MCD 2025 Gift Guide: A Year for Quality, “Quiet Luxury,” and Good Coffee Filters
Last year, I wrote about my gift-giving ideology (you can read it HERE) - that hasn’t changed much. I still believe the best gifts are thoughtful, beautiful, and useful.
But this year, my lens feels different. Maybe it’s where I’m at personally, or maybe it’s something collective – a kind of post-pandemic response to the current economic climate. People are being less impulsive and more intentional. Clients are investing where it matters. Friends are settling in.
If you’re reading this, you probably care about design - and that’s the lens I always look through. New isn’t always better, but better might be. So this year, I’m calling it the year of the upgrade. The small, meaningful swap for something that lasts.
Rather than chasing what’s trending, this list is about the enduring, the beautiful, and the quietly indulgent. Gifts that make the everyday feel more designed - the things your loved one might not buy for themselves, but will genuinely love to receive, and hopefully have for a very long time.
For the Homebody
Because we’re all a little more at home these days, these gifts elevate the everyday - the coffee that starts your morning, the towel that ends your day.
Glass Coffee Filter
Equal parts form and function - minimal, non-toxic, and far prettier than its plastic counterpart. I’ve been loving the Hario Glass V60. It looks beautiful on the counter and, for the pour-over devotee, is a true upgrade. Pair it with their favourite beans and these filters, and you have the perfect gift.
Towels, Upgraded
We use them every day but rarely buy new. Which is why gifting a truly luxurious set feels so indulgent. I’ve been a lifelong RH Towel loyalist - deeply plush, heavy, and absorbent. If a full set isn’t in the budget, the Tekla Bathrobe is equally chic and cozy. This can’t be a filler gift because you don’t know the person, this only works if you know they are the type to enjoy it. It’s an “I care about you” gift - because nothing says that quite like retiring a stack of crunchy, greying towels.
Dessert Plates That Double as Art
Owning beautiful ceramics is the ultimate indulgence. I’m obsessed with the Ginori 1735 “Il Viaggio di Nettuno” plates - wildly impractical in the best way: beautiful, eccentric, and instantly elevating dessert (or even toast).
A great alternative? Serveware. My sister asked for a collection for her birthday this year - I thought it was underwhelming at first, but after hosting a dinner party, she couldn’t stop raving about it. It’s the kind of thing people don’t buy for themselves, which is exactly why it makes the perfect gift.
For the Person Who Owns “Nice” Everything
For the one who already has beautiful things - the trick is finding the pieces that feel even better.
The Luxe Hairbrush
This is the gift that surprises people by how much they love it. Last year I included a monogrammed lip balm, and this company makes the list again - the Officine Universelle Buly 1803 brushes are sculptural and feel almost like heirlooms. A Mason Pearson is equally timeless - a generational staple for a reason. Bonus points if you personalize it - nothing feels more intentional than a monogram.
The Hand Soap
A great hand soap instantly elevates a bathroom - it’s one of those small details that feels surprisingly special. The key is choosing something so beautiful they’ll actually want to leave it out on display.
I hate to feature the same brand twice, but the Diptyque Hand Soap is pretty hard to beat - the scent, the packaging, the whole experience. It’s the perfect mix of functional and indulgent, and a gift anyone will appreciate.
For the Cook (or the Entertainer at Heart)
For the one who finds joy in the details - the slice of a perfect knife, the glimmer of copper on the stove, the ritual of pouring a drink.
The Knife
A good knife is the culinary equivalent of a great pair of shoes - once you have the right one, you can’t go back. If you’re going to splurge, look Tosho Knife Arts. It’s the kind of tool that lasts decades and makes cooking feel meditative.
Take it up a notch by pairing it with an end-grain cutting board – I love Boos Blocks, beautiful enough to keep on the counter full-time.
The Ultimate Pot
If your loved one is a true cook - or has a kitchen with a pot hanger - this is the ultimate upgrade. I’ve been lucky enough to receive two over the years and am slowly growing my collection. These Mauviel copper pots are the last pots you’ll ever need to own: they’re built to last a lifetime, develop the most beautiful patina with use, and truly double as works of art.
The Fancy Olive Oil
For the cook who already has everything, there’s always olive oil. I love Nudo Adopt - a gift subscription that lets you “adopt” an olive grove and receive seasonal shipments straight from the farm. It’s high quality, sustainable, and truly the gift that keeps on giving.
