gifts

100 Carefully Selected, Unusually Special Gifts Under $200

Including delicate glass spoons, clogs for any occasion, and a tiny teapot broom.

A smushable hat, $198. Photo: Hugo Yu
A smushable hat, $198. Photo: Hugo Yu

To find the hundreds of items on this list, we first polled our extremely knowledgeable staff about the best new items to pop up on their respective beats. Then a group of dedicated editors spent months going down all manner of rabbit holes: scanning the background of home tours to track down the most special bathtub we’ve ever encountered, challenging ourselves to find teeny-tiny shops we’d never heard of in cities around the world (from L.A. to Seoul to Tbilisi), and figuring out where some of our favorite stores source from and looking there too. Beyond stores, we went up to strangers to inquire about their shoes, interviewed our hairdresser’s preteen son about what he’s into, followed a daisy chain of British zoomers on Instagram to see what brands they were following, and just kept scrolling and hunting till we could scroll and hunt no more! A careful edit of the resulting menagerie is below, including tiny sheep-shaped soaps, a pill case by Lana Del Rey, and whole Long Island spearing.

Don’t miss all of The Strategist’s holiday gift coverage right here. You can also see our picks for gifts under $50.

Organza Cord Covers

The L.A.-based Iko Iko makes objects to enhance the utilitarian.

Wear-Inside Scarf

It’s wool but still feels closer to a carre in spirit.

Better Than a Finger

One might use this 22-karat-gold wand to apply various creams and serums.

Steel Comb

The designer, Madison Seidman, made these just after finishing her thesis at Parsons.

Henry Taylor Monograph

$42

Jerry Saltz called his Whitney show the best of the year.

Barkley L. Hendricks Monograph

From the late painter’s solo Frick show — the only by a Black artist in the museum’s history.

Holiday Party Coat

This fancy little girls’ jacket by Miranda has rose-shaped buttons and a velvet bow on the back.

Imperfect Ring

Appealing, beaten-up-looking rings with no two crystals exactly the same.

Red Fanny

Le Sportsac is having a bit of a resurgence.

Eerie Press-ons

Designed by alexand3r.me, who also makes nails that look like they’re covered in grime.

Murano Spoons

Murano Candle

It smells like fresh pine and fir and is big enough to be used as a vase once the wax runs out.

Anytime Clogs

These two-tone Chillbies are the nicest in a crowded field of handsome, waterproof slip-ons.

Historic Pouch

Made with fabric designed in 1914 by shuttered Austrian textile firm Backhausen.

Three-Bow Band

Triple the holiday cheer from Portuguese children’s brand Patachou.

Baroque Earrings

There’s a matching necklace and ring available if one wishes to complete the look.

[Editor’s note: These earrings are currently sold out, but you can sign up for restock notifications on the product page.]

Four-Pocket Tote

Japanese brand Amiacalva specializes in slightly updated classic bags; this one happens to have a lot of storage space.

[Editor’s note: This tote is currently unavailable, but you can shop Amiaclava’s other bags here.]

Film Strip

Snipped from an old reel of In the Mood for Love and framed for easy gifting.

Shrunken Bobcat

Miniaturized with startling precision down to the accurately placed joystick.

Rosette Bra

A nice under-a-sheer-top option. The bottoms are sold separately for $58.

Headache-Free Perfume

No synthetics in this Danish scent, which has notes of black tea, apricot, and olive.

Waterproof Penny Loafer

Photo: Hugo Yu

An all-rubber slip-on, available in classic black but also bright yellow, red, and a pleasant olive.

Shrimp Fan

Each leather blade is hand-painted by a seasoned Javanese shadow-puppet-maker.

More-Social Tamagotchi

Tamagotchi Uni - Pink
$42
$42

The new Uni connects to Wi-Fi so the Tamagotchi can play with its friends; doubles as a watch.

Unconventional Cast Iron

From an 84-year-old family-owned company in Medellín; the spouts on the side make pouring easier.

Real Ring Pop

Bella Hadid, Sofia Richie, Sydney Sweeney, Behati Prinsloo, and Doja Cat have worn ’em.

Non-Boring Beret

Fairy Smut

A pair of wildly popular (and sexy) Sarah J. Maas books set in the fantasy world of Prythian.

JoJo Siwa–esque Boots

Billieblush may make the pinkest, sparkliest, zigzaggiest shoes out there.

Magnetic Racetrack

There are two cars in case one desires a head-to-head situation.

Magnum Decanter

Still somehow slim enough to fit in the fridge door.

Skateboard for a 3-Year-Old

The wheels are soft and high, making it much harder to fall off.

Rockies-Ready Walkie-Talkie

$110

You can chatter 25 miles apart.

Polka-dot Pants

A lot of cool-kid designs — like these cords — are coming out of this Catalonia-based brand.

Giant Stacking Toys

Photo: Hugo Yu

Together, they have a weight capacity of 396 pounds, meaning a toddler can stand on them safely.

Shirt for a Man

It has some — but not an intimidating amount of — personality.

Deep-V Tunic

A wearable-in-many-ways mustard mohair top.

Unusable Pitcher

This rosewood carafe “won’t hold water” but will stun on a shelf.

Dolly on Dolly

450 photographs of Parton’s wigs, rhinestone-studded dresses, high heels, and makeup looks.

Going-Out Clogs

Made by Swedish brand Troentorp and Japanese company Needles with a little horsebit on top.

Monastic Towels

Puglian-made flat weaves, the preferred bath-towel style of Europeans.

Particularly Vivid Watercolors

Photo: Hugo Yu

Iridescent Tote

A real day-to-night, made of satin with a cream bias tape.

Objet Soupspoons

Two inches deep for extremely hearty sips.

