The Spectator’s 2024 Holiday Gift Guide

Matt McDonald, managing editor

As we grow older, the idea is that we become wiser. I’ve decided to buck that trend by making progressively dumber decisions that put me further from my goals of attaining professional success, home ownership, emotional stability and nirvana. The most recent of these is increasing the distances I’ve been running; I will be attempting a half-marathon back home on the south coast of England the week before Christmas, with a view to running my first marathon in Berlin next fall. It’s unclear why we as a species decided to adopt the practice of doing marathons a couple of millennia ago — the first man to do it did die at the end, after all. But social contagion is a powerful thing, and many of my friends from school and university are locked into the trend. The more serious among them all have Garmin sports watches — the Forerunner 265 currently retails for $450, though cheaper and more expensive options are available. Hopefully I have a better race than Pheidippides…

Charles Lipson, contributing editor

For people who like serious but accessible reading about big issues, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty is the pathbreaking work by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, two of this year’s Nobel prizewinners in economics. Few issues are more important than why some nations have grown rich while others have remained poor.

Orson Fry, contributing editor

The holiday season is for putting your phone down, relaxing (or trying to!) with family and drinking too much wine. What’s the perfect accompaniment to all this? A game. And for me there’s only one game which gets those bells jingling. Immortalized by Stephen Fry as “the second most addictive thing to come out of South America,” Perudo is based on the ancient Incan game of “Liar’s Dice.” Players shake their dice-loaded cups and take it in turns to bid which number of a certain die is on the table. The calls mount until someone yells dudo (“I doubt”) or bullshit. The last player with any dice left wins. Think Yahtzee, but sexier, with no need for pen and pad. Cosmo Fry (plug alert — my father) still makes the best sets (he really does), with classic leather cups hand-tooled by Limaño artisans. Other, fancier sets exist, but for under $150 you can do no better than the Classic Set.

Amy Rose Everett, travel writer

Touching down in Japan for the first time in my life and flying straight to east Hokkaido, I discovered temperatures harsher than I’d bargained for. I cursed myself for pitching an intrepid snowshoeing adventure to my Spectator editors — I planned to explore exposed, wide-open flatlands and ice floes covering the Sea of Okhotsk. “All the gear and no idea” never rang more true, but thank God I did have the gear, at least. The North Face’s Chilkat V 400 waterproof boots (about $160) are 100 percent responsible for the fact that I still have ten toes — they were absolutely the best friends I made across six weeks traveling in freezing temperatures. They’re incredibly bouncy and well-insulated — and somehow had me looking forward to biting winds and snow flurries. North Face’s Gore-Tex insulated pants (about $380) made falling a lot more fun, too.

Ross Anderson, Life editor

I’m recommending the best tech products I’ve tried this year, starting with the $299 Meta Quest 3S headset. It’s the best value in VR, with few compromises for the price, and once you try Beat Saber, you’ll get why I’ve spent about a hundred hours this year playing it. Meta’s $299 AI-equipped RayBans are also great: they just look like sunglasses, but you can listen to music on them, take photos, record videos and make phone calls, and the on-board AI gives you information about things you’re looking at. I also love my $349 Oura Ring (this year in its fourth generation). It provides better health tracking than any smartwatch, with a useful app, and none of the distraction of having a screen on your wrist. Finally, the $579 Remarkable Paper Pro is basically the world’s fanciest Kindle, with a color screen, elegant hardware and great paper-like feel, and — whether you’re reading articles in bed, e-books on the train, scribbling down notes or annotating presentations — it’s just a delight to use.

Alexander Larman, Books editor

What do you buy your bibliophile friend who already has every book under the sun? Well, you could start with the original texts of some of the greatest works of literature ever written, from The Great Gatsby to Nineteen Eighty-Four. The excellent SP Books specializes in beautifully produced, limited- edition facsimiles of the original manuscripts of some evergreen classics, presented in stylish slipcases. Any of them would be an invaluable addition to the most discerning of libraries, but my pick is the sumptuous edition of Paradise Lost, both because it reproduces William Blake’s peerless illustrations and for its impeccable reproduction of the first-ever version of one of the finest poems ever written. If you fancy being of the devil’s party this Christmas, you know what to do.

