While the holiday season is about more than presents, gift-giving (and getting) is certainly on everyone’s mind right now. Santa’s list surely shows that many East End grown-ups are wishing for luxurious items for their homes and properties, but since we can’t see the list for ourselves, we turn elsewhere for answers. Top area real estate agents get to see the most beautiful estates, and sometimes find ideas for perfect holiday gifts. We asked them what fabulous home items they’ll be giving and wishing for, this holiday season, to give us ideas for our own lists. With a dash of Christmas magic, you and your loved ones may just unwrap items that will spread cheer throughout your home all year round.
Nicole Tunick, Douglas Elliman Real Estate
“The season of luxe is here in the Hamptons. Some of my favorite home gift items and hostess gifts include Hermès blankets, faux fur throws, cashmere throws and crystal barware — especially crystal martini shaker sets! On a different note, I am seeing a trend toward more elaborate home gyms in the Hamptons. Personally, the Tonal home gym system or The Mirror would be tops on my wish list. And let’s not forget the garage! Just last week, set behind glass garage doors, I encountered the best gift I have ever seen: a restored vintage 1991 Land Rover Defender 110. This is truly the ultimate Hamptons car. The owner just received it from the Netherlands. Now that’s a present to yourself!”
Gina M. Benedetto, NOFO REAL ESTATE
“After the year we all have endured, the best gift I can give and receive this holiday season is the gift of family. One way we celebrate family and fun in our home is when we are all together around our new Solo Stove. This stove was a gift to my family and one of the best gifts we have received in a long time. When I met the Solo Stove it was instant love. The stove is a stainless steel, smokeless, wood-burning fire pit which I find myself moving from the beach for a summer night’s bonfire back to my deck on cool fall nights. The Yukon model’s sleek shape and the beautiful flame invite one and all to gather and laugh. This fire pit is built for the backyard and beyond. Not only is the flame mesmerizing as it dances through rings on the top of the stove but the smoke smell is almost non-existent. Anytime we have family and friends over, our nights end with s’mores, music, fun and laughter around our Solo stove. Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season!”
Frank and Dawn Bodenchak, Sotheby’s International Realty
“We have the perfect find for our new homeowners who don’t love the look of a sterile TV in a beautiful room (like a living room or primary bedroom), but still want the functionality of that TV. This high-end mirror conceals a large flat TV and can be tailored to any room’s design. Our installer can also wrap the mirror surround in anything — from wallpaper, to wood grains, to snakeskin — for a more customized look. But lo and behold, with the flick of a button, it becomes a very pragmatic (yet dressed-up) TV. ‘Now you see it, now you don’t.'”
Cee Scott Brown, Compass
“Rancho Meladuco’s Medjool Dates are like nothing I’ve ever tasted. They are pleasantly sweet and packed with vitamins and minerals. So this holiday season, I am gifting friends and clients the 2021 Limited Edition Harvest Box, which not only offers the “king of fruits” in a chest — it also has a great endgame. Five dollars for each box sold will be donated to Feeding America, the leading organization whose mission is to end hunger in the United States. What’s more, each gorgeous wooden box is adorned with a beautiful painting by Udi Peled, a talented California-based artist known for blending his unique style with expressionism. For me, this gift is about turning clients and friends on to the most delicious dates ever, giving exposure to a talented artist and, most importantly, helping fight hunger.”
This article appeared in the December 2021 issue of Behind The Hedges. Click here to view the digital edition.
