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‘Tis the season for capitalism and holiday parties — so why not bring them together for a gift gathering that will actually bring you joy.
This year, inspired by TikTok, I decided to throw a “Favorite Things” party. Not to be confused with a Secret Santa or a White Elephant or any other gamified gifting situation, the idea of a Favorite Things party is that everyone brings something they actually like and use.
That takes a bit of pressure off — you don’t have to suddenly find the perfect gift that will be beloved by all, you just have to look around your house and see what makes you happy.
The gifts people turned up with were amazing — and so were the stories they brought with them. Mini perfumes that they’d obsessed about for their wedding. A tiny drink bottle that fits in a handbag that a colleague had gifted them. Fancy olive oil that came with its own half baguette (and a sample for all the guests). A jar of the best brand of maraschino cherries. Luxurious face masks that came with an apology for how good they are because the price tag is horrific.
Rather than just disassociating your way through the holiday season, getting your friends together for something beyond drinking felt like a special way to reflect on the year.
This is a party that requires a little bit of forward planning, so here are some tips for you to throw your own My Favorite Things party:
Choose your guests: This is a great event to introduce friends from different groups, because there’s a set structure, a designated topic of conversation if things get awkward and you inherently have to chat with whoever gets your gift. I had 15 guests and it worked great — but you could definitely do just a small group.
Pick your budget — I decided $25 for two gifts, for a total of $50. You can choose whichever amount works for your and your friends’ finances. I was conscious that the gifts plus wine or snacks meant it wasn’t a cheap party to attend but making it clear from the start means people understand what they are agreeing to.
Give clear instructions: The key is to have guests bring two of the same thing so that everyone ends up with two gifts. Say you’re bringing a $25 ice roller for puffy skin. You buy two ice rollers, and walk away with two totally different gifts.
I thought my invite instructions were straightforward. “Please bring two identical gifts totaling $25 each (it can be two single items or two sets of multiple items).” Judging by how many texts I got asking for clarification, they were not. People couldn’t understand if it was $25 total or per gift. Others didn’t get that it was two identical gifts. People couldn’t remember if they should wrap the gifts or not (you want them visible!). Reading comprehension is a skill but so is clear communication.
Buy your gift: Maybe it’s a new beauty product you’ve loved or a practical item that upgraded your life. Perhaps you create a collection of your fave supermarket items or your best book of 2024.
I personally chose to have a selection of items: a mini kaleidoscope (technically a teleidoscope) purchased on an early fall trip to the world’s largest in upstate New York, a 4-pack of Trader Joe’s Sparkling Coconut Water with Yuzu (I assumed most people would have been familiar with the tastiest drink in the supermarket but no one had tried it, apart from one woman who had drunk it before at my house) and a palo santo stick (unnecessary but I had a last minute panic).
People need warning in order to buy something good — one person’s gift was due to be delivered the day after the party. It happens!
Party presentation time: I kicked off proceedings and introduced my gift and why I’d brought it, and then we just went around in an easy circle. Everyone oohed and aahed and clapped at each present announcement, and it was fascinating to see what everyone brought. Friends whom I speak with daily showed off products I had never heard them mention or use previously.
Gift o’clock: You can make this a popularity contest where you draw names out of the hat and people get to choose the gift they want the most. I found this too stressful and school sports adjacent, so instead everyone drew two names out of the hat and those two people got their gift. Easy.
Post party: Email all your guests the next day with a list of who brought what so that if you didn’t get lucky enough to draw the portable humidifier you can at least order your own. Plus, if anyone hit it off, now they have each other’s contact info. The gift of friendship? Priceless.
