Lifestyle

24 gifts to spoil yourself with this holiday season

Published

1 month ago

December 4, 2025

24 gifts to spoil yourself with this holiday season

If you buy a product linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission. See all our Coveted lists of mandatory items here.

While brainstorming for this year’s gift guide with the editorial team, Goth Shakira, Image magazine’s love columnist holding court in the stars, immediately replied “luxury dental care for life.” And I’m with her. When thinking about what I wanted, things that immediately came to mind leaned closer to necessities: student loan forgiveness, a new personal laptop, therapy.

But this is a gift guide for you, our readers, and is written with revelry — meaning merrymaking, noisy partying, dancing until the lights come up — in mind. What would we desire if basic necessities weren’t an issue? If we didn’t have any cares in the world? That permission to fantasize might be the biggest gift of all.

“Artists in Space” by Mr. Wash, pre-order for $55

(Joppe Jacob Rog) (Joppe Jacob Rog)

I find it absolutely fascinating to see where artists work and how they live — and I can only assume that Mr. Wash has asked all the right questions when doing these studio visits around L.A. store.artbywash.com — Elisa Wouk Almino

Apartamento Magazine, “Happy Victims” by Kyoichi Tsuzuki, $68

The book documents Tokyo’s most hardcore fashion collections among a trove of their most treasured items. A grail for obsessive little fashion freaks everywhere. apartamentomagazine.com — Julissa James

Rimowa, Classic Cabin Carry-On, $1,600

When you’re traveling twice a month for work, airport style isn’t optional; it’s part of the job. rimowa.com — Keyla Marquez

Susanna Chow, Carrie Shearling Coat in burgundy, $995

I’ve always appreciated a fur coat’s timeless and hedonistic glamour, and any lover of ’60s and ’70s fashion needs a shag coat to accompany their nights out in platform boots. susannachownyc.com — Katerina Portela

Botanarchy Herbs + Acupuncture, Elemental Medicine sessions, $265 for 1.5-hour new patient appointment

(Jessica Chanen Smith)

Practitioner Carolyn Barron really is “a poet first and a doctor second,” and I leave every visit to her AcuTemple feeling a little closer to the mystical and to myself. botanarchy.com — Claire Salinda

Plasticana, Recycled Hemp Garden Clogs, $68

Do I already have clogs from UGGs and Rothy’s? Yes. Do my eyes light up with envy and joy any time I see someone in NELA wearing these artist-chic yet garden-friendly clogs from Plasticana? Also, yes. gardenheir.com — Karla Marie Sanford

Issey Miyake, IM-101 Sunglasses, $560

The IM-101 reproduces an Issey model from 1985, when I couldn’t afford nice sunglasses (I was a baby). But now I have a second chance to turn heads with these futuristic, zig-zag frames. Frankly, that’s the only way I want to live. isseymiyake.com — Dave Schilling

Prada, Teddy key chain charm, $925

I love carrying a tiny friend with me; this addition to my everyday bag would make a chic little wave in a sea of Labubus. prada.com — Goth Shakira

La Bonne Brosse, N.03 the Gentle Scalp Care HairBrush in saffron yellow, $198

I take every opportunity to make my life more colorful and whimsical — which this brush accomplishes while also making my hair silky and scalp healthy. labonnebrosse.com — EWA

Lucky Star Candle, Ladder Candle, $70

While the creations from independent L.A. brand Lucky Star Candle are technically burnable, I prefer to display them around my house like beautiful wax sculptures whose sole purpose is alighting aesthetic pleasure within me. luckystarcandle.com — JJ

The Row, N/S Park Tote in black suede, $1,490

(SSENSE)

This tote is my first piece from the Row, and one I’ll cherish forever. Effortless, timeless and a reminder of the milestones I’ve worked hard to reach. ssense.com — KM

Le Labo, Limited Edition 3×5 ml Discovery Set, $70

As a fragrance lover with too many options to choose from, sample sets are a life saver. Enter cult-favorite New York label Le Labo’s most affordable holiday set, complete with three of their best-selling scents. From the musky floral Another 13 and Western desert Santal 33 to elegant tea-inspired offering Thé Noir 29, my next signature scent awaits. lelabofragrances.com — KP

Chava Studio, Funnelneck Reversible Shirt, $560

After buying a few other “practical” shirts from Olivia Villanti’s bespoke line, I finally ordered the funnelneck reversible shirt last time I visited her CDMX studio. It has since become one of my go-to tops given its versatile styling and unexpected yet understated silhouette. chavastudio.com — CS

D.S. & Durga, Cowgirl Grass Perfume, $210

My mom balked when I told her about buying this scent, my first big-girl purchase in L.A. But when I’m wearing this perfume — and receiving plentiful compliments, by the way — I feel the opposite of regret. dsanddurga.com — KMS

