Best Christmas Gifts 2021 – Holiday Gift Guide for Francophiles

Bienvenue to the 2021 Misadventures with Andi holiday gift guide! Christmas is just around the corner but I have been curating gifts all year (trust me, it's hard work!) and hope that this year’s selections will help you shop for every kind of personality on your shopping list.

Gift-giving can be tricky work at times and it's important not to get caught up in convention or tradition when you're shopping for someone who has an eye on what they want (or don't want). A good rule of thumb with any gift-giving occasion is ‘know thy recipient.' In this case, you already know! If you have a friend or family member who loves all things France, Paris, and the French lifestyle.

There's no better way to show your appreciation than with a gift that celebrates their Francophilia. French goods that evoke the love for this beautiful country from which so much joy in life comes when you're surrounded by it–these presents will keep on giving until next time they go out of town!

This shopping season is proving to be tricky. The global supply train has been severely impacted by the world events that have occurred the last 18 months so I highly recommend that you shop early to ensure your gift recipient gets their goodies on time!

[My posts always have an affiliate disclosure in them but I feel it is extra important to emphasize that I have used links from various affiliate marketing programs in this guide. HOWEVER, with the exception of a few items (which I note), I validate ALL products to ensure their quality. Whether that is from a gifted item (labeled [Gifted]) or from purchasing and using the product myself.]

Frenchie Finds for your Francophile Friends + Family

[Did I mention I am a fan of alliteration?] Is it wrong that this is my favorite part of my holiday gift guide?! Every month I gather the best gift ideas for the people in your life (comme moi) who love all things French (or Paris, etc.) so I know I will have the right gift for you to choose from!

Pour la Maison (For the Home)

Metal Line Paris from French Wink

Let's just get this out of the way. I should own stock in French Wink. I want to be their besties and just have one of everything that Claire and Myline have on their site. If you have a Francophile to buy for, get him or her a gift card from this online boutique focused on all things French and you will be a hero/heroine. But if you want to buy a physical gift I really, really love this petit cityline of Paris in metal.

If your Frenchie loves another city besides Paris, there is also:

• Marseille
• Lyon
• Mont St. Michel (a favorite spot of mine in Brittany)
• There a few select American cities too, see the whole collection.

Where to Buy: On the French Wink website, $45.

Hand-Embroidered Paris Pillow from Cat Studio

I have been looking for a pillow for the sofa in my office for a while. I wanted to find something Paris-themed and still regret not buying the Clare V. Merci pillow from Anthropologie last year! However, I find this beautiful hand-embroidered organic cotton pillow with iconic scenes and symbols that you find in the City of Light with stitching in a variety of colors so that it will match lots of decors.

They have quite a collection of cities from around the world.

Where to Buy: On the Cat Studio website, $225.

All the Restaurants Prints

If you love John Donohue's book A Table in Paris which came out this year (and I do!) then you'll love his beautiful prints available for purchase in his shop! We all have beloved restaurants in Paris and there is no better souvenir of that perfect meal, dinner with friends, etc than a print. Or, if your Francophile friend or a family member has been dreaming of Paris for a long time but hasn't quite made the trip, they will appreciate iconic restaurants like Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots.

Where to Buy: On the All The Restaurants website, $95.

Visit Paris Print from Mixtiles

As if a Francophile would need a reminder to “Visit Paris!” But just in case, I love the colors of this print from Mixtiles. I saw this teal/turquoise blue in a lot of retro/vintage posters on my recent trip to France and this print reminds me of them. You can get lost down a wormhole looking at all the beautiful prints on the Mixtile site (and with their prices, you can buy one for everyone on your list!), but this one remains my favorite!

Where to Buy: On the Mixtile site, $19.

Papeterie (Stationery)

Create a Custom Map of Paris from Paper Cities

I fell in love with the small little company in London created by a former travel blogger. Despite their home base in the UK, Alex Zouaghi and his team of illustrators also love Paris and create beautiful notecards, calendars, and more with hand-painted scenes from Paris. However, my favorite product they have is a Paris map print that you can customize. (My 2nd favorite is their Montmartre print!) Plus they plant a trip for every print they sell!

Where to Buy: On the Paper Cities site, £35.00 – 45.00 depending on the size.

Bisous Foiled Notecards from Papier

I still believe in handwritten notes and I found myself regretting not bringing a box on my most recent trip. There were so many times I wanted to leave a quick note for someone we had met. In France, that is not really a problem as there is wonderful stationery everywhere you turn, but I think it is always a good idea to have some on hand. I think these Bisous notecards are simple and cute. I got the rose gold color. They also have Bonjour and Merci.

Where to Buy: On the Papier site, $29.10 for 10 cards.

Paris Canvas Pencil Case

Do you have certain pens that you like to use? I do. And I like to keep them close. Plus there is nothing I hate more than trying to find a writing instrument at the bottom of my bag! That's why I am a fan of zippered bags. I have them in all shapes and sizes. I love this one from World Market with a pretty Paris motif. This one makes a great stocking stuffer.

