11 Gifts for the Home

If home is where the heart is, it should reflect all the things its inhabitants love. And whether that's quirky cat prints or voice-command electronics, we have your gift-buying covered.

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1. JASS JUMBO CHALK PENCIL; $4

For the artistic friend who always has a chalkboard of doodles or inspirational quotes hanging in the entryway, this oversized chalk pencil from Switzerland will make the decorating process far less messy than the traditional options.

Find It: CW Pencil Enterprises

2. ARTIST PALETTE CHEESE TRAY; $40

This ceramic serving tray is perfect for the foodie who fancies their cheese and charcuterie spreads to be masterpieces.

Find It: Fishs Eddy

3. TILE SPORT KEY FINDER; $35

Losing your keys when you need to run out the door is a time-honored tradition, but attaching a Tile Sport helps ensure that your giftee's keys can’t hide for too long. Plus, it can be used in reverse—if they lose their phone, the Tile attached to the keys can be used to call their cell, even if the phone is on silent.

Find It: Amazon

4. FRED TAKE-OUT COMPOST BIN; $25

The EPA estimates that up to 30 percent of what we throw away could actually be composted, which would help reduce greenhouse gasses and improve soil quality. This cute carbon-filtered countertop container will hide any banana peels, coffee grounds, or—yes—late-night fried rice until you can take it out to the backyard or a local community composting program.

Find It: Amazon

5. WHITE SAGE; $9

Whether your friend appreciates the scent of natural incense or might want to cleanse their home of any bad juju before the new year, these mini bundles of dried white sage are the perfect gift to keep on hand for the hosts of any and all holiday parties.

Find It: Juniper Ridge

6. CIRCADIAN OPTICS LIGHT THERAPY LAMP; $65

The dead of winter requires some proactive steps to combat any potential seasonal sadness. This long-lasting LED bulb (good for 50,000 hours, or roughly five and half years of nonstop use) is designed to take up minimal space while still emitting a full-spectrum light that can help alleviate the December doldrums.

Find It: Amazon

7. LARGE CAT ART PRINT; $35

Called "You Asleep Yet?", this 22" x 25" print of a furtive feline by artist Laura Graves would be a welcome companion for anyone whose apartment doesn’t allow pets.

Find It: Society6

8. AMAZON ECHO, 2ND GENERATION; $80

"Alexa, change your look!" The latest Echo device comes in a variety of new looks, from chic charcoal or sandstone fabric to a walnut veneer. But, beyond the visual, the new Echo has enhanced speakers and a new, richer Dolby audio processor, making it much clearer, and Alexa now boasts more than 25,000 skills, including new game features and voice-command purchasing on Amazon Prime.

Find It: Amazon

9. WILSON KEY RING; $15

Made in Connecticut and New York, this brass wire key ring is a solid holiday (or housewarming) gift. Because almost everyone could use a minimalist upgrade, no matter how small.

Find It: Upstate Stock

10. DACHSHUND BOOKEND SET; $30

Add some doggone personality to any bookshelf—this good boy, who comes in black or white, will guard your book collection from any mailmen or squirrels. Or whatever books' major predators are.

Find It: Amazon

11. ULTIMATE EARS WONDERBOOM WATERPROOF BLUETOOTH SPEAKER; $80

With a 10-hour battery life and 360-degree sound, this petite portable speaker packs a punch. And, for the clumsy among us, the waterproof feature safely allows it to be accidentally knocked into bubble baths or splashed with cannonball water poolside without skipping a beat.

Find It: Amazon