Zana Bayne, Leather Martini key chain, $60

For me, martinis are not just a drink. They’re a gateway into the magic of a perfect evening and the most crucial party accessory. I know that’s a love I share with L.A. designer Zana Bayne, who offers a studded leather key chain in the iconic shape of the classic martini glass. zanabayne.com — DS

HigherDOSE, Red Light Mask, $349

I use this mask every other night. In addition to toning and smoothing my skin, it improves my mood and helps me sleep. higherdose.com — GS

Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami, Capucines Mini Tentacle, price upon request

Louis Vuitton X Takashi Murakami Tentacle purse

I love thinking of a bag as a tentacle, and with this reimagining of Marakami’s Mr. DOB as a vibrant octopus, I’m ready to channel some Ursula energy. louisvuitton.com — EWA

Spinelli Kilcollin, Harlow Emerald Cut ring in silver, $5,100

Often imitated, never duplicated, a ring from Spinelli Kilcollin is both classic and subversive enough to be interesting for decades to come. Made in L.A., this chunky, layered silver piece often shows up in my dreams, begging: “buy me, buy me …” spinellikilcollin.com — JJ

Maison Margiela, Tabi Broken Mirror Embroidery, price upon request

Maison Margiela Tabi Broken Mirror Boots

Only 25 pairs exist in the world. They’re iconic, subversive and unapologetically Margiela — everything I love in a shoe. maisonmargiela.com — KM

Chloé, Paddington Bag in Crafty Brown, $2,750

Slouchy and decorated in padlock hardware, Chloé’s certified it-girl bag is my dream silhouette. I can imagine it overflowing with lipsticks, credit cards, love letters and to-do lists in true messy city girl fashion, one that I can only hope to emulate. chloe.com — KP

7till8, Custom Surf Hooded Fullsuit, $850

I cannot think of anything more luxurious than a perfectly fitted Yamamoto #40 limestone neoprene suit on a chilly morning. It would (almost) make the acrobatics of getting in and out of a wetsuit on the side of the PCH worth the struggle. 7till8.com — CS

Bottega Veneta, Parachute bag in Dark Barolo, $5,400

There’s something about this deep purplish brown color that Bottega Veneta dubs “dark barolo” that just turns me on. Imagine me slinging this onto a chair as I step out for a laugh-filled smoke at one of L.A.’s natural wine bars. bottegaveneta.com — KMS

Saint Laurent, Sac de Jour Large Slim Bauletto Bag, $4,600

Saint Laurent’s latest offering — understated black leather with a charming gold padlock hanging off the handle — offers the user a graceful chicness that more than justifies the price tag. In an era where casual backpacks seem ever-present in office environments, a stylish choice like this is the ultimate flex. ysl.com — DS

Audio-Technica, Hotaru Turntable, $11,596

When the Hotaru turntable glows, it looks like an ancient space crystal — the perfect otherworldly addition to my hermitage (aka apartment). audio-technica.com — GS

Lifestyle

What worked — and what didn’t — in the ‘Stranger Things’ finale

Published

4 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

What worked — and what didn’t — in the ‘Stranger Things’ finale

Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield.

Netflix

hide caption

toggle caption

Netflix

Yes, there are spoilers ahead for the final episode of Stranger Things.

On New Year’s Eve, the very popular Netflix show Stranger Things came to an end after five seasons and almost 10 years. With actors who started as tweens now in their 20s, it was probably inevitable that the tale of a bunch of kids who fought monsters would wind down. In the two-plus-hour finale, there was a lot of preparation, then there was a final battle, and then there was a roughly 40-minute epilogue catching up with our heroes 18 months later. And how well did it all work? Let’s talk about it.

Worked: The final battle

The strongest part of the finale was the battle itself, set in the Abyss, in which the crew battled Vecna, who was inside the Mind Flayer, which is, roughly speaking, a giant spider. This meant that inside, Eleven could go one-on-one with Vecna (also known as Henry, or One, or Mr. Whatsit) while outside, her friends used their flamethrowers and guns and flares and slingshots and whatnot to take down the Mind Flayer. (You could tell that Nancy was going to be the badass of the fight as soon as you saw not only her big gun, but also her hair, which strongly evoked Ripley in the Alien movies.) And of course, Joyce took off Vecna’s head with an axe while everybody remembered all the people Vecna has killed who they cared about. Pretty good fight!