Nostalgic Swatch

“Infused with pure ’80s and ’90s joy,” which in practice means a lot of different shades of neon.

Pollock-ish Workwear

Littler kids can wear these big and roll up the cuffs.

Sofia Coppola Tome

These 488 pages of collages and annotated scripts will satisfy the Coppola obsessive and the casual Virgin Suicides fan.

Curly Dryer

Shark’s newest diffuser is meant specifically for wavy, curly, and coily hair.

Displayable LEGO

Make all manner of modernist creations from 805 arty pieces.

East Williamsburg Pocket Square

Made by a Savile Row–trained rabbi in Brooklyn.

The Flossiest Halvah

Everything the tahini-based sweet should be: unusually fluffy with a nutty roasted flavor.

Simple Champagne Coupes

Gio Line’s handsome glasses do not look — but are — dishwasher safe.

Cheerful Basketball

Market is bringing back the “first-ever tennis basketball to exist” after its initial run sold out.

Useful Fish

A spoon rest from Vietri’s Pesci Colorati collection.

Toasty Vest

From Madewell’s suddenly great men’s section.

Sensory Balls

Photo: Hugo Yu

This set of seven mirrored stainless-steel balls (which also rattle) will transfix a baby.

Better Than Google Maps

Garmin eTrex SE
$120
$120

It gets 168 hours on one charge and connects with global-navigation systems so hikers never get lost.

World-Builder

Earth: The Board Game
$39
$39

Players are given island, climate, and ecosystem cards and take it from there.

Omelet Pan

The shape makes rolling it up easier; the copper is conducive to even egg cookery.

Variegated Beanie

Madrid-based designer Edward Cuming made an extremely fuzzy striped cap.

Living-Room-Floor Stables

Schleich Horse Club
$100
$100

Set includes a horse trailer, a grooming station, a paddock, bridles and saddles, obstacle poles, and “transport gaiters.”

Scandi Etch A Sketch

From Danish kids’ brand Liewood. Bonus: wooden blocks for hands not ready for a pen.

Dog-E

This robot dog has over 200 possible reactions to any given stimulus — for instance, its tail lets you know when it likes a treat.

Portable Steamer

Nesugar Clothes Steamer
$56
$56

Nesugar has designed an under-two-pound steamer with a little rotating head for hard-to-get-to wrinkles.

‘Rebuilding Seattle’

Rebuilding Seattle
$38
$38

Downtown Seattle is destroyed by the Great Fire of 1889, and you’re the city planner who has to build it back.

Towel-Shawl-Tapestry

From Eleven Eleven and Cassi Namoda; dyed with indigo and pinkwood, it has at least three potential uses.

Brutalist Birdhouse

It attracts all birds (the entrance hole is adored by wrens), deters cats, and should last at least 25 years.

Isabel and Nicki

American Girl Dolls’ first twins are ’90s kids from Seattle.

Chef’s Jacket

From cook-specific British clothing line Service Works.

Five-Medal Salami

From Paul Bertolli, the former Chez Panisse chef who wrote the book on the semisecret ways of cured meats.

Bright-Blue Bowl

Paper-mached out of old magazines and papers by a team of female artisans in South Africa.

Black Beauty Tankini

Lingerie brand Room Service decided to make the bottom, slightly incongruously, a beachscape.

Puffer Gloves

Photo: Hugo Yu

Design label Chopova Lowena “collates references from Bulgarian folklore to 1980s rock climbing.”

Pet Suitcase

Floppy Seagull

His tummy can be stuffed with warm-up-able cherry stones.

1969 Mets Merch

Ebbets makes perfect replicas of vintage baseball merch for teams that currently exist and others that have disbanded.

Narcissus Scarf

Ariadne, the Venus de Milo, the Dying Gaul, and Hebe are also represented.

Show-off Tote

It has a transparent pocket for a book so everyone can see what you’re reading.

Smushable Hat

It can transform from top to newsboy.

Sake Pitcher

Made with a casting technique in use for 400 years in Takaoka, Japan, a city on the coast of Honshu.

Oxygen Infuser

Used by Rihanna’s makeup artist (even on Rihanna!) for immediate glowiness.

Bread Bin

Preppy Throw

Ralph Lauren rereleased its ’90s bedding featuring the Polo Bear in several different spiffy outfits.

Cafona Artichokes

Packed in olive oil with Roman mint and various other herbs.

Watercolor Jersey

Inspired by mid-century Abstract Expressionists, from a cool-guy bike brand.

Adult Bloomers

Surprisingly un-diaperlike.

Spanish Baby Blanket

Downtown Hat

Modeling agency No Agency has every cool girl, including Rachel Sennott, wearing it.

Optical-Illusion Backpack

Jump From Paper has cornered the market on bags that look 2-D but are, in fact, not.

Bath Bench

This tray by Tosaryu is sturdy enough to sit on and wide enough to fit a book and a glass of water.

Tulle Undies

Toddler’s Victorian Nightgown

Multiuse Bandanna

Can be worn as both a hair accessory and a top (or even used to wrap a gift).

Teapot Broom

Its little palm-fiber bristles sweep out hard-to-reach strainers.

Not Quite a Sweater

Skirted Napkins

Designer Chiarastella Cattana is known for her impeccable embroidered pieces.

Magnetic Net

The MagNet hoop attaches to any netless rim, so one can always play (and pack it up just as easily).

Venetian Linens

Designer Chiarastella Cattana is known for her impeccable embroidered pieces.

Nut-Milk Machine

$149

It’ll let them make almond, oat, cashew, walnut, soy, coconut, rice, flax, and peanut milk at their very own kitchen counter.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

100 Carefully Selected, Unusually Special Gifts Under $200