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The closer the relationship you have with someone, the more pressure there is to find the right gift. So, if you’re shopping for your wife, I imagine you’re sweating. Whether you’re a newlywed trying to nail it, someone trying to say “I love you as a co-parent, but also as a person,” or a pair who’s been gifting for so long you’ve resorted to really scraping the barrel, it seemingly never gets easier. That’s why I’m here to help.
I’ve combed the Strategist archives, rummaged through my mental rolodex, and also interviewed many tasteful, stylish wives in order to put together a list of over 80 gift ideas. I’ve covered a lot of bases here, so all manner of wives (from those in marathon training to wives who are building up their home cocktail bar) are catered to. My philosophy: Mix highbrow and lowbrow. Stuff a Coach bag full of her favorite childhood candy! Get her a fancy trinket dish to go along with a fancy face cream! You know her the best.
Update on December 18, 2024: Noted products that won’t arrive in time for Christmas; checked stock and updated prices on all products.
Under $25
For the wife who loves to smooch
This cult-status lip mask leaves lips super-kissable (and is popular with Strategist readers and staffers alike for its plumping, hydrating effect).
For the wife who can never find her earrings
A plush velvet organizer will keep everything accounted for (even on vacation).
For the wife who says she doesn’t want anything
A set of mother-of-pearl spoons for scooping salt (or caviar) is a truly charming gift.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who had to explain ‘everything showers’ to you
She can store everything she needs in this wash bag, which opens almost flat.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the truly mycological wife
This teeny nightlight cycles between a whole rainbow of shades once plugged in, casting a soothing glow while she drifts off.
For the Indie Sleaze wife
For the wife who knows the difference between ceremonial-grade and culinary-grade matcha
For the wife who’s more (that’s that me) espresso
Each piece of individually wrapped Ferrero chocolate has a burst of espresso inside.
For the wife with Tokyo Haneda alerts on Google Flights
Re-create a Japanese onsen at home with a sampler set of milky bath salts.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who takes up the shower caddy
A suitable-for-every-texture hair mask from the brand that makes our favorite conditioner.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who book clubs
A moving novel about sisterhood, from the author of best-selling Cleopatra and Frankenstein.
For the wife with a sweet tooth
Like I said, sometimes it’s simple: Figure out which candy she loves and buy her a one and a half pounds of it.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas, but there are plenty of other great sweet treats to consider.
For the wife who scans the new-in section at Trader Joe’s
Green Goddess is great for chicken, salad, and eggs — but your wife already knows this.
For the wife who eats lunch over her laptop
An OXO stocking stuffer that will get into those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies between keys. (Strategist readers love it: It was a best seller last year.)
For the wife who puzzles
If one Cinematrix a day isn’t quite enough, your wife can tackle these not-too-challenging Times crosswords, recommended to us by literary critic Molly Young.
For the White Claw wife
This super-slim, super-insulated koozie will fit her spiked seltzer of choice like a glove.
For the cocktailing wife
Although they’re technically festive, I can see her laying the table with these all year long.
For the wife who knows comfort is key
Myha’la told us she can’t live without these suitably fuzzy socks. They’re perfect for padding around the house (and maybe even the odd errand run).
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife with an ambitious Goodreads goal …
This wearable book light paired with noise-canceling headphones makes the perfect gift for the wife who snuggles up with a page-turner while you snore.
For the wife who’s a maximalist
The dazzling Urban Decay glitter that’s been a mainstay of makeup bags for a decade.
For the wife who Bikrams
These stretchy tights from Under Armour won’t budge when she hits Downward Dog.
For the commuting wife
A hands-free phone stand (that can also be used in the kitchen for recipes or on the yoga mat to stream Adrienne).
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who knows her Rare from her R.E.M from her Rhode
There’s a lot of celebrity brands about; Rare Beauty is the one for blush.
Under $50
For the wife who writes her to-do list on a CVS receipt
A Hobonichi Techo planner can restore a sense of order for the wife with a snowballing to-do list. We should know — it’s made its rounds among a dozen Strategist staffers over the years.