William Newton, Arts writer

For the armchair (or actual) architect in your life, a truly unique gift is the highly detailed, handcrafted concrete model of the Pantheon in Rome from the Lumin Lab. The original, built in the early second century, is the best-preserved Ancient Roman temple in existence. It has had a lasting impact on the history of architecture thanks to its beautiful proportions and extraordinary coffered dome, which remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome on the planet. The daringly wide oculus displays a keen early understand- ing of how the passage of sunlight through the day can change the mood and feel of a building’s interior.

The sculpture comes in two sizes and is heavy enough to be used as a bookend. It is also substantial enough to resist any feline attempt to knock it off a desk or a tabletop. What’s more, it lights up via an integrated LED light with dimmer, making it a particularly striking accent lamp or nightlight.

Not a fan of the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty? Then check out the Lumin Lab’s other offerings, including models of Cologne Cathedral, the Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík and the Jāmeh Mosque of Isfahan, among many other buildings both existing and imagined. (Pieces range between about $175 to $350.)

Billy McMorris, contributing editor

Here in Washington, real estate agents say “seasons” to comfort southerners when temperatures fall below 78°F, while reassuring Yankees that winter exists in the swampland. In keeping with modern DC practice, the euphemism is a lie sold by a man in a quarter-zip or a woman wearing Lawrence Taylor Era shoulder pads. As Christmas approaches it will hover around forty, cold enough for discomfort but too humid to deliver the relief of crisp winter air. Mrs. McMorris will sleep soundly thanks to BedJet, a glorified leaf blower affixed to the foot of our bed. With the touch of an app, she turns the sheets into a sauna in winter, a cold plunge come summer; the gentle hum does not stir the baby. The price tag may seem steep, but our HVAC system no longer runs 24/7, and $500 is what defense attorneys charge hourly when you’re on trial for the senseless murder of a real estate agent.

Amber Duke, Washington editor

As a woman with fine hair that loses a curl if you even look at it the wrong way, I’ve tested curling wands, hot rollers, heatless curling rods and blowdryer brushes of every shape, size and brand searching for all-day volume. I even dropped $600 on one of those fancy air wrap machines; my hair laughed in its face. Even professional hairstylists have struggled with my limp strands. They say a fool and her money are soon parted, but I nonetheless decided to take a leap of faith on the T3 Singlepass Curl X at the recommendation of a friend. It retails at full price for $150, which isn’t cheap for a curling iron without extra attachments or a rotating barrel, but it’s often available on sale. I get a perfect long-lasting curl in fewer than ten seconds, and I don’t have to fry my hair to do it. The iron has nine built-in heat settings, but I’ve never had to crank it above three. It’s also really damn pretty — the Satin Blush color earned a compliment in the women’s bathroom at the Boston airport during recent travels.

Calla Di Pietro, Arts writer

We made it through another election cycle, so I feel we’re deserving and ready for a maximalist holiday season. I am a longtime believer that giving the gift of sparkles is truly the gift that keeps on giving. As long as the result yields sighs of admiration or provides diversion, it’s an investment well made — jewelry is always the answer. For the child in your life who is just beginning to explore the fine arts of pageantry, check out the brand Super Smalls for baubles that people love whatever their age — their blingy swim goggles appeal to the Esther Williams in all of us. For an elevated take on the friendship bracelet with a beloved ear-pierced pal, might I suggest sharing a pair of synthetic sparklers by Alexis Bittar and Dorsey? Keep one earring for yourself and give the other to your friend. And for the truly special — the diamond in your life — lean heavy into the symbolism. A charm for good luck or a shiny- faceted stone to serve as a crystal ball. I encourage you to go beyond the big box stores and chains and head to a local jeweler in your region. You’re sure to find something special in a jewel box boutique like Tiny Gods, Broken English, Capitol or Twist.

