Because there is no reason not to give him the gift of organization along with a lovely object made out of leather? Leather cordito cord wrap, $39.

Because it’s always good to upgrade to the Japanese version of just about anything. Contemporary Japanese shears, $58.

Same thing goes for this pencil holder. Midori brass bullet pencil holder, $21.

Because even if he has everything, he probably does not have super stylish and larger-than-life paperclips. Areaware oversized paper clips, $10.

Because for some reason, my husband is suddenly really into ceramics and stops to carefully examine all pots, bowls and mugs he encounters. And as I always say, embrace the obsession before it strangles you. The Ceramics Bible, $40.

Because who doesn’t want a little hot sauce with them at all times? Siracha2go keychain, $5.99.

If you know his size, you should get him a pair of these boots. And if you can’t buy then yourself, you can at least point him in the right direction by telling him about Oak Street Bootmakers. Natural trench boots, $426.

If they spend a lot of time in the kitchen…

How much do you want to bet that your office-mate who is really into cooking already has a bread knife made of bamboo? I’m going to say 10% chance, tops. And if they do, they probably also have a second home so they need two of them anyway. Bamboo bread knife, $12.

While we’re on the topic of wooden kitchen tools, these are my all time favorite spoons ever. They are the kind of thing Pa lovingly made for Ma in their little house on the prairie. But in real life they’re made by the incredibly talented father of one of my most remarkable friends (who is a fine woodworker in his own right). I would like to be more like them and make all sorts of stuff by hand. But instead I’ll just buy their goods and so should you. Live Wire Farm Spoons, $10 – $50.

If they like making electronic music but are also into the olden days:

It’s a full blown synth that is totally portable, looks great and is reasonably priced for what it is. A stocking stuffer it is not, but the kid/wife/bandmate who gets this under the tree is going to be a very happy camper, I can tell you that right now. OP 1 Portable Synthesizer, $849.

And come on, wouldn’t the desk that had this feather pen sitting next to the above mentioned synth be amazing? These two objects should come as a package. Maison Martin Margiella Feather Pen, $68.

If they like to ride bikes:

There are not a lot of attractive bike helmets out there, but this one is cool because it collapses, so you can fit it into your bag and take it in with you after you’ve locked the wheels up outside. Which means that you are more likely to wear the helmet in the first place. So this is kind of like giving a person the gift of safety without being at all preachy about it. Folding Bike Helmet, $139.

If they believe in fairies:

I’ve seen incense sticks and incense cones and pieces of wood that burn like incense, but never incense made of rope. This stuff kicks the whole incense thing up a notch, which is what it very badly needs. Cedar Rope Incense, $12.

Sprinkle a bit of this magic fairy dust into your tea at night and it will tranquilize your blood flow, detox your pancreas and promote beautiful dreams. No seriously, it will. I promise. In fact, maybe we should all just get this for ourselves and then the world would be a happier place full of well rested people who like to paint moons and stars all over their packaging. Goodnight Dust, $55.

If they like to collect things like ashtrays and art:

A limited edition massive beach towel designed by Yayoi Kusama. Enough said. Beach Towel, $95.

Or maybe you might want to lead somebody, via a limited edition print, into the mystical, brightly colored world of Saya Woolfalk which is full of detailed drawings of fantastical artifacts and messages that stretch our ideas about cultural boundaries. No Placean Anatomy (Human/Plant/Animal) by Saya Woolfalk, $1200.

And then, of course, if they are a spy:

Any female James Bond shouldn’t be caught out without a hairclip that doubles as a saw, screwdriver, wrench, ruler and trolley coin (whatever that is). Mini Tools Clip by Clippa, $9.99.

If you’re looking for a gift for a man (or a woman for that matter, as most of these gifts are gender non-specific) who is really into design, loves to make things and claims he wants nothing but socks for the holidays, you might find some ideas here…

What is this, you ask? Why it’s a chimney humidifier, of course. This is exactly the kind of thing my husband loves. He will happily toss our current, more mundane model into the landfill (I will then have to rescue it and donate it to some organization or something) and replace it with this sculptural number. On the one hand, he is really picky. On the other, quite easy to please, if you know where to look. Takeshi Ishiguro Chimney Humidifier, $200.

Like, for example, he would be just as excited about this chalk from Germany. Because they bothered to design lovely packaging, because the chalk comes in all sorts of subtly refreshing colors and (most importantly) because it’s a little more difficult to come by as it hails from… well… Germany. Schulkreide Champagne Colored Chalk, $12.

And while we’re on the topic of writing…

Finally!! The pen we’ve all been waiting for!! OK maybe I haven’t been losing sleep for years wondering why Hermes hadn’t made a pen, but now that it’s here I’m thinking it’s exactly the kind of instrument that the Duke of York or some French Count might keep in his jacket pocket for jotting down notes about some large scale outdoor sculpture that he might want to purchase at Art Basel. And who doesn’t want to feel like that? Hermes Nautilus pen, $1350.

Here is the perfect stool upon which to sit whilst contemplating just how Marc Newson managed to design a ballpoint pen that costs over a thousand dollars. It’s made out of cardboard, looks great, involves some simple assembly (which helps us feel like we are master builders) and is reasonably priced to boot. Riki stool, $45.

This is the kind of gift that can only really come from your wife (or maybe your mother, but then it would feel slightly annoying for no good reason) It’s not beautiful, it doesn’t automatically make you feel relaxed or stylish… and yet it is exactly the kind of thing your loved one will be sooooo happy to have in his life. Sometimes the little things are the best. Boot Rescue, $6.99.

If, hypothetically, you were married to the type of person who is kept up at night fretting about unsightly power cords, this is the gift for him (or her). It takes up way less space than the standard variety and kind of looks like it could be R2D2′s cousin. PowerCube, $20.

So at Provisions, Food52′s lovely online retail shop, they have a special gift section for the cook who has everything. Not that we are anywhere close to that, but I am of course curious, so I check it out… and lo, there it is: the golden flatware I have been waiting for. Waaaaaay less expensive than the Hermes pen, and yet every bit as much a tool that might be found on the Sultan of Brunai’s table (if he were a minimalist). Gold Flatware set, $120.

And maybe he’s fancy, but really cool and understated so he doesn’t want gold flatware. In that case, go to Jill Platner and get him these cufflinks which he probably doesn’t already have and which are way nicer than the ones he usually wears (unless he has some amazing vintage set from his grandfather in which case you should just get them anyway because a man’s gotta be modern every once in a while…) Jill Platner belly button cufflinks, $305.

___________________________
Just FYI, unless otherwise noted, all gift guide photos come courtesy of the websites that you will visit in order to purchase the the items. In case you were curious…