March 12, 2026
Good evening. Tonight we’re sharing gifts to welcome spring. Plus:
Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter; illustration by Con McHugh for NYT Wirecutter
I’m thawed out from winter and have the spring shoppies
The winters of my childhood in Maine did not play. From Thanksgiving until Easter, the flurries were flurrying, the snow banks were towering, and the no-school days were aplenty. This past winter felt like one of those winters. The internet tells us we aren’t supposed to like rugged weather, but I do like it, very much. And the best part about a helluva winter is that when spring comes — next Friday! — baby, we’ve earned it.
We had our first two spring-like days this week, the sky an electric blue, the air like silk. (Of course, it’s frigid and gray now.) My optimism is undimmed. No matter what spring looks like this year — colorless and cold, drizzly and vibey, twinkling and bright — my vow is to embrace every minute. We made it through winter, and the newness of spring, in all its forms, is a gift.
It’s also a nice time to reconnect with relationships that have been on ice after a winter of hibernation. I’ve been seeing so many perfect, springy, just-because gifts lately. Here are a few of my favorites:
- This screen-printed garland charmed me at a trade show a few weeks back. It’s detailed and double-sided, and sewn along a sturdy cotton thread. This spring bloom set of daisies, marigolds, and cow parsley would make the best surprise mail for at least a few of my favorite friends. I’ll concede none of us need garland, but this blend of artful whimsy could bring greenery indoors while we await the real thing.
- A friend of mine keeps a canvas tote hanging in her entryway for umbrellas, hats, and other leaving-the-house miscellany. But wouldn’t this perfectly shaped (and priced) wall basket be even better? If you didn’t want to use it for storage, it could hang just about anywhere overflowing with a clutch of flowers. A crafty friend might appreciate weaving a similar one on their own.
- I can’t stop thinking about these floral landscapes from Austin-based artist El Baker. (I saw a print of the daffodil one in person and was particularly smitten.) It would be a lovely spring-ahead vista at the desk of anyone who works from home.
- My partner has eradicated all traditional spring ephemerals — tulips, hyacinth, snowdrops — from our yard in favor of less-familiar native blooms. (We all make sacrifices for love.) And so I’m feeling very drawn to this bulb vase. I especially appreciate the tall neck to support floppy, sun-reaching stems.
- The little people in my life sure would like this see-through rainbow umbrella and splatterpaint boots, which are literal celebrations of the season and both thoroughly vetted by Wirecutter’s experts. After I patiently tromp for hours with my kids in puddles, a steamy tub with any one of these medicinal magic bath soaks will be well deserved. The yuzu and forest bathing scents are particularly special.
In all this considerate musing for friends, I should add that this link-stitch cotton cardigan with its perfect contrast collar would be a great swap for the winter one I’ve worn all season.
Sending good tidings for all sorts of spring.
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More for springtime
Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter; illustration by Con McHugh for NYT Wirecutter
8 gorgeous vases for spring blooms
Including a water-resistant paper vase that looks like art→
Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter; illustration by Con McHugh for NYT Wirecutter
These flowers are fake. And they’re great.
These paper, wooden, and felt blooms don’t aspire to look real. But they evoke just as much magic as the real thing, while we patiently wait the season’s first flora→
Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter
The best gifts for gardeners
Perhaps the green thumb in your life might like a blown-glass hummingbird feeder or a French harvest basket?→
Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter; illustration by Con McHugh for NYT Wirecutter
24 wedding gifts we love (that you won’t find on their registry)
Including a lightweight Japanese knife and clink-worthy flutes→
What to give: Someone recovering from an injury?
A friend of mine recently slipped on some ice in a parking lot and broke her elbow in four places. She will need surgery, and her arm will be immobilized for months. Some of our mutual friends and I would like to put together a care package for her. Could you give us some ideas for things that a person with a single working hand would find useful or enjoyable? — I.P.
From gifting expert Hannah Morrill:
A dear colleague here at Wirecutter broke her elbow around a year ago. She was more than eager to share a few useful ideas for your friend. Her first purchase after surgery was this rolling tote, which collapses flat and was essential for Brooklyn grocery shopping. Because reaching into her pocket was nearly impossible, she also invested in a phone strap and case. (This one, while pricey, also has a great spot for a couple cards.) A great cardigan sweater — she was actually wearing this very one while we compiled this list — worked as a convalescence cape, draped over her sling and shoulders. Oh, and a cardboard cutter for opening packages came in clutch more than she ever anticipated.
Lastly, I sent her a paper flower bouquet that she swore was prettier than the fresh ones she got and still sits on her dresser. That’s the hope, right? Once your friend heals, these gifts will live on in her daily life as welcome reminders of her resilience.
Have someone who’s impossible to shop for? Submit your question here.
Gift of the week: A notebook for getting your life together (and laughs in)
This useful gag gift is an almost uncanny rendering of the creamy, dish-altering spread. But not so fast! It’s really 480 sheets of smooth, non-sticky, butter-yellow paper for jotting notes.
One last gift (for you): One of our favorite Lego sets for adults, this on-sale build recreating Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” is striking and beautiful, and even comes with a hook holder for easy hanging.
You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you.
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