Where to Buy: On the World Market site, $4.98.

Picnic a la Plage Puzzle

Both my sister and mother are into puzzles so I have been keeping my eye out for ones that I like and ran across this Picnic a la Plage from Jiggy. They have a lot of beautiful puzzles (I also like Desert Dreams one) but this one was the only one that

Where to Buy: On the Jiggy website, $49, or the Anthropolgie site, currently on sale for $39.95.

Pour Les Foodies (For Foodies)

Madalyn et Rose Gift Boxes

[Gifted] Le petit déjeuner is the most important (and my favorite) meal of the day. My article about the typical French breakfast is one of my most popular blog posts, mainly because the French breakfast is wonderful (even if it is a bit heavy on carbs!)! Why not give your favorite Francophile the pleasure of a French breakfast at least once a month? Natalee the curator and creator behind Madalyn et Rose has 3 different déjeuner sizes to choose from, each with a thoughtful collection of French products all made in France by small to medium size artisanal brands.

Where to Buy: On the Madalyn et Rose website, $70-180.

I am also a fan of Oui Please boxes!

Harney & Sons Paris Teas

For those who enjoy a good cup of tea, try gifting this beautiful Harney & Sons Paris Tea Sachets tin (also available in loose-leaf style). It is a medium-bodied black and oolong tea with notes of bergamot, black currant, vanilla, and caramel.

Where to Buy: On the World Market website, both the sachets and loose-leaf boxes are $7.99

Pour les Enfants (For the Kids)

Lola the Parisian Doll from French Wink

Want to train a kid in your life to be a Francophile? Start (or add to) their doll collection with this très belle Lola the Parisian Doll (is it bad that I want one?). What I love about this doll is that it is handmade, and in the USA with sustainable materials – oui! The dolls come from Mani Mina Studio founded by French designer, Emilie Hernandez, who is based in New York. You can find a few versions of this doll including the one with the adorable tutu on Etsy as well.

Where to Buy: On the French Wink website, $58 or Etsy (the tutu one) for $49.

Frenchie Stuffed Animal and Bed

If you can't give your child a real dog, how about this adorable Frenchie from Anthropologie?! He has friends too, but of course, I like the one with the tiny beret and lots of attitude!

Where to Buy: On the Anthropologie website, $32.00

Kylie the Crocodile Roger the Liger in Paris

Most Francophiles know Oliver Gee for his podcast, The Earful Tower, and his book, Paris on Air. Now Oliver has teamed up with his wife Lina, a shoe-designer-turned-illustrator to create 2 children's books Kylie the Crocodile in Paris and Roger the Liger in Paris. The Kylie book is based on a real-life story one of Oliver's guests shared. A woman swears she releases a crocodile into Canal St Martin in the 10th arrondissement and it has now become an urban legend. The 2nd book, Roger the Liger is definitely fiction and is the story of a liger who wishes to be a dancer.

Where to Buy: On the Earful Tower website, $50 (includes shipping) or you can grab the Kylie book on Amazon for $21.99. You can also find beautiful Paris prints from Lina in her Etsy shop, Parisian Postcards.

Night & Day in Paris Reversible Puzzle

Created by a Spanish toymaker who makes these in Spain, I think this reversible puzzle is such a cool way to extend the fun of a puzzle (2 in 1!) and of course, I like the Night & Day in Paris one, and any French-loving kid would too!

Where to Buy: On Spearmint Love website, $17.

Pour les Chiens (For the Dogs)

Bonne et Filou Dog Treats Dog Macarons

[Gifted] I kid you not. When my box of strawberry Bonne et Filou dog macarons arrived I was seriously jealous of le toutou who is going to get these as a treat. NO expense has been spared in the packaging that absolutely look like the human version from a certain brand starting with an “L” and they are gorgeous. This would be an absolute treat (literally) for any Francophile's dog!

Where to Buy: On the Bonne et Filou website or their Amazon store, $23.99.

La Mode (Fashion)

Kasia Dietz Bags

On my last trip to France, I spent 5 weeks in both the city and the “country” and my go-to bag was my Unity Bag from long time friend and Paris ex-pat, Kasia Dietz (she lives in the 3rd arrondissement in the Marais and has provided her local picks for this very fashionable area of Paris). I have several of her bags and they are not only a really good bag, handmade in Paris, but so beautiful!

Where to Buy: On the Kasia Dietz website, €65.00.

Lulu Canvas Tote Bag from Joules

A good tote is a staple of the Parisian girl's life. You see them everywhere you go. In all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. I really like this Lulu canvas tote because of the blue and white stripes, but it also reminds me of the campaign that Angelina Jolie just did with Guerlain about saving the bees.

Where to Buy: On the Joules website, $12.95.

