Treasures under wraps

It’s holiday time, but don’t get stressed out. We have something on our list for everyone on yours.

Nature’s Perfect Designs
Artist Gogo Ferguson’s original inspiration for her Gogo jewelry line was the beach on her hometown island of Cumberland, Georgia. That’s where she started to study the intricate designs of shells and sea creatures such as coral and starfish, which eventually led her to develop pieces such as the hand-forged “spiny murex conch double cuff bracelet.” As the jewelry line grew, Ferguson looked beyond the sea to other elements of nature, and today her “rattlesnake vertebrae” design is one of Gogo’s bestsellers. We especially love her elegant strands of large pearls, which can make you feel like the most mystical of mermaids. Ferguson’s pieces are created with silver, gold, and natural bone. Also available are tabletop items such as a “cockle shell serving ladle,” as well as cufflinks and other jewelry for men. $45 to $7,200 at gogojewelry.com 

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Head-turning Beach Buggy
Here’s the perfect “wow” present for someone who could use some jaunty wheels to get to and from the beach or just around the neighborhood. The Moke was originally designed for the British army by Alec Issigonis (creator of the Mini), but today it is mainly used for fun. It comes in several vibrant colors and has been updated to include power steering, choice of manual or automatic transmission, waterproof seats, and other modern features. From $15,975 (electric) and $24,000 (gas) at mokeamerica.com

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Five Novel Ideas
For the story lover in your life who is always looking for a good book, how about a curated stack of novels that have been recognized with the highest possible honors? Our suggestions: The Underground Railroad (2017 Pulitzer Prize winner), by Colin Whitehead; Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro (2017 Nobel Prize–winning author); A Visit from the Goon Squad (Pulitzer Prize 2011 winner), by Jennifer Egan; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (2008 Pulitzer Prize winner), by Junot Diaz; and Vintage Munro: Nobel Prize Edition, by Alice Munro (2013 Nobel Prize–winning author). About $10 to $20

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A Child’s Plaything
You might be surprised at how well Shakespeare’s stories resonate with young children, who love the plays’ drama, gossip, and humor. The Shakespeare Can Be Fun! series is a remarkable set of books by a former elementary school teacher who tailors the bard’s language just enough to captivate youngsters. The books, which feature intricate illustrations, include musings from students. About $10 each

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Lions, Tigers, and Bears
The World Wildlife Foundation’s Symbolic Species Adoptions allow critter lovers to adopt a wild animal. (Available species include pandas, lion cubs, hyenas, African elephants, three-toed sloth, and many more.) Along with a certificate of adoption, your gift recipient will receive a plush replica of the animal, plus a photo and species card; some kits also include a gift bag or box. $25 to $250 at worldwildlife.org

Another idea for animal lovers is a yearly family membership to the local zoo. All-access passes typically pay for themselves within two or three visits, allow entry without waiting in line, include invitations to members-only events, and provide discounts on souvenirs and food. About $100 to $250 at big-city zoos

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This Gift Will Always Be Cool
For the design-first person with a quirky taste for beauty: this hand-painted, stainless steel, single-door refrigerator might be the perfect place to store perishables while bringing museum-quality artwork to the kitchen. Designers Dolce & Gabanna have teamed up with several artists to create eight works of art, and the results are mesmerizing. $50,000 at neimanmarcus.com

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A Bargain Bourbon Buzz
We understand the allure of 20-year reserve bourbons, but if you need to buy a bunch of bottles to spread around, we recommend Clyde May’s. This aged, small-batch craft whiskey seems to always disappear fast from serve-yourself bars, leaving everyone with a light and happy buzz. And the price won’t break the bank. Under $50 via mayswhiskey.com

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Take Adventure Along for the Ride
A cool gadget that can also come in handy when it’s too far to walk is the Jupiter Bike, which is powered by a lithium rechargeable battery. The bike folds up small enough to fit in a backpack and can carry you as much 10 miles at up to 15 mph. $799 at jupiterbike.com

