Thoughtful gift ideasGifts, also on my list

Thoughtful gift ideas don't need to be complicated. My rule is simple: if you have to resist keeping it, it's a good present. Everything on this list passes that test.

Two lamps, because I think light is the most underrated gift there is. A cordless one in brushed metal you can carry from the dinner table to the bedside, and a chrome dome that turns any surface into a still life. A tassel scarf in a green sharp enough to wake up a black coat. A silver candlestick with a curve in it. A pillow mist for the friend who takes her sleep seriously. And a splatterware jar from Puglia, the kind of thing that makes a kitchen look loved.

Wrap them well. That's half the present.