Tonight, we’re sharing a few wonderful things we’ve received lately. Plus:
Sometimes the best gift is a gift with perfect timing. Often, it’s a gift you give yourself. Over the past couple of weeks, for instance, I’ve been having a bit of a hair-related identity crisis. As in, I’ve been thinking a lot about the “hair is everything” monologue from the TV show Fleabag. When getting a haircut didn’t quiet my dissatisfaction, I began to wonder if my shampoo was hampering my confidence. Then, as if the universe (and my deal-hunting colleagues) had been listening to my inner monologue, this very luxe volumizing shampoo went on sale. Almost as soon as I could pump the dregs of my old wash out of its bottle, a fancy replacement arrived at my doorstep. Even though I’ve only used it a handful of times, I’m feeling a renewed sense of hope about my locks — and, by extension, myself. And what a gift that is. There must be something in the air, because my colleagues have also had the good fortune of getting a few glorious gifts as of late — both from their loved ones and themselves. Here’s what has delighted us most:
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My son is graduating from high school in May. He has very few wants. He is nerdy, not into social media, and we joke he is 17 going on 70. An old soul. Wants very little, but enjoys puns, interesting discussions, reading, and all things STEM. — J.S. From gifting expert Samantha Schoech: Despite the fact that I’m in charge of our high school graduation gift guide and have two teenagers, I still find these gifts really difficult, so I get it. You want to get something meaningful to mark the achievement, and something personal that speaks to the unique person they are; it’s daunting. I’m always a fan of books as gifts, and since your son likes to read, this makes perfect sense. You could fill a tote bag from a local or famous bookstore with four or five titles you think he would like. Based on the interesting discussions he enjoys, The Brothers Karamazov, The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, Longitude by Dava Sobel, and Bertrand Russell’s The Problems of Philosophy come to mind. Add in a generous gift card to the store (or to Bookshop), and give him a head start on curating his personal library. If building is part of his STEM enthusiasm, this robotics kit could be fun and challenging. Or consider an especially involved set of Legos (still a hit with my 19-year-old son), like this aerospace kit or something architectural like the Great Pyramid of Giza. And, if he’s off to college in the fall, you could always kit him out with a good toiletries bag, portable power for his laptop, or a new tablet for classroom note-taking. Congratulations to both of you!
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One last gift (for you): This (on-sale!) simple, reliable stainless steel bottle keeps water cold for hours and hours. Was this email kindly forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Want to see more of The New York Times in your Google search results?
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