For the wife who hits her hydration goals
Strategist staffers adore the sippable Owala (which is why it’s on the desks of 14 of us — and counting).
Editor’s note: Order this from REI — not Amazon — to receive before Christmas.
For the wife who wears sandals in March
Margaret Dabbs is like the Charlotte Tilbury of foot care. I got a whiff of this in the iconic London department store Liberty of London last week and added it to my wish list instantly.
For the wife with Sephora VIB status
This pillowcase, which may already be on her wish list if she’s into skin care, is made of (skin-care-friendly) 100 percent mulberry silk. (And it’s so nice she’ll never know it was under $30.)
For the wife who mists
Nicole Scherzinger loves the “illuminating” effect this French face mist has on her skin.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who can’t keep a cactus alive
As well as being immortal, this LEGO centerpiece is customizable.
For the wife with perennial frostbite
Some cashmere cable-knit gloves will help.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who always picks dessert over an appetizer
Her sweet treat will taste even better from these glamorous spoons designed by Miriam Mirri.
Editor’s note: These spoons will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who loves the smell of old books
As this book nook is a build-yourself, the gift is a twofer: great for both crafty and bookish wives.
For the wife who woke you up at 6 a.m. for Eras Tour tickets
Taylor Swift hides exclusive bonus tracks on each vinyl release, so you’ll be gifting her yet another song to cry along to (a good thing).
For the wife who has a recipes folder on TikTok
Caroline Chambers finally made her wildly popular Substack into a cookbook this summer.
For the wife who’s over Catan
Based on cryptic clues and psychic wavelengths, this grown-up board game can be played in rounds of half an hour.
For the wife with an Urban Stems subscription
She can secure her stems on this Japanese pin-frog tool, which allows for more precise arranging.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who cuts her own flowers
I was so charmed by this vase at a friend’s house, I went home and ordered one for myself.
For the wife who has “guest” candles
This candle burns for 90 hours and smells like sandalwood (she’ll want to reuse the jar once the candle’s done, too).
For the crocheting wife
A crocheting friend recently told me this took her crocheting abilities to the next level. Mine is not to know why, but perhaps your wife’s is.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who wants to retire to Florida
Hailee Steinfeld of all people told us about these funky, stemless margarita glasses that she keeps in her home bar.
For the wife who will always rave
A pair of Loops are an essential for wives who know prevention is the best cure.
For the wife who hosts a weekly paint-and-sip
This watercolor set will keep her and her gal pals happy.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who dreams of Meg Ryan’s fall wardrobe
Your wife may have already read some of Ilana Kaplan’s lively, pop-culture reporting. I’m looking forward to her stacked coffee-table book on Nora Ephron’s career in film.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who sits like a prawn
Sometimes, you just need to call in a professional — and this card is compatible with spas across the country.
Under $100
For the wife who makes photo albums
The summer 2024 edition will be filled from cover to cover, as she can print photos straight from the camera roll with this handy Kodak printer.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the Clean Girl wife
Solid gold earrings — that will make their way into her rotation — for under $100.
For the wife whose mug collection has seen better days
A set of six colorful Le Creuset mugs is just the type of thing she’d never buy herself.
For the wife who still has nightmares about Resetti
For the wife who’s a new mom
A simple initial necklace to commemorate the newest addition.
For the wife who can’t wait for The Devil Wears Prada 2
Something about this cream colorway is very Miranda Priestly.
For the wife who doesn’t own sweats
This bathrobe is a unicorn: actually comfortable, but not at all frumpy. Perfect for the wife who likes to be put-together.
For the wife who never checks a bag
This pleasingly puffy Baggu nylon tote will squeeze perfectly beneath an airplane seat.
For the wife who’s a minimalist
Sleek and simple, this Swatch watch will go with anything.
For the wife with a latte habit
With three modes (hot foam, cold foam, and heated milk), the Chinya will help her to perfect her hot chocolates, matcha lattes, and frothy coffees at home.
