Who wants to be a holiday hero? That cool cat who can sit back and watch their loved ones squeal in delight as presents are opened, knowing that they’ve scored the hardest-to-get items that everyone wants. It’s not just little kids who get their hearts set on a particular gift only to have their parents tearing out their hair trying to find it at the last minute. Grown folks can get attached to the idea of one particular gift, too. Many movie and sitcom plots turn on this very dilemma, but IRL, it is SO not funny.
If you’re one of those people who likes to get all of their holiday gift shopping done before the leaves have fallen from the trees, here are some ideas for fantastic experiences and products that you can buy right now. They’ll delight the gift recipient when the big day actually arrives, in no small measure because they’re sure to sell out – you’ll be able to gift something that lots of people might want but cannot get their hands on. Plus, you’ll be able to spend the holiday season having fun, instead of stressing out. What could be better?
Here’s our Dandelion Chandelier list of hot-selling experiences and products that are great potential holiday gifts that you can buy right now:
Theater tickets (unless noted otherwise, these are all on sale now):
–Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-sweeping modern musical masterpiece Hamilton makes a long-awaited London premiere at the refurbished Victoria Palace Theatre – previews begin Dec 6 for an opening on Dec 21; you won’t find seats during the first weeks of the run, but why not get them now before the show sells out for the next six months?
–Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical begins previews at the St. James Theater on February 22, 2018 for a March 22, 2018 opening; you could be a real contender for favorite parent/aunt/uncle/godparent/grandparent if you can score these.
–Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women at the Golden Theater will see Laurie Metcalf back on stage, fresh from her Tony-winning performance in A Doll’s House, Part 2; her co-stars are Glenda Jackson and Alison Pill – previews begin February 27, 2018 for a March 29, 2018 opening; anyone on your list who loves dramas is going to want to see this production.
–Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel at the Imperial Theater will feature choreography by Justin Peck, with a cast that includes opera star Renee Fleming –previews begin February 28, 2018 and the show opens on April 12, 2018; ballet aficionados will be happy recipients of good seats for this classic revival made fresh by one of the hottest choreographers working today.
–Mean Girls with a book by Tina Fey begins previews at the August Wilson Theater on March 12, 2018 – tickets go on sale to the public on October 3, but if you have an AmEx card, you can buy them starting September 25. If you have a teenage daughter, you might want to step in line for this one.
–Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh at the Bernard Jacobs Theater starring Denzel Washington and directed by George Wolfe will run for only 14 weeks this spring – previews beginning March 22, 2018 and an opening scheduled for April 26, 2018; two words: Denzel. Washington.
–Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, Parts 1 and 2 will open on Broadway in the spring of 2018; tickets go on sale October 12 – you’ll need to pre-register from October 1-5 so that you can become a “verified fan” eligible to purchase tickets when they go on sale via Ticketmaster; in the annals of gift-gifting, if you can deliver tickets to this, you will definitely receive a tiara and a place in the Hall of Fame.
The new line of Apple iPhones, especially the iPhone X, are intended to be the “look what I have” bragging-rights gift this season among early adopters. While our Silicon Valley Bureau Chief had reported that the word on the street was that the new Apple Watch 3 would actually be the most desired present among the cool kids, reports from the tech press this week indicate that there are still bugs to be addressed. The 3 Series of watches has wireless connectivity, and the products are supposed to seamlessly sync with other Apple devices. The big idea is supposed to be that if the wearer is mobile, having a smartphone nearby is unnecessary (in the launch demo, an Apple employee conducted a phone call through her Apple Watch while standing and rowing a paddle board). The issue? The wireless connectivity is buggy. Reporters say that T-Mobile and AT&T connections were spotty, calls were not clear and the overall functionality in real life is not as promised in the demo. Stay tuned, but we don’t suggest a purchase until these issues are resolved.
Must-Have Accessories. The Business of Fashion reports that certain global brands are consistently flying off the shelves right now, especially among the millennial cohort. Almost any item from one of these luxury brands is probably going to make your fashionista very happy:
–Gucci – top sellers so far this year are their slides, “pussy bow” blouses and Ace sneakers.
–Balenciaga’s tiny, triangular, and oversized bags have all garnered attention – they’re truly distinctive and highly photographable.
–Chloé’s circular Nile bag sold out almost immediately thanks to its popularity with street style stars.
–Yves Saint Laurent’s slouchy boots for fall/winter ‘17 and its Opyum pumps, which utilize Adolphe ‘Cassandre’ Mouron’s iconic logo for the heel and were first introduced two seasons ago, are among luxury’s best-sellers this year.
Men’s sneakers. The new look in sneakers is maximalist, so if you have a guy on your list who loves the latest in footwear, act now. Forget the architectural clean white kicks of last year – this season is all about color and larger, old-school silhouettes. The words used to describe the new look are “chunky” and “bulky,” and the best ones are going quickly. The Business of Fashion reports that Raf Simons’ Ozweego sneaker for Adidas sold out within five minutes on Mr. Porter. Lanvin introduced a diving-inspired pair for fall/winter ’17. Dior Homme has a new pair with modern tailoring in its spring/summer ’18 collection. You’ll find options everywhere right now – perhaps not so much in a couple of months.
Tom Ford’s new fragrance, F***ing Fantastic, is available only on tomford.com and in Tom Ford stores. If you have a diva or fashionista on your list, hurry on over now and grab a bottle before they’re all gone.
Travel Gear. Chanel has a limited-edition line of over-the-top travel accessories that are perfect for the frequent traveler in your life. At Bergdorf Goodman you can find the Chanel “Orylag” Fur Collection, which includes a Cabin Pillow (a neck rest) in dark brown fur for $1,700 and in white and grey fur for $1,900. If your gift recipient has their own jet, they might also appreciate the square fur pillow for $2,400 and the rectangular pillow for $1,950. Just what they need for that holiday trip to St. Moritz! But hurry. Supplies are limited.
The goal here is not to get you more stressed and frenzied, dear reader – it’s just to nudge you to act early to cross some things off your holiday to-do list. Of course, there’s always the risk that what’s hot now will have cooled in two months – but you’ll still get an “A” for effort, and the early adopters in your life will know that you totally get them. Game on.
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