If you’re after a one-time purchase or a chic hostess gift, a beautifully packaged olive oil, like the one from ROI, is a fun twist on the classic bottle of wine - which, let’s be honest, is always a 50/50 gamble on whether it’s something they’ll actually drink.
The Aperitivo Discovery
Earlier this year in Copenhagen, my husband took me to dinner at Kadeau - a birthday surprise that ended with a cocktail the server insisted we have. It was an Americano, and after some sleuthing, I found the same one at Bottega Volo in Toronto, and Grape Witches. Pair it with a set of gorgeous glasses like these, for the ultimate understated host gift.
The Little Gift
Though scent is a personal thing, a small perfume is one of the most thoughtful gifts - intimate, unexpected, and a little bit luxurious.
A few favourites (both mine and ones I love to gift):
Margin makes a super-clean, unisex perfume that feels quietly elevated. I’m obsessed with this one (it pairs perfectly with my deodorant), but there are three equally chic scents to choose from - all minimal, modern, and beautifully packaged for travel.
If you’re looking to splurge,
Diptyque Do Son is timeless - elegant, nostalgic, and impossible not to love. It’s my best friend’s signature scent, and the packaging alone makes it feel special.
And last but not least, my trade secret:
Amber. I’ve worn it since I was sixteen, and the price still can’t be beat. Understated, warm, and still the scent I get the most compliments on.
These are perfect travellers - great stocking stuffers, and gifts that will be appreciated no matter what.
For the One Who Wants “Nothing”
Everyone has one. The minimalist. The “I don’t need anything” person - which only means they appreciate meaning over material.
A few ideas that speak to that:
A Membership to an art gallery or museum.
A Subscription to a Substack they’ll actually read - for example Alison Roman’s A Newsletter. Pair it with her newest cookbook (or all 3) if you have intel on what’s already in their collection.
An Experience - a pottery class, or a reservation at that tasting menu spot you’ve both been eyeing
These gifts give the gift of time - truly the most precious gift of all.
For the Gen Z in Your Life
They may not realize it yet, but the best gifts at that age are the ones that quietly last - pieces they’ll carry from apartment to apartment, slowly realizing they’ve grown up. Or something they can take with them into the future, like a signature scent - a small but meaningful part of finding yourself, which is what your twenties are really about.
The Catch-All
A Graf Lantz leather tray is simple, timeless, and useful – the kind of everyday object that makes a space instantly feel put-together.
The Coffee Table Book Starter Kit
I included a list of my favourite coffee table books in last year’s guide, but this year I wanted to share the idea of giving the stack itself. It’s such a chic, personal gift – and endlessly customizable.
Choose titles that reflect the recipient’s interests (design, travel, photography, food) and build a curated trio that feels thoughtful rather than decorative. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
The Skincare Ritual
Skincare can feel like an afterthought in your twenties, which is what makes it such a thoughtful gift. The DUA × AB line is a younger, more accessible take on an iconic brand - elevated, practical, and a subtle introduction to self-care.
These are small, enduring gestures - gifts they’ll take with them as they figure out who they’re becoming.
My (Megan’s) Wishlist
Custom Stationery
Nothing beats a handwritten note. I’m lucky to have a few people in my life (you know who you are) who send beautiful thank-you cards and letters on effortlessly chic personalized stationery - the kind that makes you want to start writing letters again.
It’s one of those small luxuries that feels deeply personal, and it’s high on my own list this year. There’s something so satisfying about having your name embossed on heavy card stock - timeless, intentional, and a little old-school in the best way.
Cutlery
I’ve started my own “upgraded cutlery” journey, and with our house nearly complete, I have my eye on a full set from SABRE Paris. I love that you can customize the finishes - and the brand’s history makes it even more special. It’s playful yet refined, and every piece feels considered.
A few shops around the city carry select colours, so it’s worth taking a peek locally before ordering online.
Hair Pin
As a girl with long hair and a constant need to have it up and out of my face, I’ve been eyeing these Deborah Pagani Hair Pins. They’re a total splurge, but one of those pieces that elevate the everyday. Beautiful, functional, and designed to last – the perfect upgrade for anyone who always has a claw clip in their hair.
The Throughline
Maybe you found the perfect gift on this list - or maybe it simply sparked an idea. Either way, I keep coming back to the same thought: in a world obsessed with the new, there’s something grounding about choosing what lasts. The little luxuries people hesitate to buy for themselves, the pieces that age well and feel better with time – those are the ones worth giving.