12 Ideas for the Hard-To-Buy-For On Your Holiday Shopping List

They’re in a category all their own – family and friends who have you up all night scouring the Internet for something to please their delightfully difficult selves. We feel your pain.

Here are 12 guaranteed-to-please gift ideas* that should minimize your stress and maximize their oohs and ahhhs.



1. The Fashionista

Fashion forward, willing to stand in line all day for a new-release designer purse, there’s no sating the tastes of this shopaholic. Unless you hand over one of these stylish Vitra Key Ring Elephants from Dutch designer, Hella Jongerius. Not only is the ultra soft, furniture-grade leather beautiful stitched – and the elephant motif an 11! on the adorable scale – they have history. Drop the fact that they were inspired by an elephant design by Charles and Ray Eames in the ‘40s, which design house Vitra recently re-issued. Then watch your fashionista’s Instagram light up.

 



2. The Budget-Minded Protestor (aka, I’m Just Not Worth It)

This recipient never wants a thing, and often protests "really, a card would be just fine." Except this is an important person in your life and you want to treat them to something special. Why not tell them the story of the Herman Miller Nelson® Bubble Lamps as you hand over one of the most beautiful lamps ever designed? As he tells it, designer George Nelson saw this Swedish hanging sphere in the 1940s for the whopping price tag of $125. Feeling it was wildly overpriced, he rethought the design, replacing silk with the self-webbing plastic he remembered seeing on mothballed ships in New York’s harbour. And there you have it: a gift that’s stylish and comes with a tale of frugality. Available in suspension, wall, table and floor lamp configurations.



3. The Techie Minimalist

Forget the circular loose-leaf tea infusers your grandma uses for her perfect cuppa, the future of tea steeping is here. Perfect for the techie first adopter on your list, this is an almost certain conversation starter. The Blomus UTILO Teastick has a slide open drawer where the loose tea is placed. Just close the drawer and swirl the cylinder in a cup of boiling water to create the perfect cup. It’s called a teastick, for goodness sakes – what techie wouldn’t be into that? Hot tea just got a whole lot cooler.



4. The Cool, Creative Type

You’d think these fantastic handmade Flensted Mobiles from Denmark’s Christian Flensted would be ideal for a nursery (and sure, they were designed for children). But we really think your creative friends with playful, quirky offices will love them more. The mobile is designed so that all the elements are in constant motion, while the overall piece has a continual balance. Christian Flensted earned the nickname "Uromager" for his design, and was so successful at creating these mobiles, he quit his day job. Uromager? Means a "maker of mischievous things that are always on the move."



5. The Foodie

While dinner at your house might only get so adventurous – say, using the BBQ for pizza – your foodie friend often pulls out the sous vide without blinking an eye. How do you impress this gadget-loving food lover always looking for the next great kitchen invention? These Menu Bottle Grinders may just do it. Not just for salt and pepper, these are designed to grind spices, seeds, grains, dried fruits and more. They come in a neutral range of colours will fit any décor.

 



6. The Nature Lover

The Finnish people have a magical view of the natural world, and even have seven national nature symbols. That makes the Marimekko Pieni Siirtolapuutarha Cushion Cover an ideal gift for the person in your life that loves to bring nature indoors. The pattern represents summer flowers growing in an allotment garden. It was released as a celebration of the 100-year anniversary of Finland’s independence.



7. The Organizationally Challenged

Whether it’s because of their busy lives or their energetic children, this person’s foyer looks like it’s perpetually set up for a clothing donation run. Help them tame those wayward coats and scarves with Herman Miller Eames® Hang-It-All hooks.  Originally designed for children, the round balls come in bright colours and wood tones: if only they came with a guarantee to inspire an organized hallway.



8. The Oops! Person

You can bet this type is going pop up every year. Even though you feel sure you agreed to a no-gifts policy, there it is. A shiny, guilt-inducing gift that you didn’t think to reciprocate. Here’s our solution. Keep a few of these stunning Marimekko Unikko Mugs pre-wrapped at your office or home. The unique pattern elevates them above just being a coffee cup, and says you spent some time trying to find the perfect gift for them.

 



9. The Entertainer

This person throws the best parties, sets the best tables, and knows how to pull off a high-style cocktail party, complete with fully stocked retro bar cart. If you really want to impress them with your sense of what it takes to be the talk of the party circuit, give them these Stelton Foster Wine Tumblers. First, they’re stainless steel. Second, they’re designed by renowned British architect Norman Foster. Third, they’re absolutely stunning and have that design-forward look!

 



10. The Collector

Whimsical, handmade and hand painted, these Vitra Wooden Dolls are vintage postwar American design. Because these dolls are still painted by hand, each one is truly one of a kind. Alexander Gerard created them in 1952 to express his passion for the folk art of South America, Asia and Eastern Europe. Your collector will love them because they’re charming, fun, and come in all sorts of animal and human shapes. And if you live with this person, you’ll love them too – because you’re not going to mind seeing them on display everywhere.



11. The Coffee Snob

Good coffee is a big deal. And it’s hard to impress the coffee lover in your life who will drive embarrassingly long distances for the perfect bean. Unless you can drop the fact that the Alessi Pulcina Espresso Coffee Maker you just bought will improve the organoleptic properties (smell, taste and texture) of their next cup. This espresso maker, designed by illycaffè, is the optimal shape to boil the water, filter the coffee and interrupt the process before the burnt or bitter taste comes through. The V-shaped spout, which looks like a baby chick’s beak, ensures perfectly cut coffee drops. The result is a full-bodied cup that tastes just as good as it looks.



12. The Wine Connoisseur

Choosing the right stemware to hold a vintage pour is no small feat. But these Iittala Essence Wine Glasses may just have nailed it. Classic Nordic design, they’re simple, clean, in perfect balance, and easy to grasp and handle. Iittala offers timeless aesthetics that last a lifetime.

*Available online – grshop.com or in our showroom. Free shipping in Canada. Items under $100 are subject to a $20 handling fee.