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Put a Kayak in Your Jet
Oru kayaks, inspired by origami, make bulky boats a thing of the past: they fold up to the size of a large briefcase but are easy to reassemble, making them ideal for stowing in the back of your airplane. Choose from three models, which weigh only 26 to 34 pounds. $1,299 to $2,499 at orukayak.com

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Snow Cones and Giggles
This Japanese bear ice shaver looks so cute that we were initially skeptical about whether it would be functional, but we tested it dozens of time with kids as young as three, and it proved to be durable and easy to use, not to mention giggle-inducing. (The bear’s eyes move as you turn the handle). $78 at store.moma.org

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Hang Your Family on the Tree
These hand-painted wooden Christmas tree ornaments are custom-made to represent everyone in your family, including the animals. Around $205 and up for four ornaments at etsy.com/shop/goosegrease

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Great Coffee, Anywhere
After seeing our office colleagues whip out their Aeropress coffee and espresso makers on the road, we decided to try one ourselves. This gadget, which can make up to four cups, produces a taste and smoothness you aren’t likely to get from the typical brewed pot and is the result of years of scientific studies on making perfect joe. Approximately $35, including tote bag, at amazon.com

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Music Boxes

by Jeff Burger

Seeking gift ideas for a popular-music lover? These box sets shine new light on old gems:

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Beatles. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of this fabled album with an edition that features a new stereo mix by original producer Sir George Martin’s son, Giles. Other goodies include two CDs with previously unreleased session material, a hardcover book, and a DVD and Blu-ray that offer surround-sound mixes and a documentary about the LP’s creation.

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Woody Guthrie: The Tribute Concerts. This three-CD box renders obsolete a long-out-of-print vinyl collection that culled highlights from a pair of 1968 and 1970 Woody Guthrie tribute concerts. The new 100-track package offers unabridged recordings of both shows, plus interviews with the artists and two engrossing hardcover books. The performances—by Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Tom Paxton, and many other folk giants—are heartfelt and memorable. And songs like “(Deportee) Plane Wreck at Los Gatos” underscore how relevant Guthrie remains.

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The 1966 Live Recordings, Bob Dylan. This 36-CD opus delivers every known recording from a legendary three-continent tour that featured backup by the Band and many of Dylan’s best early songs. Granted, the set lists differ little from show to show, and most listeners would probably be satisfied to have just a fraction of this box. (Dylan’s label ostensibly included every concert simply because European copyright law would have put any omitted material into the public domain after 50 years.) But the package is priced as if it contained far fewer CDs than it does, and for fans of the Nobel Prize winner, music doesn’t get any more compelling than this.

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Complete Third, Big Star. Multiple labels rejected this “power pop” band’s third album, which finally appeared in 1978, four years after it was recorded, and later came to be regarded as an influential classic. This 69-track, three-CD set combines the original LP with revelatory rough mixes and alternate and demo takes; also here are fine covers of songs by acts Big Star admired, among them the Beach Boys, the Velvet Underground, and the Beatles.

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A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982), David Bowie. After Bowie’s 2016 death, his record label issued two 12-CD sets that together covered the first eight years of his music-making; this third box, with 11 CDs, documents an additional six years. That’s 35 discs—and we’ve still got 33 years to go. This latest box, the best of the three to date, includes Low and Heroes, two of Bowie’s most adventurous albums, plus a hardcover book and much previously unreleased material.

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Their Satanic Majesties Request, the Rolling Stones. The Stones’ underrated 1967 psychedelic outing returns in an imaginatively packaged deluxe edition, complete with the original 3D cover art. The album, which helped the Stones expand their focus beyond R&B-spiced rock, incorporates instruments ranging from theremin and electric dulcimer to sitar and mellotron, and foreshadows the 2013 film Her with a lyric about an “affair with a random computer.” The set includes remastered stereo and mono versions of the album on CD and—for those who want the complete 1960s experience—vinyl.