Inside: The Chelsea Hotel

$33

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$33

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Photographer Julia Calfee has lived and taken photos in NYC’s famed Chelsea Hotel for four years. This book captures private and public moments of the Hotel’s residents and guests.

This product is sold by powerHouse Books

Zoe’s Chocolate Co. Handmade Candy Cane Gift Box

$24.50

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$24.50

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8 of Zoe’s handmade candy canes in a fancy red box. With bells.

This product is sold by Zoe's

P’kolino Art Set

$20

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$20

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New from P’kolino, this art set includes 12 markers, 12 triangle crayons and 16 hexagon colored pencils. They are made in Europe by Jovi and are non-toxic, low odor and use food dye inks, making them safer for children. The colors are vivid and very durable for your drawing pleasure.

This product is sold by P'kolino

Birds of a Feather Mobile

$65

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$65

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Comprised of laser-cut walnut plywood, this elegant mobile looks as nice hanging over a crib as it does anywhere else in the home. Made in L.A. by designer Helene Ige.

This product is sold by Ige

Six Gifts for the Hard-to-Please

When the scrooge in your life refuses to join the festivities, give them a good dose of the holiday spirit with a donation to Heifer International, which provides livestock to families in need. Meanwhile, the sweets-obsessed cousin will bask in the glow of raspberry rose truffles from Compartes Chocolatier.

Aunt Helga invites you to the Scottish mansion of her new husband, a member of parliament. How to thank her for such generosity? Kimberley Selwood Jewelry provides the perfect blend of fine craftsmanship and elegant design. And when her daughter Kimberley, the anti-consumerism poli-sci major, demands to know how you're shrinking your fossil fuel footprint, whip out Ellen's Non-Consuming Gift Ideas, a website that offers eco-friendly alternatives to all that stuff.

The steampunk enthusiast monastic third cousin that never leaves his log cabin in Oregon will undoubtedly appreciate a one-of-a-kind robot sculpture from Bennett Robot Works. His thrifty wife, meanwhile, will love these Tear Drop Tagua Earrings.

No matter what the occasion, the Cool Hunting Gift Guide has just the right knick or knack for every person in your life. Stay tuned as we unveil more goodies from our vault.

Conundrums

$10

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$10

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A book of typographic puzzles designed by acclaimed graphic designer Harry Pearce. Set in AG Old Face, the puzzles adhere to the three simple rules of one box, two colors and a single typeface. See more examples from Pentagram’s review.

This product is sold by It Books

Nine Green Gifts

For fans of all things green on your list, today we picked out items of a lime persuasion from our gift guide to take center stage. On the affordable side, there's the eco-friendly EarthLust Stainless Steel Bottle, or Orla Kiely Mugs for Hot Toddys galore. The toddlers among us can take a spin in the Green Off-Road X9X Automoblox Kit.

That mysteriously rich uncle in the Florida Keys will appreciate the Barcelona Skyline Print. And for the spinster poetess aunt in Massachusetts, the Typodarium 2010 makes a good choice.

For that friend with prints on the brain, there's The Call of the Cuckoo print. If you'd prefer something more practical, the Pear Memo Pad provides a fruity take on office supplies.

When your foul-mouthed grandma comes to visit, WeSC's The Frog Sweater will give her plenty to talk about!

Worried about showing just the right hint of sophistication for those judgmental in-laws? The Glowing Peace Party Jewish Rosary is just what you need to get Hanukkah glowing.

Brixels Lego Mosaics

$185+

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$185+

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Build your own LEGO mosaic simply by uploading a picture of your choice to the website. In a few days you will receive a preview of your image and if you are satisfied you can proceed with your order. LEGO used to do something like this a while back but we are happy to see Brixels has carried on this concept. It’s possible to build the mosaic yourself for a more low cost option.

This product is sold by Brixels

Mast Brothers Chocolate

$80

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$80

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Williamsburg-based Mast Brothers Chocolate is the only bean-to-bar chocolate maker in New York City and one of only a few artisan chocolate makers in the USA to tackle the complex process. A variety of ten bars, which include Dark Chocolate with Fleur de Sel, Dark chocolate with Cocoa Nibs, two seasonal creations and others, are selected by the chocolate makers and packaged for you. It’s always in the snack drawer at CH HQ.

This product is sold by Mast Brothers

The Original Colorforms Set

$33

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$33

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Taking it back to the days when simple shapes could entertain us, this retro set of Colorforms is perfect for those who want to stimulate the mind making patterns and designs. The set includes 350 shapes and was recently selected for the Toy Hall of Fame making it a classic gift to give this holiday season.

This product is sold by Colorforms

Humane Gifts

$10

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$10

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This holiday season there is no better way to give back than to give a gift that will support animals in need. Causes that you can support include, providing emergency disaster relief, caring for puppy mill victims, stopping illegal ivory trade and more. Prices vary depending on which cause you give to and after purchasing you can send it as an e-card.

This product is sold by Humane Society

Streets Clock

€120

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€120

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Customize this clock with the streetscape of your choice–if it’s on Google maps it can be featured on this clock. Choose a location, scale and color and you’ve got a one-of-a-kind gift.

