DECEMBER 2017 133here are two types of people who are interested in gift-giving etiquette. There are the ones
who are well schooled in the art form, who have compiled a list of recipients and cross-
checked against previous gifts. Notes have been taken. And a second type who depends on
late-night shopping sessions, looking up last-minute shipping options in the stealth of the evening.
The unexpected is always sure to delight, but there needs to be a touch of the personal and the
thoughtful, something that celebrates the relationship more than the material. “Start by listening
to what they want, but don’t get them the obvious thing they drop hints for,” says James
Hirschfeld, CEO of Paperless Post. “Instead, get them something that they want in their life, but
wouldn’t dream to buy themselves.” It is a sentiment shared by Claire Tregoning of P.ENation,
even if it “might take a bit longer, but you’ll find something that they will love”.
Reed Krakoff, Tiffany & Co.’s chief artistic officer, has made his mark at the American brand
with his first home and accessories collection, in time for the Christmas season. The collection is
filled with updated luxury items such as Tiffany & Co. cups in silver, inspired by his first day at
the brand when someone gave him a Tiffany & Co. paper cup and he was struck by its simplicity
yet sense of luxury. “That sense of wit and charm embodies an approachable, offhanded kind of
luxury,” he says on his approach for the collection. “The idea was to return to this playfulness
and incorporate it into the designs themselves as well, to really embed it into our storytelling.”
For him, gifts are a chance to celebrate the elevated everyday. “Nothing should ever be just
beautiful or functional,” Krakoff says of the perfect gift. “There has to be an idea, a story that
makes it something greater than simply what it is. Giving and receiving falls in line with the
same ideology: there has to be a certain level of context and richness, a personal connection, to
make anything a truly special gift.”
A tip for eleventh-hour gift-givers: stylist Giovanna Battaglia suggests framed photos, “because
no-one prints photos anymore!” And even the much maligned gift of a candle has a place, according
to Los Angeles-based designer Anine Bing. “It should be because you know they love to use candles
and love the scent you’ve chosen.” For Hirschfeld, a more interesting take on the traditional fall-back
gift is artwork. “People always need artwork and it doesn’t take up a lot of space,” suggests
Hirschfeld, who once received a silhouette portrait of his family dog by Carter Kustera.
While this requires organisation early on, Tiffany Leece, major gifts philanthropy manager at
the Art Gallery of New South Wales, keeps an eye out throughout the year. “So when Christmas,
birthdays and special occasions come around, I tend to have a gift in mind already.” Having
plenty of time to find the right gift can result in the unlikeliest of inspirations. Alexandra Brown,
director and founder of eco-friendly homewares brand Ms Brown, recalls hearing a friend who
loves to cook mention she was seeking a silver fish cutlery service. “While searching at estate
sales and auctions, I found the perfect one still in its original timber and silk-lined box, with the
lid still blank ready to be engraved with initials – I am so excited to give it to her.”
And don’t forget about the build-up and anticipation before the gift is given and opened – it’s
time to embrace the ritual. Each year, Leece chooses a different aesthetic for her Christmas
wrapping: “I have always loved beautiful wrapping, and I’ve inherited this from my mother.”
This year she will be switching out traditional paper for cloud-grey Belgian linen with a deep
maroon-coloured French velvet ribbon. Krakoff remembers receiving a sterling silver Return to
Tiffany key fob as a teenager. “It’s still a very vivid memory for me: I can remember the
excitement when I received the blue box, and the curiosity about what might be inside. It was
more than simply a gift.”
It goes without saying that a thank-you note is a necessity, whether handwritten or electronic.
“It’s important to let people know that you really appreciate something. A card goes a long way,
although a quick email is better than not at all, and a good option if you are pushed for time, but
follow up properly later,” says Brown. Hirschfeld throws back that paper is less important, given
his founding of Paperless Post: “There are no excuses now.”
You can always think beyond a physical gift. “For the people on my list who ‘have everything’,
I love making a contribution to their cause or charity of choice, in their name. It is a meaningful
gift with lasting, personal resonance,” says Leece. Brown considers the gift’s impact: “I like to
support brands and products I really believe in, so I consider the impact of what I’m purchasing
for the person receiving it, of course, but also the seller and the environment.” Try taking a long-
term approach, says Hirschfeld. “I try to give gifts that aren’t consumed, destroyed or go out of
date in just one season. For example, last year I gave my brother a custom suit from P. Johnson
Tailors. It was such a hit, I might do it again.” As for agauge of what the best kind of gift might
be, according to Hirschfeld? “You know the gift is good if you want to keep it for yourself.” ■T
Whether you plan
presents way ahead of
time or wing it in the
weeks before Christmas,
try these gift-giving
strategies. By Zara Wong.Presents
of mine
ETIQUETTEART DIRECTION DIJANA SAVOR
PHOTOGRAPH EDWARD URRUTIA
“Start by
listening to
what they
want, but don’t
get them
the obvious
thing they
drop hints for”