It’s time for the (whopping) second half of our 2023 gift guide! We tackle dads, sisters, in-laws, friends, coworkers, and some ideas for presents to ask for yourself when that feels like a necessary thing.

For the full link-rich rundown, you’re best off heading over to our site: athingortwohq.com/gift-guide-episodes

If there’s someone on your list that we didn’t get to this year, let us know who you’re shopping for in our Geneva! And share more gift ideas with us at 833-632-5463, podcast@athingortwohq.com, and @athingortwohq.

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Gifts for YOU!

My in laws are great people who will buy exactly what ask for as long as it's 1) not personal care or appearance-related AT ALL, 2) not a ""luxury item"" or a splurge version of something (ie no fancy candles), and 3) under $100. I'm a dedicated audiobook listener and | don't need any more cookbooks or board games. They won't do a donation in lieu of gift. Gift giving is their love language but only if the gift is very practical or they got it on a significant discount. We're fortunate to be in a financial position where I'm generally able to buy practical as they're needed, but my in laws hear ""I don't need anything!"" as a snub. Help!"

Uniqlo Heattech
Something Yamazaki
Cookbooks (like The Lula Cafe one!)
A traditional restock (plants, PJs, etc.)
Directing them to a go-tostore like MoMA Design Store and Zingerman’s
Dinnerware/cookware to build on every yea—Le Creuset, vintage Fiestaware, Dansk, Heath, etc., etc.
Charms for a charm bracelet/necklace like Jet Set Candy passport stamp charms (+ their NYPL card one is also very good)

Dads & Fathers-in-Law

My Dad sounds more like a brand persona than a real person. He's very cosmopolitan/urbane, lives in the city center even though he's 60, takes public transit, legitimately does his weekly grocery shopping at boutique cheese/bread/specialty food stores, always dressed impeccably. OWNS a beautiful specialty meat slicer that he has in his kitchen and uses for fresh/thinly sliced prosciutto (before you go there I've done ham hocks more than once). Interests: art, food and entertaining, culture. Loves to read, usually big sweeping historical books. Always the hardest person to shop for on my list because his taste level is very out of my price range and I'm tapped out on the specialty food theme. Dad recently become a grandfather (2 grandsons and one more coming in Jan) and it was a little weird for him - he loves my sons but the image of an old guy in a rocking chair teaching kids how to whittle didn't jive with his understanding of himself. He's starting to settle in. Has a very unique grandpa name with many indecipherable layers of historical context and family history that the grandkids will probably never understand. Buys them beautifully made clothes that they would immediately ruin. Talks to them about their shared interests: boats, planes, and other well-designed machines.

My dad. 82 years old. Loves to read serious nonfiction but bus all the books he wants. Loves French and Italian wine but his taste is too expensive for me and he has all the gadgets. Generally expensive taste that's above my pay grade. He dresses pretty dapper and lives in NYC. Gets lots of compliments on his glasses and clothes. Grills meat for dinner nearly every night but stuck in his ways when it comes to cooking. Very much a creature of habit. Likes jazz and classic rock. Best gifts I've gotten for him are interesting casual clothes he wouldn't find himself, a dapper custom English umbrella, taking him to see live jazz…

Campo Grande
The Durand - bottle opener for old bottles/corks
Ralph Lauren custom stuff! Hello, cashmere sweater.
Vintage tie clip or cuff links from TRR
Vinyl Me, Please subscription
The Jazz Loft Project: Photographs and Tapes of W. Eugene Smith from 821 Sixth Avenue, 1957–1965
Preservation Hall Drum Ornament or Tambourine
Blue Note merch

Okay, now that I've seen this I feel okay sending a description of my dad. He's a 67-year-old workaholic lawyer many have described as "quite the character, huh?" He takes himself very seriously, though he also can be quite mischievous and loves to stir the pot. His interests include fishing, geopolitics, and monologuing. I truly feel like I've explored all gifting avenues already with him: consumables for his major sweet tooth, outdoorsy gear that he already buys himself, political or economic books that won't lead to arguments (he's conservative, I'm liberal), and seemingly every dog toy or black Labrador art print under the sun. He doesn't drink and mostly sticks to heart-healthy food. While he has many entertaining childhood stories, it seems unlikely he will set aside time for something activity-based like StoryWorth, as he spends most of his at-home free time watching YouTube videos about things like beekeeping (yes, I've gotten him multiple artisanal honeys that had little impact). I'm at my wits' end with this conundrum of a father, please help!