Whether buying gifts for what feels like countless family members, taking part in present exchanges with colleagues, attending events, New Year’s Eve parties, or traveling for the holidays, December can be expensive. For all those occasions, and more, we have trawled the internet to find less extravagant options. Within our $25 and Under Gift Guide there are thoughtful, fun and design-forward presents for all types of individuals at prices that are more affordable.
The cult-followed singer-songwriter Caroline Polachek’s second album, DESIRE, I WANT TO TURN INTO YOU, continues the artist’s synth-inflected, techno-take on pop with more wailing, sunny instrumentation and attitude. Pressed onto a metallic copper vinyl, the LP includes the tracks “Bunny Is A Rider,” “Welcome To My Island” and “Billions,” and features collaborations with Grimes and Dido.
Roasted, ground and molded in California’s Napa Valley, chef Thomas Keller’s bean-to-bar chocolate brand, K + M, now offers a refreshingly delicious 70% dark chocolate and yuzu blend. Freeze-dried Japanese yuzu peel joins Arriba Nacional cacao from Ecuador’s Hacienda Victoria Estate, organic cocoa butter and organic cane sugar for a luscious, light flavor.
LA-based artist Rob Sato’s Bad Hands series is composed of hand-printed lithographs in various colorways. Essentially a chart of hand and finger configurations (some of which are impossible), the print is on Cougar cover stock paper and is available in an edition of 60.
Comprising 40 recipes for Italian dishes, the new edition of The Silver Spoon for Children celebrates the book’s 10th anniversary with a refreshed, user-friendly layout. Featuring charming, helpful illustrations by Harriet Russell as well as enticing food photography, the updated cookbook (edited by Amanda Grant) includes instructions on making classics like spaghetti all’amatriciana, stuffed peaches and prosciutto-wrapped melon. Intended for kids seven and older, it’s a …
Created by Canadian artificial intelligence company WOMBO, Dream is an AI-powered app that converts text to painted art when given a prompt and preferred style. Available on iOS with a monthly subscription starting at $5, the intuitive algorithm explores AI’s ability to bring words to life.
Adorned with a scribble design by James Paris, this 32-ounce Nalgene water bottle was created as part of Philadelphia store YOWIE’s pop-up with Nordstrom. With a narrow spout, it’s perfect for sipping from while on the move or during a workout class.
The first issue of Felix Choong’s fashion magazine, Nice Outfit, tackles the rise of military aesthetics, the relationship between clothing and violence and the abolition and ephemerality of the industry. Spanning politics, archives, theory and speculative fiction and featuring contributions from Elizabeth Wilson, Dal Chodha, Eilidh Duffy and more, the magazine takes the temperature of the current fashion landscape with candor and nuance. Price is in …
The work of the Brontë sisters comes to life in this 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle from Laurence King Publishing. From the Yorkshire moors to Mr Heathcliff and other characters from their novels, the puzzle—which is illustrated by Eleanor Taylor and features a pull-out poster—is suffused with allusions to the stories and figures that shaped the Brontës’ nineteenth century literature. Price is in Pounds.
Handmade in South Korea using all-natural and eco-friendly materials, this durable Fish Bone Toy from The Royal Grocery brings a little cartoonish nostalgia to the humble cat accessory. Stuffed with irresistible, enticing catnip, it’s soft but durable—delivering hours of entertainment.
An ode to canine companions, this 100% cotton Blue Dogs Tea Towel features dog illustrations by artists who are part ARTHOUSE Unlimited, a UK-based non-profit that represents creatives who are neuro-diverse and/or have physical support needs. Each artist drew a pet’s portrait in blue pencil, creating a delightful print of all types of dogs. Plus, 100% of the proceeds from sales of the charming but …
Ottessa Moshfegh’s 2018 novel, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, follows the existence of an unnamed narrator as she attempts a kind of hibernation thanks to prescription medications. Living on the Upper East Side in a pre-9/11 NYC, the antihero protagonist is a beautiful Columbia graduate who works at an art gallery, but feels alienated—and her solution to this feeling is total isolation. A story …
Designer and illustrator Rilla Alexander’s heartwarming forms and bold colors spur imagination in children and adults alike. Her stamp kit, a collection of geometric beech wood stamps with colorful ink pads, offers a glimpse behind her process and it invites others to build their own characters, landscapes and objects. Much like the designer’s work, the kit sparks creativity.
