Cheers! Today we’re dishing on our favorite glassware for gifting. Plus: more ideas for a beautifully set table, a great deal on a “holy grail” white T-shirt, and what to give a classroom helper.
A few years ago, I was fresh off a breakup, living in a new place of my own. Everything around me was new: I was in an unfamiliar part of town, my bangs were freshly shortened (as is the age-old tradition of any breakup), and I was even starting a brand-new job — this one, actually. All this newness was by design. I thought that surrounding myself with novelty would speed up the process of dealing with the change I was most trying to ignore. I needed (or at least felt like buying) some new drinking glasses, and without thinking too much about it, I ordered a set of basic bistro-style cups, which came highly recommended by Wirecutter kitchen expert Michael Sullivan. When they arrived, though, I realized I had accidentally veered from my perfect plan of new-things-only. In my hands were the exact same drinking glasses I had grown up with. I had somehow cosmically stumbled toward an ever-present fixture of my childhood home. I tucked the glasses into my barren cabinets, and my new apartment suddenly felt more familiar. And familiarity felt surprisingly good. There is a quiet beauty in giving an elevated, everyday home item as a gift. Good glassware, for example, might delight your recipient in the gift-giving moment, maybe because it’s unique, beautiful, or, as in my case, even a bit sentimental. But then? It just does its job, fading into the background of your recipient’s life. Your giftee will hopefully use your present for years and years — and it can become a comforting fixture in their lives, just as these tumblers have been in mine. To that end, here are some truly special glasses, mugs, and cups that we think would make great gifts:
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I’m a third-grade teacher. And I want to get something special and fun for my classroom TA as an end-of-the-year gift. He’s been with my class since January and is so helpful, smart, and a joy to work with. I want to thank him with something fun for the summer, preferably something he can enjoy with his husband and their 8-year-old daughter. Thank you! — E.D. From gifting expert Mari Uyehara: For amusement, the storytelling card game Dixit is a fave of many Wirecutter staffers. I’ve played it with ages 7 to 77 years old many times over — and when we’ve tried it with kids’ friends, we usually get a text from parents asking for the name of the game that their child is now evangelizing. My almost-8-year-old, crazy-smart niece is also a big fan of the Crazy Forts building set. On the noshing front, my boyfriend’s tween daughter loves their air-popping popcorn machine; pair it with this excellent movie night what-should-we-watch solver. Multiple subsets of my extended family have had a blast tasting and debating our way through this sampler of hard-to-find Japanese snacks. If you can tease out your TA’s address and freezer-space situation, this gift pack of hulking chip ice cream sandwiches would make for some magical summer nights. But if you’re not sure of what’s in their game room or kitchen, a Target or Dunkin’ Donuts card is always a nice summer treat. And make sure you include a good-looking card telling him exactly what you valued about his work this year. As a teacher, I bet you already know how a little appreciation goes a very long way.
Have someone who’s impossible to shop for? Submit your question here. One last gift (for you): This “holy grail” white T-shirt is on sale for just $10 today. It has a slim fit, is made from a soft cotton with just the right amount of stretch, and goes with just about anything. Was this email kindly forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
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