What does luxury mean to you? Lavish vacations? Bespoke suits? A masseuse on your payroll? Yes, these things are grand, but, you know, sometimes it’s the little things that can make all the difference. Tiny, elegant cufflinks; a silk pocket square; a thick, nourishing face cream. Even if these items are not visible or obvious, even if they don’t scream “I’m a man of means”, they are still very much the stuff of luxury.

These little things can also be quite personal. To one man, cashmere socks might seem an outrageous waste of money – I mean, can your feet really feel the difference? To another, they’re just the thing to slip on before indulging in a glass of whisky in front of a roaring fire.

To that end, we asked the MR PORTER team to pick a luxurious gift out of the pile, with the caveat that, though it need not break the bank, it must be small and it must give them the warm and fuzzies inside. 

My accessory collection consists of just a few hats and scarves to help shield me from those colder, windy days. I have, however, been putting more thought into how I can expand, or in this case start, a collection of jewellery that I can grow old with. My first instinct is to go with something classic, which is why Le Gramme’s Le 2.5 necklace and Le 9 bracelet have made their way onto my Wish List. Now let’s just hope I can make my way into Santa’s good books. Fingers crossed.

The idea of carrying my card and keys around in a dinky LOEWE pouch shaped like a shell might seem surreal, but such is the state of the world right now. And anyway, why not? It may be too small to fit my smartphone in it, but I consider that a blessing. I envision myself wearing it as I saunter along a quiet beach somewhere warm while wearing these cheery sunshine-coloured Bottega Veneta slides, with no social media, no emails and definitely no Zoom calls.

My old boss had a Missoni beanie and, as someone who has lost every single hat that I’ve ever owned, it felt like a real indulgence to me. Reader, I coveted that hat. Unfortunately, it is now unavailable. But this one will do quite nicely as substitute. Missoni’s use of colour is a winter pick-me-up, even in a small package like this. Something I’ve learnt after many years of trial and error is this: I will take much better care of something I spend a bit of money on. So, I think I can justify the cost of this little hat by arguing I won’t lose it? Yes? Yes. By the same token: cashmere socks. This is an item I wouldn’t normally treat myself to, but would welcome as a gift. And if they’re tie dye, even better.

I documented life in lockdown with my Polaroid Originals OneStep I-Type camera, an updated version of the 1970s model with modern features, including a Bluetooth connection. From quarantine birthdays to work-from-home days and staycations, I have been able to capture fun, unguarded moments with family and friends – no filter needed. Now, all I want for Christmas is a lifetime supply of colour film so I can keep snapping away in the new year. Spending so much time indoors and eating everything in sight has wreaked havoc on my skin. So, I’m also hoping Augustinus Bader’s Cream Cleansing Gel will work its magic on me, making sure I’m ready for my close-up.

In my carefree, childless days, I would coax my partner on hiking expeditions with the promise of hipflasks full of sloe gin. These days, it will take something special to get her out of the house. Enter this handsome titanium sake bottle and matching cup by Snow Peak. Just the thing for Scafell Pike (or, inevitably, the local playpark).

Snow Peak Titanium Saké Bottle and Saké Cup, both coming soon