My 2024 Holiday Gift Guide

Still looking for that perfect something? I've got you covered

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all well. The beginning of December marks the official countdown to Christmas and so this month’s Lucy Loves column takes the form of a gift guide, featuring lots of beautiful things for the art, design and travel lovers in your life.

As in previous years, everything has a British or Turkish twist and is available to buy online. You could also gift a subscription to The Istanbulist to friends and family near or afar. Your support really does mean the world to me as it allows me the time each month to curate and write The Istanbulist for you.

Oh, and please do share your own gift ideas as I’m always after new ideas for presents to give as well as for things to bolster my own ever-growing Xmas list! I wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous festive season.

Love Lucy Xx

For the art lover

1. Donna Wilson x Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s mule sheep hot water bottle, £75. The exclusive YSP x Donna Wilson woolly collection was inspired by the flock of North of England Mule Sheep that reside at YSP. I’m equally obsessed with the Baa Baa cashmere blanket, £200.

2. Make a splash with this quirky blue and white enamel salad bowl by Kapka, a steal at $22.50.

3. The beautiful gilt-silver knot bracelet above by Claude Lalanne will complement any festive ensemble, €1200-1800.

4. Commission a personalised picture of your dog, house or newborn babe from Olivia Huntingford, a brilliant (and relatively affordable) London-based artist who still has some availability for this Christmas. Prices vary.

5. This gorgeous red and white Ikat clutch from Istanbul-based Petit Pillow will bring a pop of colour to any wintry look, 5750TL.

For the aesthete

1. Up the glam factor with these quirky gold-plated magnolia earrings with baroque pearl clusters, €170.

2. The Lucy Williams X Feldspar candelabra above will get the table talking for all the right reasons, £200.

3. This colourful enamel pen pot would also hold a small bouquet of pretty winter flowers, £24.

4. Brighten your tablescape with this set of four burgundy palm placemats by Cabana in collaboration with The Colombia Collective, £150.

5. Enjoy a post-dinner tipple in one of these beautiful handblown highballs crafted in England for Estelle Manor, £220.

For the globetrotter

1. Buy a big bottle of this lavender oil for home diffusers or the dinky travel-size for your hand luggage. In the spirit of Christmas, Lucy Loves readers can enjoy 20% off all online purchases. Use code LUCYLOVES20 at checkout.

2. Johnstons of Elgin cashmere-blend socks, £65. Your tootsies will never go cold flying long-haul again.

3. This Globe-Trotter suitcase in cream (above), £1995. Super pricey, yes, but my goodness it’s gorgeous!

4. I don’t go anywhere anymore without this portable white noise machine, £29.99. A saviour for parents whose tots will not sleep.

5. Channel that summer holiday feeling with Assouline’s Tulum candle, £75.

Stocking Fillers

1. A bar of Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s caramel and honeycomb milk chocolate. Delicious and only £3.95

2. This Liberty print fabric 2025 diary will delight any design devotee, £32.95

3. Start jotting down big ideas in one of these Michael Craig-Martin notebooks , set for £12

4. Hosting this Christmas? These Luke Edward Hall coasters will please the party, £4

5. New English Interiors by Elizabeth Metcalfe, £28. The loveliest book featuring the loveliest interiors of 22 of England’s most exciting creatives.

6. I saw this Evil Eye bracelet in

   Skye McAlpine
   ’s gorgeous Substack
   La Dolce Vita Diaries
   and just had to include it. Because, well, it’s beautiful and the evil eye is a good luck emblem in Turkey, £350

7. A set of David Hicks playing cards (above), €23