Dec 16, 2022·edited Dec 16, 2022Liked by Bess Kalb
My introverted 37 y/o mechanical engineer husband who holds the inexplicable belief that it is acceptable to tell a gift-giver that he does not like what they gave him. He returns 90% of all gifts. He is an over-researcher of every purchase, and so while I can choose something related to his hobbies (drumming, camping, drone flying, talking about crypto, hiking, reading reddit, legos, and dodging household tasks), he will inevitably inform me that he already researched that thing and decided it was junk because of [insert technical explanation]. Budget $50-$150.
Our 36 year old son who is 6'5" and has a girlfriend who is 4'11". He is one of the world's most kindhearted people but also has the social skills of a middle schooler. His current retirement savings plan is playing the lottery.
my friend and colleague who generally shuns possessions. when together we drink fancy coffee and walk around for hours, we have an inside joke around hedgehogs, she enjoys fancy foods, grew up in israel and seattle, likes cool music, and is one of the nation's leading voices on child care policy.
My 50-year-old wife. Born in Chicago. Grew up most of her life on Long Island (Dix Hills) and thinks of herself as a New Yorker. Evidently she was a nightmare of a kid. Hated summer camp. Loves music, loves live music, loves the Grateful Dead. Went to college at CU Boulder and longs to live in Colorado again. Worked in LA in feature animation for a while, then was an at-home mom, then a teacher, now a school administrator. She's a great chef, a fiercely protective mom, doesn't have a lot of friends but the ones she has are incredibly close. She's right-brained: artistic, a little messy and disorganized, full of ideas. She has breast cancer, but hopefully just for another few weeks. She enjoys doing yoga. And she's the best person ever.
My sister-in-law is a new mom to her 9 month old son. She's from Louisiana, loves creating art, reading, is a former bartender, and has the most incredible skincare in the game. She's also currently converting to Judaism after learning about her Jewish heritage, so this is her first Hanukkah. I've already ordered her your book, so if I'm not blessed with one of your gift recommendations I will be converting her to a Bess Kalb fan regardless. Budget is $50.
My 38-year-old new sister-in-law who loves skin care and the royals. She is really excited to have married into our culturally half-Jewish family and will possibly be more into the Jewish holidays than the rest of us. Budget $100-ish but can be flexible.
My sister-in-law's brand new boyfriend, who is coming for the holidays whom none of us have met. I've been told he's "outdoorsy" and "spiritual" and I think in grad school? I want to get him something little ($25) so he doesn't feel left out when we're all opening presents but I've literally never met him!
My single 31 year old workaholic son has very few interests but is incredibly smart and successful despite having severe bipolar disorder. He recently landed his dream job which will mean moving from SF to DC. He does run and occasionally skis or sails. Other than that he works…
52-year old stepdad who I’ve never gotten along with. A cop who loves toys of all kinds, legos, remote cars, video games, VR, tech of all kinds... buys himself all the Things so doesn’t want for much. Drives a motorcycle and a vintage mustang and smokes weed in his garage every night. Budget $50-60
Dec 16, 2022·edited Dec 16, 2022Liked by Bess Kalb
Bess help! My 70 yo dad loves to walk flea markets and buys only tchotchkes no one needs. He lives for spreadsheets and doing home improvements though they are often disastrous. I've stuck out in the past years with books, DIY models, VR (no idea what I was thinking that year). He's got a sweet tooth but is not local. Budget $100 help!
My 38-year-old ginger husband whose name rhymes with pants and who writes for a publication that loves diareses. He is weirdly obsessed with the alt right and fascism. budget: very limited.
My thrice divorced and single, but with a girlfriend, 80 year old dyed-in-the-wool Republican father. He LOVES wine, whisk(e)y, cheese and beef, has had a quadruple bypass and gout and there is absolutely an arrow over his head ID'ing him for Benefitting Every Day from Patriarchal Culture. Recently cleared of cancer. Loves dogs, hunting, fishing, the stock market, Fox News and Breitbart. Consistently tries to convert me from my liberal ways. Recently returned the gift card I gave him for his bday and told me he doesn't need my money. Tells everyone he meets to Keep Smilin. Budget: $50-150.
I hope you get him a signed copy of Nikole Hannah-Jones 1619 Project and Kamau Bell and Jessica Schwartz’s Do The Work! An Antiracist Activity Book with a foldout poster in yellow & black that says END WHITE SUPREMACY!
69-year old wife/mother/grandmother, can't take a compliment to save her life, curses like a sailor, hates to cook, finds zen in doing the dishes, cant's stand massages, secretly wants to be a witch, formerly a children's librarian, obsessed with Practical Magic and all things Alice Hoffman, terrified of being a burden, exceptionally close to her 4 year old granddaughter, has gone above and beyond helping her daughter (me) out with 2 kiddos while her son-in-law is traveling, favorite thing is getting pedis and burgers with that daughter (which is why that's the go-to gift for mother's day), not-so-secret obsession with handbags.
My step-person, 25, happily enjoying the throuple life in Brooklyn, loves comedy, horror movies, cats, pop punk and new wave 80s music. They are much cooler than I and very difficult to buy anything for. I would like to buy something nice for their new apartment. They love to have friends over and entertain so last year’s gift was a turntable and a collection of vinyl, this year I’m stumped. Budget $250-350-ish.
Close friend is a geophysicist Ph d, two kids in early elementary, upstate NY with a chalet looking house vibe. Into earth tones, the outdoors, and being a super thoughtful mom. Doesn’t often treat herself. Budget is under $250.
