Christmas gift guide: What to buy for the naughty and nice people in your life

SINGAPORE – It is that time of the year again, when out of love or courtesy, one is obliged to become a Santa Claus.

But did the bearded old man ever have to consider the flash points of tension in every giftor-giftee relationship, or the imprudence of spending even $20 on a mediocre gift? Unlikely.

This festive season, The Straits Times digs into the real questions: What to give your unfriendly mother-in-law, the old friend you are drifting apart from or the colleague you know nothing about at the office Christmas party?

Then, there is the trouble with one’s happiest relationships. Spend enough years spoiling them every Christmas and you might find you have exhausted all obvious options.

Whether the gift is for someone “naughty” or nice, the guiding principle here is not to waste money on generic objects. This means: one, choosing things that express some message to the recipient; and two, buying only what they would never usually get for themselves.

The “naughty”

The situationship

This irksome state falls in the grey zone between friendship and romance. When one or both parties are intent on keeping relations vague, it is best to pitch the gift based on how set you are on keeping things light or making it official.

For reasons of dignity, it is recommended you not shell out too much either way.

If continued breeziness is the goal, try a quirky scented candle, like local brand Clean Folks Club’s Heritage Cup Candle in Kopi or Teh ($35). The flame will burn out, but you can enjoy it while it lasts. The quirkiness is a nod to your goofy indecision.

Available at Clean Folks Studio (2nd floor, 481 Joo Chiat Road) or

www.cleanfolksclub.com

Hoping to coax them into a full-time position? Then come down hard with a 2026 journal. Hopefully, this prompts self-reflection. A bit scoldy, yes, but there are enough quality options to convey tenderness.

Cult favourite Japanese brand Hobonichi does solid A6-size notebooks for its Techo series (from $51), with graph paper suitable for writing from any angle, drawing or pasting clippings. The book is bound like a dictionary, so it lays flat open even without the user pressing it down, making scribbling easy.

The Tomoe River paper is easy to write on and holds ink well. The best part is taking your pick of its range of considered covers: classic leather, a nylon version with a pocket for storing stationery or tools, polyester hides in nice colours. There are even themed covers featuring the likes of popular character Moomin and Japanese-style art.

Available at stationery shop Think in Funan mall and Books Kinokuniya or from Hobonichi’s official online store (

www.1101.com

).

For a cheekier option, go with a phone case like Casetify’s Bounce model ($57). So, every time they pick up the phone, they might remember to call you. Available at

str.sg/kDJb

The difficult mother-in-law

If the relationship is in the toilet, you might as well make it a nice one with a genteel room spray or – if she has a sense of humour – some post-poo drops.

Australian luxury beauty and home brand Aesop has just the gift sets. Its Dignity in the Lavatory set ($111) pairs the Istros Aromatique Room Spray, which smells floral and smoky, with post-poo drops, a botanical bathroom deodoriser with crisp citrus notes.

Too on the nose? Try the Bathroom Abundance set ($173) for a full kit of fragrant tools. For the basin, the Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash and Hand Balm – scent notes are citrus, woody and herbaceous – will please her house guests.

The Olous Aromatique Room Spray also included will give the room a citrus botanical fragrance. Of course, post-poo drops come with this.

Civil, with a side of sass.

Available at Aesop signature stores at Ion Orchard, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Raffles City, Marina Bay Sands, Westgate, VivoCity and Tampines, and online at

aesop.com.sg

The distant old friend

This one can hurt. This is the friend you probably once considered your bestie, but after years of growing apart, now see only once a year because anything more would confirm that you have nothing more to say to each other.

With this person, you never know which meet-up will be your last. But the love runs deep.

The best gift in this case would be something highly personal to him or her and unlikely to be found in a newspaper gift guide – a trinket that recalls an old inside joke or a rare edition of a CD, book or film he or she used to love.

If nothing comes to mind, interesting ceramics are failsafe. Try pottery studio 3Arts’ Double Goldfish Vase by Toh Kiam Hock ($200) or the egg-shaped Snow Lady vase ($100) by Jaslin Poh that are one of a kind and can serve as a permanent reminder of what you and your friend shared.

Available at 3Arts Pottery (394 Joo Chiat Place) or

3arts.sg

The office stranger

Socks are expected and appreciated by all. Roll your eyes, but this stock Christmas gift is essential to replacing the pairs that have inevitably gone missing or grown holes throughout the year.

Those who opt out of the sock economy can consider affordable personal care products, like cute pimple patches or deodorant.

