As much fun as gift-giving is, we all know holiday shopping can be downright stressful—from battling crowds at the mall to trying to find the perfect present for that friend who is notoriously difficult to shop for. But don’t worry: Foreign Policy is here to help. We’ve compiled a selection of gift ideas, recommended by our very own FP staff, that are sure to surprise and delight the world travelers, inquisitive minds, history buffs, and global foodies in your life.

Maksone Under Desk Treadmill ($269.95)

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend presenting someone with a device that implies they need exercise, so perhaps this one should be reserved for people you know really, really well. Or maybe it’s a great gift for yourself. As more and more of us work from home for large parts of the day, it can be difficult to find ways to keep moving. My wife recently got herself a walking pad to go under her standing desk. She’s now walking many thousands of steps a day more than she normally would.

I’ve tried it too. It’s not great for writing or editing, I’ll confess; one long memo I wrote took on a strangely urgent and jumpy tone. But if you find yourself in a long or boring Zoom meeting, there’s no better way to emerge than with some steps to show for it. I like the look of the Maksone Under Desk Treadmill, but there are several other ones on the market, and I recommend doing some research to find one that best suits the space in which you work every day.

P.S.: I wrote this sitting down.

—Ravi Agrawal, editor in chief

Al’Ard Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500mL ($22)

I recently visited the Museum of the Palestinian People in Washington, D.C. During the tour, I learned about the rich Nabulsi tradition of olive oil-making and, when it came time to scour the gift shop, I purchased a bottle of the Mediterranean staple from Al’Ard (“the earth”), a manufacturer and global distributor of Palestinian artisanal foods.

As someone who previously settled for the cheapest olive oil at Trader Joe’s, I can say definitively that switching to Al’Ard’s variety has increased my quality of life. I’m not kidding—the product and its deep, rich flavor profile have compelled me to eat more salad than at any point in recent memory. I’m already on my second bottle and have the oil teed up as a birthday and holiday gift for friends and relatives.

—Allison Meakem, associate editor

Transit Maps of the World: Expanded and Updated Edition of the World’s First Collection of Every Urban Train Map on Earth, by Mark Ovenden ($26.95)

For all the transit nerds among the transnational elites reading this publication—and let’s admit, there are many—this book is a godsend. Have you ever contemplated the similarities between public transport in Chicago and Chengdu? Wanted to peruse the underground options in Marseille or Mecca? Wanted to see every historical iteration of the redesigns of the New York City subway map? Or wondered what the fastest way from Lisbon to Los Angeles is by rail? (According to the book’s cover—itself a work of art—it is the westbound Piccadilly Line.) A perfect coffee table book for all—and much more for metro aficionados.

—Sasha Polakow-Suransky, deputy editor

Kaiser Wilhelm II: A Concise Life, by John C. G. Röhl ($24.64)

Treat the history buff in your life to a tour through the mind of Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II. Come for the stories about Wilhelm’s botched birth resulting in a permanently disabled arm; botched education resulting in a lifelong inferiority complex; and subsequent estrangement from, and incestuous attraction to, his own mother. Stay for the insights about his pathological need to always be at the center of attention and the bellicose grandiosity that produced fantasies of martial glory—and resulted in unprecedented humanitarian disaster during World War I.

Pared down from author John Röhl’s multivolume biography of Wilhelm, this abridged 300-page version is enough to give you a sense of the psychodrama that followed the emperor wherever he went. It’s also a pleasure to read. At times, it has the feel of a detective story set into motion by the question of what exactly made Wilhelm so malignantly petulant.

—Cameron Abadi, deputy editor

Mahabis Curve Slippers ($135)

When my editor disappeared during a Zoom meeting to fetch her “thinking slippers,” she instantly transformed from magazine curator to office influencer. I snapped up a pair of these Mahabis slippers for their wooly felt upper and bright-hued rubber base, and my toes were soon warmer and my mind a little sharper. The slippers can also masquerade as a shoe, so they are as fitting for a cross-country work flight as for your cold basement office. With the FP red sole shade seemingly no longer available, I recommend the internationally themed Skane yellow or Santorini blue.

—Lori Kelley, creative director

Escentric Molecules’ Molecule 01 + Ginger Fragrance (8.5 mL: $30; 100mL: $170)

In what will make it seem like I don’t have many hobbies, I’ll admit that one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday afternoon is to go perfume sniffing. A dear friend and I have covered this beat with a journalistic rigor, and after this year’s investigative work there’s one perfume in particular that’s still on my mind.