This product is sold by Fluid Forms

One Deck of Cards Shapes

$175

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$175

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Produced in a limited edition of 250 decks, this unconventional deck of cards is designed by artistTauba Auerbach and comes in a variety of geometric shapes and colors.

This product is sold by Moss

Ellen’s Non-Consuming Gift Ideas

$0

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$0

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While in many ways virtuous, it’s frustrating to gift shop for these minimalist do-gooders. Curiously, the Salem, Oregon city website has compiled a long list of “non-consuming gift ideas” for ways to express your appreciation and affection during the holidays without actually buying anything. The site is a compilation from suggestions emailed to Ellen and continues to evolve.

This product is sold by Ellen's Non-Consuming Gift Ideas

Swiss Army Knife Cigar Cutter

$98

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$98

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This crafted cigar knife comes with three circular punches for different gauges of cigar. A quick slice of the knife and the cigar is neatly trimmed and ready to go. The perfect gift for the cigar enthusiast who claims they’re trying to quit. It also includes a nail file, scissors and conventional knife blade.

This product is sold by Victorinox Swiss Army

USB Stealth Switch

$28

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$28

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Pull one over on your tyrannical boss with this handy panic button for the office PC. Simply plug the StealthSwitch into the computer’s USB and whenever your supervisor ventures near, a tap of the hidden pedal will cause Facebook (or worse) to instantly vanish from your screen, replaced with the window of your choice. “Ah, finishing up that PowerPoint presentation I see. Good work, Jenkins!” Click the switch again and you can go back to browsing Cool Hunting’s gift guide, or worse.

This product is sold by StealthSwitch

Air Multiplier Fan

$300

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$300

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Dyson has reinvented the fan just as it has the vacuum and the hand dryer. The Air Multiplier is both incredibly cool and incredibly effective. It’s more expensive than most other fans, but you’ll be blown away by its performance and looks.

This product is sold by Dyson

Type Trump Cards

$10

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$10

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For any typo-phile or person who loves a good game of cards, Rick Banks, designer from U.K.-based Face37 has come up with Top-Trumps-style playing cards. The subject is typography and each typeface is compiled with statistics: designer, year of design, foundry, weight, legibility, etc.

This product is sold by Face37

Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams

€50

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€50

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The man who taught us to “question everything generally thought to be obvious” is celebrated in Gestalten’s book “Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams.” One of the most influential designers of all time, the book is both a retrospective and contemporary reevaluation of his work and philosophy on design.

This product is sold by Gestalten

Greener Pup Beds

$53

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$53

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Probably the best dog bed out there. Each bed contains 70-120 recycled plastic bottles as filler, and is covered by luxury fabrics recycled from high end home projects. On top of that, 100% of profits go to the Ace of Hearts Foundation which places shelter dogs into loving homes. Show your dog some love this holiday.

This product is sold by Greener Pup

The Storymatic

$30

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$30

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Like an old-fashioned game of Exquisite Corpse, the Storymatic is the new must have game for your holiday party this season. Players draw two gold cards to find their characters, a person “with a large scar,” “who has never left the city,” and then a white situation card: “batteries are dead.” Let your imagination go from there. Literally trillions of stories can begin with these simple prompts. Use to create a fun parlor game, or on your own when you need a little antidote to writer’s block.

This product is sold by Storymatic

Cool Hunting’s 2009 Gift Guide

Constantly updated with our finds—from luxurious hand-sewn boxers ($65) to a Kenny Scharf-designed bong ($400)—this year's Cool Hunting Gift Guide makes a go-to resource for anyone tricky or otherwise on your list. We’ve included gifts for all types (grumpy dads and crafting sisters alike) and at a variety of price points, including under $25 (check out the cult NYC restaurant cookbook "Momofuku" and beyond ($30,000 for a Damascus steel and platinum straight razor).

We'll be adding new stuff daily, so check back often to get a dose of Cool Hunting-style holidays.

Birds of Sausalito Boxers

$65

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$65

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California-based Birds of Sausalito are offereing one of the most comfortable and luxurious pairs of boxer shorts ever created this holiday season. Hand sewn with luxurious 100% Peruvian Pima Cotton, mother-of-pearl buttons, and the single needle stitch sewing technique, your man will never go back to a regular pair of boxers after trying these on for size. Each boxer comes in its own Pima Cotton pouch for easy gift giving.

This product is sold by Birds of Sausalito

Liddabit Sweets

$6

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$6

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Brooklyn-based Liddabit Sweets are a CH favorite—especially the caramels and coconut bars. Local ingredients make it even sweeter.

This product is sold by Liddabit

Albert Maysles Glasses

$350

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$350

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Designed after the legendary Grey Gardens and Gimme Shelter documentary filmmaker’s own glasses, the new Albert Maysles frames are the thing to transform any look this season. Maysles sent in his own 1960s frames to designer Barton Perreira to reproduce in updated lighter frames, available in white, black, and cloud. A percentage of proceeds benefits the Maysles Institute.

This product is sold by Barton Perreira