For the wife who’s a pickler
This pickleball set is great for the wife who’s been not-so-subtly hinting she wants to get you and the kids involved.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who’s still team Edward
Based on a recommendation from the set of Twilight, I recently tested the face packs our beauty columnist first wrote about back in 2017. Just one application left me feeling moisturized, dewy, and glowing.
For the wife who goes to bed by 9 p.m.
This silk mask is squishy and blocks light, so you can still scroll away as she drifts off.
For the wife who doesn’t do bad hair days
I’ve been investigating hair glosses since autumn: I think they’re the key for glossy, flippable hair in the bleak midwinter.
For the wife who’s given up on heels
A stylish going out-out flat is rare to come by — and here! I’ve found one for you.
For the wife who watches the Great British Baking Show
She’ll enjoy decanting her flour and sugar into these (food-safe) enamel spatterware canisters.
Under $200
For the wife who runs hot
We named these the best cooling PJs — the breathable, moisture-wicking bamboo viscose means she won’t wake up drenched in sweat.
For the designated photographer wife
It’s a venerated position on a girls’ night out. Equip her accordingly.
For the wife who changes into her slippers as soon as she gets home
For the silly-little-trinket-loving wife
A silly-little-trinket tray.
Editor’s note: This gift will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who calls the bedroom a boudoir
A Tiffany lamp fit for such a lady.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who dreams of a capsule wardrobe
For the wife who applied to Top Chef
We think this 15-piece knife set will prove equally as big a hit with the culinary wife as it was with our readers on Black Friday (it was one of our most clicked-on items).
For the wife who wants to retire to Connemara
Until she can make it to Ireland, this Aran sweater will have to do.
For the wife who’s training for next year’s marathon
The heated rolling spool of this foot massager can soothe her aching feet before bedtime.
For the wife who has a New York Times “Cooking” subscription
Our kitchen and dining writer, Emma Wartzman, calls the Made In skillet “truly a professional-grade piece of cookware.”
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife with a kitchen Pinterest board
I guarantee this pourover stainless-steel kettle will be on it.
For the wife who’s a coastal grandma
A classic cashmere cardigan is always the right addition.
For the wife who’s a new grandma
We like this easy-to-use digital photo frame so much that we put it in our Strategist 100 — a list of the 100 items we most stand behind.
For the wife whose cacio e pepe is legendary
Each cooking enthusiast our kitchen writer interviewed about this pepper mill says “it’s worth every penny.”
For the wife who likes to pad about
Our Best in Class slippers, so named because, according to writer Arielle Avila, “they’re cozy and warm but never, ever sweaty.”
For the wife who loathes umbrellas
A raincoat that’s not a chore — it has a handsome shade range and a flattering cinch, and it can be packed down into a cute little bag.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
Over $200
For the wife who knows the difference between a regular sponge and a Genoise
As well as cakes and cookies, she can spiralize vegetables, roll pasta, grind meat, and make frozen desserts with this mixer.
For the wife who reads The Strategist Beauty Brief
The Supersonic is beloved by celebrity stylists and beauty columnists due to its rapid drying time, low-heat settings, and quiet motor. It also has its own adoring fan base on TikTok, so it’s probably already on her wish list.
Editor’s note: This item will arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who can quote every line of Legally Blonde
Reintroduce the flip phone to her life with the snap-shut-able Samsung that “everybody” asks our tech writer about.
Editor’s note: This item may arrive after Christmas.
For the wife who takes you window shopping
Coach does a nice line in affordable luxury bags. Consider the real treat the fact it won’t bankrupt you.
For the wife who has a signature marg
“You can make a complicated drink in the Slushi or just crack open a couple cans of soda and dump it in there,” says Margaret Eby. Her verdict was that it’s totally worth the money.
Editor’s note: This item is currently out of stock.
For the wife who snuggles
A towel warmer is the “bath-time equivalent of the fetal position,” says Michelle Markowitz. (Gifting a post-shower warm towel is basically gifting a hug.)
Editor’s note: Order this gift from Bloomingdale’s — not Amazon — to receive in time for Christmas.
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