My introverted 37 y/o mechanical engineer husband who holds the inexplicable belief that it is acceptable to tell a gift-giver that he does not like what they gave him. He returns 90% of all gifts. He is an over-researcher of every purchase, and so while I can choose something related to his hobbies (drumming, camping, drone flying, talking about crypto, hiking, reading reddit, legos, and dodging household tasks), he will inevitably inform me that he already researched that thing and decided it was junk because of [insert technical explanation]. Budget $50-$150.
Our 36 year old son who is 6'5" and has a girlfriend who is 4'11". He is one of the world's most kindhearted people but also has the social skills of a middle schooler. His current retirement savings plan is playing the lottery.
Budget is $200.
my friend and colleague who generally shuns possessions. when together we drink fancy coffee and walk around for hours, we have an inside joke around hedgehogs, she enjoys fancy foods, grew up in israel and seattle, likes cool music, and is one of the nation's leading voices on child care policy.
My 50-year-old wife. Born in Chicago. Grew up most of her life on Long Island (Dix Hills) and thinks of herself as a New Yorker. Evidently she was a nightmare of a kid. Hated summer camp. Loves music, loves live music, loves the Grateful Dead. Went to college at CU Boulder and longs to live in Colorado again. Worked in LA in feature animation for a while, then was an at-home mom, then a teacher, now a school administrator. She's a great chef, a fiercely protective mom, doesn't have a lot of friends but the ones she has are incredibly close. She's right-brained: artistic, a little messy and disorganized, full of ideas. She has breast cancer, but hopefully just for another few weeks. She enjoys doing yoga. And she's the best person ever.
Budget $250
My sister-in-law is a new mom to her 9 month old son. She's from Louisiana, loves creating art, reading, is a former bartender, and has the most incredible skincare in the game. She's also currently converting to Judaism after learning about her Jewish heritage, so this is her first Hanukkah. I've already ordered her your book, so if I'm not blessed with one of your gift recommendations I will be converting her to a Bess Kalb fan regardless. Budget is $50.
My 38-year-old new sister-in-law who loves skin care and the royals. She is really excited to have married into our culturally half-Jewish family and will possibly be more into the Jewish holidays than the rest of us. Budget $100-ish but can be flexible.
My sister-in-law's brand new boyfriend, who is coming for the holidays whom none of us have met. I've been told he's "outdoorsy" and "spiritual" and I think in grad school? I want to get him something little ($25) so he doesn't feel left out when we're all opening presents but I've literally never met him!
Obsessed with this challenge on every level.
wooden puzzles? they are cheap, scream outdoorsy, and if he is in grad school might solve them
I believe in your abilities! And also my absolute lack of concrete information on this new boyfriend!
My single 31 year old workaholic son has very few interests but is incredibly smart and successful despite having severe bipolar disorder. He recently landed his dream job which will mean moving from SF to DC. He does run and occasionally skis or sails. Other than that he works…
Budget—$250-$300.
52-year old stepdad who I’ve never gotten along with. A cop who loves toys of all kinds, legos, remote cars, video games, VR, tech of all kinds... buys himself all the Things so doesn’t want for much. Drives a motorcycle and a vintage mustang and smokes weed in his garage every night. Budget $50-60
Bess help! My 70 yo dad loves to walk flea markets and buys only tchotchkes no one needs. He lives for spreadsheets and doing home improvements though they are often disastrous. I've stuck out in the past years with books, DIY models, VR (no idea what I was thinking that year). He's got a sweet tooth but is not local. Budget $100 help!
My 38-year-old ginger husband whose name rhymes with pants and who writes for a publication that loves diareses. He is weirdly obsessed with the alt right and fascism. budget: very limited.
My thrice divorced and single, but with a girlfriend, 80 year old dyed-in-the-wool Republican father. He LOVES wine, whisk(e)y, cheese and beef, has had a quadruple bypass and gout and there is absolutely an arrow over his head ID'ing him for Benefitting Every Day from Patriarchal Culture. Recently cleared of cancer. Loves dogs, hunting, fishing, the stock market, Fox News and Breitbart. Consistently tries to convert me from my liberal ways. Recently returned the gift card I gave him for his bday and told me he doesn't need my money. Tells everyone he meets to Keep Smilin. Budget: $50-150.
Get ready for this one.
I hope you get him a signed copy of Nikole Hannah-Jones 1619 Project and Kamau Bell and Jessica Schwartz’s Do The Work! An Antiracist Activity Book with a foldout poster in yellow & black that says END WHITE SUPREMACY!
69-year old wife/mother/grandmother, can't take a compliment to save her life, curses like a sailor, hates to cook, finds zen in doing the dishes, cant's stand massages, secretly wants to be a witch, formerly a children's librarian, obsessed with Practical Magic and all things Alice Hoffman, terrified of being a burden, exceptionally close to her 4 year old granddaughter, has gone above and beyond helping her daughter (me) out with 2 kiddos while her son-in-law is traveling, favorite thing is getting pedis and burgers with that daughter (which is why that's the go-to gift for mother's day), not-so-secret obsession with handbags.
Budget: $100-200
My step-person, 25, happily enjoying the throuple life in Brooklyn, loves comedy, horror movies, cats, pop punk and new wave 80s music. They are much cooler than I and very difficult to buy anything for. I would like to buy something nice for their new apartment. They love to have friends over and entertain so last year’s gift was a turntable and a collection of vinyl, this year I’m stumped. Budget $250-350-ish.
Close friend is a geophysicist Ph d, two kids in early elementary, upstate NY with a chalet looking house vibe. Into earth tones, the outdoors, and being a super thoughtful mom. Doesn’t often treat herself. Budget is under $250.
My 70-year-old mother-in-law who actively doesn't want to be happy, but does love to garden.