Ben Domenech, editor-at-large

When you make your living talking, you can ill-afford to suffer from a sinus issue for any considerable length of time. Normal bouts of seasonal allergies and sore throats can lead to cancellations and lost workdays. And if you have a house with young children, those adorable carriers of toxic disease, you have additional challenges. Enter the saving efficiency of the Navage ($100), an invention by former Republican congressman Martin Hoke of Ohio, who left politics after a narrow loss to Cleveland mayor Dennis Kucinich, partly because of a recorded remark appreciating the ample God-given gifts of a local female producer. Hoke’s invention, which usefully turns its attention to other anatomical regions, is essentially an amped-up, improved motorized version of a neti pot, cleansing the nasal passages with saline water and eucalyptus, driving out allergens and mucus with expediency. Think of it as fracking your nose — for surviving the cold season there’s really no comparison to any other over-the-counter solutions for getting rid of your aching head. You’ll still need your Excedrin or your whiskey to deal with your visiting in-laws or little tykes during the holidays, but at least with this little tool your nose won’t glow like Rudolph’s.

Teresa Mull, assistant editor

I hate spending money on practical things — gasoline, groceries, the electric bill. Who wouldn’t rather pay for fun, pretty things you can enjoy immediately and that’ll last longer than a week? When someone picks up the tab on any of my mundane expenses, I rejoice. Still, paying someone’s cellphone bill, though thoughtful, isn’t exactly exciting or memorable (and why I think gift cards make terrible gifts). But what if you could give people presents they need and want? Rubber boots are your answer. But not just any rubber boots. Jack Butler of Gumleaf USA started importing Arxus rubber boots from Sweden this year; unlike most rubber-boot brands, this footwear won’t wear out in a year or two. They’re handmade of all-natural rubber and handsome — really! — and will lend any wearer an air of old-money competency. Buy yourself a pair while you’re at it. They’re fashionable and useful, fitting (or should I say footing?) the bill for money well spent.

Zack Christenson, editor and publisher

Digital cameras are having a moment — if you know a zoomer, you’ll know that the rage these days is the reversion to pocket digital cameras like we all had in the early 2000s. The Dumbo Flea Market in Brooklyn is mobbed each weekend with twenty-somethings buying old cameras from a used electronics dealer. I’ve gone even further back in time. The Nikon Z fc ($960) is a vintage-style digital SLR camera (if you’re of a certain age, think of the 35mm Canon AE-1 you had in the Seventies) but with all the bells and whistles of the best DSLR cameras on the market, including 4k HD video. You have the options to shoot automatic or manual, with mechanical controls for shutter speed, ISO and exposure. And best of all in my opinion, the viewfinder screen flips over so you can get the true analog experience of shooting pictures without constantly checking how the image it came out, which helps keeps you in the moment. A fantastic gift for someone looking to make the leap from the camera phone experience.

Yasmina Green, art director

Some gifts you have to give to yourself, don’t you? After all, who in anything even approximate to the correct mode of festive thought would buy a woman an anti-aging mask that promises to “turn back the hands of time” on your face? Bit of a gamble. Even I’d be offended, and I actually want one. So this year it’s the secret stocking filler I will give to myself (a tradition I started last year with a set of not very cheap wireless Bang & Olufsen headphones — no regrets). This year? Buzzed-about beauty must-have Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite mask ($641.70) that uses LED light therapy to give the complexion a fresher, younger-looking feel and even out blemishes and coloration. You attach it to your face and, three minutes later, your wrinkles are noticeably smoother, skin is less inflamed, eyes are less puffy. That’s the promise, anyway. Naturally it has its skeptics. But with the manic clash-of-families Christmas I have coming up, I’ll take all the help I can get.

This article was originally published in The Spectator’s December 2024 World edition.