Escentric Molecules, a chemistry-obsessed perfumer, prides itself on ruthless simplicity. This scent, Molecule 01 + Ginger, combines a single note of ginger with pure Iso E Super, an incredibly versatile odor molecule that can be found in most perfumes on the market today. Fragrance can be hard to gift, since it’s so personal. But I’ve heard Iso E Super described as the MSG of perfumes; it’s a scent-boosting chameleon that brings out the body chemistry of each individual wearer. Taken together, the two ingredients make up a scent that’s bright, effervescent, and clean, yet somehow manages to hold on to that signature spiciness of fresh ginger in a way that most imitations can never manage.

If ginger isn’t quite your style, the brand’s mandarin and black tea variants are similarly unusual, provocative, and unisex—and just as sure to win hearts and noses. But buyer beware: If you put on Molecule 01 + Ginger in the morning, you may find yourself craving sushi by lunch.

—Megan DuBois, editorial fellow

Prana Halle Pant ($66.50)

There comes a time in every short woman’s life when she no longer wants to be mistaken for someone else’s kid in the TSA line at the airport. I like Prana’s Halle Pant, in all black, for this reason. They’re very comfortable for long flights and look chicer than pajama pants. Pair them with a sweater coat and you’ve managed to pull off a look that says, “I’m legally allowed to travel on my own while wearing what is essentially a blanket.”

—Rosie Julin, podcast producer

AeroPress Go Coffee Maker ($34.95)

Whether you’re getting off a red-eye flight or waking up in a dew-covered tent in the woods, finding a strong cup of coffee in the morning is not just a priority, it’s an imperative. If you’re in the market for a new coffee solution, the AeroPress Go portable coffee maker may be exactly what you need. Far more consistent than alternative sources such as pour-overs, French presses, or airport coffee counters, the AeroPress Go is the perfect on-the-go coffee maker, delivering a buttery, rich, espresso-like cup of coffee no matter the situation.

Created by an actual engineering professor at Stanford University, the AeroPress Go is no joke. I take it everywhere and am never disappointed. It’s easy to use, compact, and the mug is included!

—Rylie Munn, social media editor

Rumpl Original Puffy Recycled Blanket ($81.25-$124.99)

I don’t know about you, but I am always cold. It doesn’t matter if I’m curled up by a campfire or sitting on an airplane heading to some exciting destination, I’m not going to enjoy myself if I’m freezing. So, to avoid this, I’m always packing extra layers and essentials to stay warm. If you know someone like me, then the Rumpl Original Puffy blanket is a great gift idea. Rumpl blankets are compact, comfy, and made with 100% recycled materials. Roll them up and stick them in any suitcase or backpack or stash them in the back of your car to have just in case. These blankets will keep even the most cold-intolerant people cozy. Plus, they come in loads of tasteful patterns and designs—my personal favorite is their U.S. National Park series.

—Rylie Munn, social media editor

Chinese History: A New Manual, Enlarged Sixth Ed. (50th Anniversary Ed.), by Endymion Wilkinson (Vol. 1: $42.80; Vol. 2: $45)

For a little light holiday reading, why not settle down with the sixth edition of Endymion Wilkinson’s Chinese History: A New Manual? Wilkinson, a longtime Sinologist and diplomat, now 82, published the first edition when he was 30, at a sprightly 70,000 words. Today’s version is 1.7 million words, comes in two handsome (and surprisingly affordable) volumes, and is a masterpiece of both elegance and scale. If your loved one has delicate wrists or limited house space, it’s also available as an electronic add-on to the excellent Chinese-learning app Pleco.

—James Palmer, deputy editor

The International Beer Club ($43.95/month)

They say the best gifts in life are free. That may be true, but the second-best gifts in life are beers. The International Beer of the Month club is a perfect gift for a family member, friend, loved one, or boss you’re trying to endear yourself to. Once a month, it delivers to your door 12 12-oz. hand-crafted beers from all corners of the world that you likely won’t be able to get at your local watering hole.

Yes, the casual beer aficionado may already know the quality of top-notch German or Belgian beers. But this club also offers beers from Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, and elsewhere to send your taste buds on a global bubbly sojourn that’s well worth the price—and perfectly on brand for the wonkiest of foreign-policy wonks.

—Robbie Gramer, staff writer

2024 Wafer Weekly Agenda in Panama ($60)

Google Calendar is eminently practical, and yet I still find myself reaching for a paper planner each year. There’s something about committing events, appointments, and travel dates to paper that makes plans feel more real (and thus harder to forget). Ever since I received this little Smythson agenda as a present years ago, I’ve thought of it as the ideal holiday gift—it fits inside most coat pockets, comes in an array of colors (I’m partial to the Nile Blue), and sits perfectly in that gift-giving sweet spot between frivolity and practicality.

