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Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter

	By Brittney Ho Brittney is a newsletters editor at Wirecutter.

With the holidays barreling toward us, it can be an overwhelming (and expensive) season—particularly if you have picky recipients or a long list to shop for. Stumped on where to start? First—and this is the easy part—sign up for our new newsletter, The Gift. We’ll show up in your inbox once a week with our favorite handpicked gems and advice to be a better gift giver.

As for tackling your list, start by spending a few moments thinking deeply about each recipient—beyond their relation to you. Rather than viewing them just as your mom or best friend or co-worker, take note of how they spend their free time or zero in on a facet of their personality. For example, if your uncle is a grown-up who … doesn’t want to grow up, he might like a gift that encourages his joie de vivre, like a playful, personalized figurine in his likeness or this ridiculous and charming duck lamp. Or if your bestie can never be seen without a cup of matcha in her hand, she might get a lot of use out of this dishwasher-safe milk frother. You get the idea.

“Think less about their main hobby, because they are probably getting themselves what they need to ski or cycle,” says gifts staff writer Samantha Schoech. “Instead, think about other secondary interests. Do they love bookstores, great coffee, tech gadgets, playing with makeup, planning trips? Those are the interests and hobbies to hit when it comes to gifting.”

Below are a few of our favorite guides to help you find a little something for just about anyone on your list. Peruse away.

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Our favorite boozy gifts for cocktail lovers While you can’t go wrong with a nice bottle, the budding mixologist in your life might also like something that helps them shake a round, like some pretty rimming sugar or a jar of Italian cherries→

The best gifts for frequent travelers A good gift for a globe-trotter makes flights, long lines at customs, and hotel stays feel less arduous, like an actually comfortable eye mask and a teensy portable speaker→

Know someone who loves to clean? These tools, including Japanese sponges and a pretty dust mop, make the act of scrubbing and scouring that much more satisfying→

Our favorite gifts for photographers Photography gear can get complicated quickly, so we asked our experts for the best (actually useful) accessories, from sleek camera bags to a nifty lens cleaner→

For the person who likes their food extra spicy We think they’ll delight in (and sweat over) these delectables, including a sinus-clearing Korean ramen and a fiery, fruity condiment→

The best gifts for runners They’ll like a gift that helps them log miles, aids their recovery, or celebrates the sport itself. Our favorites include a cuffed beanie for their ears or touch screen-friendly mittens→

For dogs (and dog lovers) A dog DNA test can reveal a pup’s ancestry. After researching 17 different services, we found the best one, and it’s currently on sale→

Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter

If you have a really hard-to-shop-for person on your list, let us know: Tell our gifting editors a little bit about your recipient, and they might help handpick the best gifts specifically for them.

We’re up for the challenge→

Photo illustration by Dana Davis/NYT Wirecutter; source photo by Zoe Vanderweide/NYT Wirecutter

This delightful all-purpose balm has a rich texture that soothes and smooths chapped lips, scraggly cuticles, dry knuckles, and beyond. Plus, it comes in a pretty yellow tin that adds an assertively French je ne sais quoi to any bathroom vanity.

Says senior staff writer Zoe Vanderweide, who raves that this skin-saving balm healed the eczema that even steroids wouldn’t budge: “Aside from Le Baume’s extravagant usefulness, it’s an aesthetic and sensory delight. The tin alone makes it a charming gift.”

Stocking stuffer-worthy→

Here are six gifts we’ve been overjoyed to receive lately, if you need a little inspo for your own wish list.

You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you.

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