Did not work: Too much talking before the fight

As the group prepared to fight Vecna, we watched one scene where the music swelled as Hopper poured out his feelings to Eleven about how she deserved to live and shouldn’t sacrifice herself. Roughly 15 minutes later, the music swelled for a very similarly blocked and shot scene in which Eleven poured out her feelings to Hopper about why she wanted to sacrifice herself. Generally, two monologues are less interesting than a conversation would be. Elsewhere, Jonathan and Steve had a talk that didn’t add much, and Will and Mike had a talk that didn’t add much (after Will’s coming-out scene in the previous episode), both while preparing to fight a giant monster. It’s not that there’s a right or wrong length for a finale like this, but telling us things we already know tends to slow down the action for no reason. Not every dynamic needed a button on it.

Worked: Dungeons & Dragons bringing the group together

It was perhaps inevitable that we would end with a game of D&D, just as we began. But now, these kids are feeling the distance between who they are now and who they were when they used to play together. The fact that they still enjoy each other’s company so much, even when there are no world-shattering stakes, is what makes them seem the most at peace, more than a celebratory graduation. And passing the game off to Holly and her friends, including the now-included Derek, was a very nice touch.

Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, and Joe Keery as Steve Harrington.

Netflix

hide caption

toggle caption

Netflix

Did not work: Dr. Kay, played by Linda Hamilton

It seemed very exciting that Stranger Things was going to have Linda Hamilton, actual ’80s action icon, on hand this season playing Dr. Kay, the evil military scientist who wanted to capture and kill Eleven at any cost. But she got very little to do, and the resolution to her story was baffling. After the final battle, after the Upside Down is destroyed, she believes Eleven to be dead. But … then what happened? She let them all call taxis home, including Hopper, who killed a whole bunch of soldiers? Including all the kids who now know all about her and everything she did? All the kids who ventured into the Abyss are going to be left alone? Perfect logic is certainly not anybody’s expectation, but when you end a sequence with your entire group of heroes at the mercy of a band of violent goons, it would be nice to say something about how they ended up not at the mercy of said goons.

The first batch of episodes in Stranger Things' final season are out on Wednesday. Above: Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers.

This computer illustration shows an Einstein-Rosen bridge, also known as a wormhole. Wormholes feature heavily in the fifth season of Netflix series Stranger Things, whose series finale airs Dec. 31.

Worked: Needle drops

Listen, it’s not easy to get one Prince song for your show, let alone two: “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry.” When the Duffer Brothers say they needed something epic, and these songs feel epic, they are not wrong. There continues to be a heft to the Purple Rain album that helps to lend some heft to a story like this, particularly given the period setting. “Landslide” was a little cheesy as the lead-in to the epilogue, but … the epilogue was honestly pretty cheesy, so perhaps that’s appropriate.

Did not work: The non-ending

As to whether Eleven really died or is really just backpacking in a foreign country where no one can find her, the Duffer Brothers, who created the show, have been very clear that the ending is left up to you. You can think she’s dead, or you can think she’s alive; they have intentionally not given the answer. It’s possible to write ambiguous endings that work really well, but this one felt like a cop-out, an attempt to have it both ways. There’s also a real danger in expanding characters’ supernatural powers to the point where they can make anything seem like anything, so maybe much of what you saw never happened. After all, if you don’t know that did happen, how much else might not have happened?

This piece also appears in NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter so you don’t miss the next one, plus get weekly recommendations about what’s making us happy.

Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Lifestyle

The Best of BoF 2025: Conglomerates, Controversy and Consolidation

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

The Best of BoF 2025: Conglomerates, Controversy and Consolidation

The beauty industry’s M&A machine roared back into action in 2025, with no shortage of blockbuster sales and surprise consolidation. It was also a year with no shortage of flashpoint moments or controversial characters, reflecting the wider fractious social media and political climate.

Lifestyle

Sunday Puzzle: P-A-R-T-Y words and names

Published

6 days ago

December 28, 2025

Press Room

Sunday Puzzle: P-A-R-T-Y words and names

On-air challenge

Today I’ve brought a game of ‘Categories’ based on the word “party.” For each category I give, you tell me something in it starting with each of the letters, P-A-R-T-Y. For example, if the category were “Four-Letter Boys’ Names” you might say Paul, Adam, Ross, Tony, and Yuri. Any answer that works is OK, and you can give answers in any order.

1. Colors

2. Major League Baseball Teams

3. Foreign Rivers

4. Foods for a Thanksgiving Meal

Last week’s challenge

I was at a library. On the shelf was a volume whose spine said “OUT TO SEA.” When I opened the volume, I found the contents has nothing to do with sailing or the sea in any sense. It wasn’t a book of fiction either. What was in the volume?

Challenge answer

It was a volume of an encyclopedia with entries from OUT- to SEA-.

Winner

Mark Karp of Marlboro Township, N.J.

This week’s challenge

This week’s challenge comes from Joseph Young, of St. Cloud, Minn. Think of a two-syllable word in four letters. Add two letters in front and one letter behind to make a one-syllable word in seven letters. What words are these?

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Wednesday, December 31 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.