there are hundreds to choose. I personally feel very drawn to this pebble with wonderfully oversized feet. Gifts editor Hannah Morrill abhors clutter but cannot help smiling when she finds this fuzzy, grinning bagel under her daughter’s bed, dresser, and sheets.
- Newsletters editor and resident team gardener Isoke Samuel has spent the past few weeks enamored by her Tiny Tim tomatoes. “I knew they’d be tiny little morsels of late summer goodness,” she says, “But I did not fully grasp just how small they would be. Even a 12-inch terra-cotta pot is too big for them. Every morning, I’m just delighted by my itty-bitty shrubs loaded with teeny-tiny Tims.”
- It’s become a bit of a thing in newsletters editor Erin Neil’s household to gift one another hand-carved wooden ducks. The earnest-looking guy that started it all? This fella, who stands quite adorably in his little red and white rain boots. His name is Charlie, but each duckling comes with a different name — and you can customize their clothes, poses, and yes, their wellies.
- This tiny Baggu bag charm — a mini version of the widely beloved crescent bag — is pretty cute. The plump orange charm is even cuter. For ultimate bag cuteness: This little pup Jellycat shoulder bag has perfectly floppy ears. Eeeee!
- Finally, who among us couldn’t use a tiny crocheted positive potato? Since writer Rose Maura Lorre’s daughter received one a few years ago, the mother-daughter duo has been gifting it back and forth — ahead of hard homework assignments and looming work deadlines. His tiny arms hold a card that coming from anyone else would be saccharine, but coming from a potato really works: “I may be a tiny potato, but I believe in you.”
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| What to give: A great manager? |  |
My fellow intern and I have been working for our lab manager for about a year, and the two of us are leaving to go to college. He’s done so much for us, and we want to give him a gift to thank him for all his help. He spends a lot of time in the lab, really loves his Shiba, and is a gamer. He deserves something that’s as awesome as he is. —R.A. From gifting expert Hannah Morrill: At the risk of sounding stodgy, may I start with a bit of old-school professional wisdom? In general, employees aren’t expected to give their managers a gift. I’m sure your dogged efforts in the lab this last year have been gift enough! But I applaud your desire to show your appreciation for his mentorship. Why do I think he might like this Lego Game Boy? (A real core memory for us elder millennials.) This heat-changing mug looks like a Game Boy and hits a similar note. For a little office wall art, what about a Nintendo controller, deconstructed and framed? If those are too specific, you can never go wrong with snacks. This sampler pack of 50 Japanese Kit Kats could fuel many a long day and night in the lab, and a pillow version of his beloved Shiba could also be a delight. Kudos on a wonderful internship, and best of luck at college this fall.
Have someone who’s impossible to shop for? Submit your question here. | |  | Were you forwarded this newsletter? Sign up here for The Gift. Handpicked hidden gems. Great deals on lovely things. Your biggest gifting conundrums, answered. A gift guide from Wirecutter. Get it in your inbox. |
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One last gift (for you): This (on-sale) bag is stylishly sporty and can be dressed up or down. It also comes in vibrant colors and is machine-washable, too.
You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you. |