—Chloe Hadavas, associate editor

Kinto Travel Tumbler ($30.99)

Anyone who has ever traveled within the United States will be familiar with the paltry comestibles on sale at its airports. Think: grey turkey on stale ciabatta (always ciabatta); “chicken caesar salad” which must have been what made Brutus finally crack; and “pizza” of a kind no Romans would ever approve. Why add coffee to this cursed list? My life has been better since realizing I did not need to join the line at a certain Seattle-based purveyor before flying—something which, judging by the reliably mile-long lines for it, Americans do as a matter of course.

Now, instead, I have adopted the most obvious and yet powerful of life hacks. Brew coffee at home; sip on your way to the airport; feel smug. Of course, to pull this caper off requires a sturdy, spill-proof flask, and such an item could naturally only come from one place: Japan. The Kinto travel tumbler is a miniature work of art, a sleek, smooth vessel which contrasts nicely with my travel sweatpants and which, per the advertising copy, is “for those who appreciate the subtle flavors of drinks at the temperature that is just right for your body.” I would add that it is also good for those of us who see the barely contained chaos of a TSA line and think, “Not before my coffee.”

—Amelia Lester, executive editor

World Market Advent Calendars ($7.98-$59.99)

This year, World Market has curated a fun array of advent calendars, allowing you to try 12 days of Italian soups, German stollen, Swiss chocolate, and much more. Having thoroughly enjoyed French jam brand Bonne Maman’s sampler last holiday season, I’ve already added the 2023 edition to my cart.

—Shannon Schweitzer, copy chief

Flashpoint: South China Sea, by GMT Games ($44.04)

Much of the Beltway is consumed with a potential conflict in the South China Sea. For the warmonger/peacemaker grumbling under your tree this year, maybe think about letting them play it out.

GMT makes some of the very best tabletop war games out there. Flashpoint: South China Sea might not be Empire of the Sun. But it is a way to game out what could come next. And what could be more delightful than a quick, fun game about a showdown between nuclear powers with big navies?

—Keith Johnson, deputy editor

Aletha Psoas Massage Ball ($24)

As someone who frequently takes long flights, plays a lot of sports, often gets injured during those sports, and is generally getting older, this simple travel recommendation I got from someone at the gym immediately made sense to me. Placing the ball under my hamstrings, under my feet, or behind my shoulder blades while I’m sitting in one place for the 15 hours between New Delhi and Washington, D.C. is a game changer, ensuring my muscles are loose enough for me to go help my team continue to lose badly in our Monday night soccer rec league.

—Rishi Iyengar, staff writer

Commander: The Life and Exploits of Britain’s Greatest Frigate Captain, by Stephen Taylor ($18.43)

That friend/coworker/estranged spouse of yours who has gone through the entire cycle of Patrick O’Brian’s Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin novels (beginning with Master and Commander) twice over needs a gift. Indulge them. I’d start with Stephen Taylor’s Commander: The Life and Exploits of Britain’s Greatest Frigate Captain, the biography of the real-life inspiration for Jack Aubrey: Edward Pellew.

These people cannot stop with a single book, though, and they’re likely to have questions about the navy that formed Aubrey. That’s where N.A.M. Rodger’s The Wooden World: An Anatomy of the Georgian Navy ($24.90), an excruciatingly detailed history of the Georgian Navy, comes in. Muster, desertions, rations—it’s catnip. They’re also going to want to know a little more about how the tiny U.S. Navy managed to beat the British three times in 1812. Well, the U.S. ships were bigger: The Americans built six heavy frigates, as detailed in Ian W. Toll’s Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy ($19.85). Finally, they are going to want to step back and take it all in—and there is no better guide than N.A.M. Rodger’s The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649-1815 ($29.33).

Splice the mainbrace this holiday season.

—Keith Johnson, deputy editor

Cotopaxi Allpa Travel Pack (28L: $170; 35L: $200)

This bag has a lot going for it, but the coolest feature is the clamshell layout. It’s easy to access all your items without having to dig around, making it a lifesaver on long trips. It comes in 28L and 35L sizes, both of which are carry-on compatible.

—Drew Gorman, copy editor

An FP or FP Insider subscription ($199.99/$249)

And, of course, if you’re looking for the best gift of all for the independent thinker in your life, you can share one year of Foreign Policy’s global insights with your friends, family, and colleagues. Or, take their experience to the next level with a one year subscription to FP Insider, which includes ad-free reading and bonus articles from FP’s stable of geopolitical experts. Plus: If you’re a current FP Insider, reach out to FP support to activate your complimentary six-month gift subscription for the person of your choosing.

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