Local brand Blunies offers a handy holiday gift set ($26) that comes with two 40ml bottles of its star product, the Ultra Brightening Deodorant, a roll-on deodorant combining odour protection with brightening effects for underarm skin. Also thrown in are the Fresh Jill and Aloe Vera tube and Lavender and White Tea tubes.

Available online at

www.blunies.com

, Lazada, Shopee, TikTok and Beaubit, and in Guardian stores islandwide.

And if you want to get to know that colleague a bit better, the useful and humorous Mynah bird-themed bottle opener by local artist Sam Lo ($12) could be good pretext for friendly beers.

Available at

str.sg/5hJA

The nice

Mum

One of the pleasures of shopping for your mother is watching her protest the extravagance of a non-essential gift, so try not to give in to requests for such useful items as a high-end vacuum cleaner or coffee capsules. You can get those any time of the year.

For Christmas, treat her to 800-thread-count sheets, a new bag or funky clothes she would ordinarily be too timid to try. These have to be balanced against her personal taste, of course.

Consider Longchamp’s Le Smart bag ($1,860 for the large tote, $1,675 for a shoulder bag). Its elegant belt, subtly gold-toned bamboo clasp and smooth leather – promising a nicely worn patina with use – is a different offering from the French brand’s signature single flap and strap Le Pliage style, which in all likelihood, mum already owns in several colours.

Available in stores at Ion Orchard, Paragon, Marina Bay Sands and Takashimaya Shopping Centre or online at

www.longchamp.com

Choose from any number of Finnish brand Marimekko’s fun-loving wares to enliven mum’s wardrobe. The Marimini dresses (from $479) in rich red, delicious lilac and striking black and white will deck her out in bold blooms and vibrant energy.

If she likes to dance, pleated dresses and tops in designer Maija Isola’s Unikko and Tumma prints (from $179 to $709) are easy to move in but still tres chic. Available at all Marimekko Singapore boutiques.

Dad

Swiss brand On’s sneakers have been the go-to for businessmen in Zurich for years, and are sure to please your old man too. Founded in 2010, On is known for its signature cushioning technology and the holes in its soles that give the shoes that bouncing-on-clouds feel that fans swear by.

For everyday wear, choose from the Cloud 6 range ($269). If he’s a runner, go for the Cloudsurfer Max line ($289).

Available in-store at 2-230/231 Jewel Changi Airport or online at

www.on.com/en-sg

It is also hard to miss with a Ralph Lauren sweater. Chances are, he already owns polos from the preppy American fashion brand, so take things up a notch with a festive cable knit sweater or the Polo Bear Sweater ($649).

Available at Polo Ralph Lauren stores at Shaw Centre and Jewel Changi Airport or online at

www.ralphlauren.com.sg

Whether he is still working or retired, he will get plenty of use out of a new travel bag too – and so will mum. Check out Tumi’s festive Gift Joy collection (from $290) that offers some of the American brand’s most iconic styles from its Alpha, Alpha Bravo, Voyageur and 19 Degree Aluminum collections in a striking black and its signature Pantone shade of red.

For a personal touch, Tumi is also offering a bespoke monogramming service.

Available in-store at Ion Orchard, Mandarin Gallery and Marina Bay Sands or online at

www.tumi.sg

Sister/daughter

If she is a tweenager or a nostalgic 20-something, consider a Tamagotchi, the Japanese virtual pet device popular in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo is launching an original Tamagotchi device right on time on Dec 15 at all its stores here.

The UT Original Tamagotchi ($39.90) pays homage to the device and packaging of the very first one released in 1996, and is a “GEN 1” version with the original Tamagotchi program released in Western markets. In recent years, Tamagotchi has also become a coveted fashion item, often attached to a bag as a charm.

If it is a milestone year for her, consider an iconic Chloe Paddington bag ($3,900) from the French fashion house, either brand new or vintage. The style is instantly recognisable by its oversized padlock and was on the arm of every It girl in the 2000s.

Available at the Chloe store in Marina Bay Sands or online at

www.chloe.com

Brother/Son

If he refuses to wear anything but a T-shirt, why not force a cool statement one onto him like a Club21 Fluffadoos tee ($150)? Local multi-brand luxury retailer Club21 recently introduced the furry characters dressed in pearls and baubles. The tops are from the Fluffadoos’ first capsule collection, which is available at all Club21 boutiques in Singapore or online at

www.club21.com.

The boys have also fallen into statistics lately – namely, their own. Get him a stylish Oura ring 4 ($529 to $749), a smart device worn on the finger that tracks wellness metrics like sleep, heart health, stress and temperature. The hugely popular accessory retails at Ante at Takashimaya Department Store, Courts, Harvey Norman, Metapod at Changi Airport and weareready.sg.