Coin Clutch from Clare V.

Confession. This is one item on this holiday gift guide that I did not actually purchase or try, mainly because this adorable Vichy print (gingham pattern) coin clutch is on the luxury side. Anyone visiting Paris absolutely needs a coin purse, and I would love to have this one, but it is pricey! BUT, if you have a Francophile friend or family member that been a very, very good girl, this might be just the splurge to reward them with! Anything on the Clare V. website would prove to be a coup de coeur!

Where to Buy: On the Clare V. website, $12.95.

Warby Parker The Paris Review glasses

This is truly for the person who has everything! I absolutely LOVE Warby Parker glasses. Of course, I have my Lafont pair, but as someone who likes to have multiple pairs of glasses, Warby Parker is a reasonable way to have red, and blue, and black… And now the design team has teamed up with The Paris Review periodical to create The Paris Review glasses!

Where to Buy: On the Warby Parker website, start at $95, mine would be more as I have progressive lenses!

Livres (Books)

I share new releases throughout the year in my Frenchie Finds series, I've pulled out this year's picks into a quick list for you to check out. If you are looking to select books for the Francophile in your life, this is a good place to start! However, before you jump to that list, here are some brand new books that your Frenchie friend or loved one may not have picked up yet!

In Love with Paris by Anne-Katrin Weber

[Gifted] This book has it all! As someone who is also in love with Paris, I appreciated the beautiful photos, the stories, and of course, the recipes for classic French cuisine.

Where to Buy: Purchase In Love with Paris: Recipes & Stories From the Most Romantic City in the World on Amazon.

Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple

Dorie Greenspan is an icon in the French cuisine cookbook world and with Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple she is celebrating her 30th year as a cookbook author. She is a baking goddess but has managed to surprise us with new twists in her classic, easy-to-make recipes.

Where to Buy: Purchase Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple on Amazon.

Practising Parisienne by Marissa Cox

Do Francophiles ever get tired of the lost woman/dumped woman/grieving woman running off to Paris and finding herself? Mais non! In Practising Parisienne: Lifestyle Secrets from the City of Lights Marissa Cox shares her story and incorporates other ex-pat adventures as well!

Where to Buy: Purchase Practising Parisienne: Lifestyle Secrets from the City of Lights on Amazon.

Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg

[Gifted] I am currently reading this one and enthralled! Champagne Widows: First Woman of Champagne tells the story of young Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, a young widow, and founder of Veuve Clicquot champagne during the time of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. I love historical fiction and this topic is so invigorating!

Where to Buy: Purchase Champagne Widows: First Woman of Champagne, Veuve Clicquot on Amazon.

Eighty Days to Elsewhere by kc dyer

A modern-day retracing of Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days, love it! Eighty Days to Elsewhere is the story (part 1 of 2) of Ramona Keene who dreams of Paris and ends up taking on the Jules Verne challenge in order to raise money to save her uncle's bookstore. What an adventure!

Where to Buy: Purchase Eighty Days to Elsewhere on Amazon.

More Francophile Books that were released in 2021

• Upper Crust: Homemade Bread the French Way from Marie-Laure Fréchet just coming out Nov 30 is recipe book with over 100 recipes covering the art of baking bread—including ingredient selection, starter cultivation, and bread-making techniques from a French perspective.
• Death and Croissant, the first of what I hope of many Follet Valley mysteries by Ian Moore! A hilarious murder mystery set in Loire Valley.
• Paris Is a Party, Paris Is a Ghost by David Hoon Kim: this one has VERY mix reviews, it is a dark comic novel taking place on the streets of Paris.
• French Food for Everyone: le goûter from my old blogging pal Mardi Michels from Eat. Live. Travel. Write. this is her second book (1st one is In the French Kitchen with Kids) and covers the classic French snack that kids eat after coming home from school!
• Maman: The Cookbook from Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte, the owners of French cafés in New York City, Montreal, and Toronto, they share over 100 recipes from their café menu.
• My Place at the Table: A Recipe for a Delicious Life in Paris takes us through the life of Alexander Lobrano by virtue of food stories and encounters with legendary chefs with Paris as a backdrop.
• The Traveling Artist from Missy Dunaway. This adorable artist was completely unknown to me until last week when a co-worker shared her as one of her favorites. This is a visual journal with lots of Paris incorporated into its pages, and it’s lovely.
• The Gospel According to Coco Chanel this is an oldie but goodie which came across my radar recently. It is one worth reading over and over again!
• Dinner in French by Melissa Clark offers a contemporary approach to 150 French classics.
• The Nine: The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany by Gwen Strauss is a gripping story of 9 women (all under 30) who escaped a prison camp, joined the Resistance, and eventually make it back to Paris.
• The Paris Labyrinth by Gilles Legardinier is set in 1889 Paris as takes you through a gripping adventure!
• The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary takes 2 exes throws them together on a road trip to the South of France – watch the sparks fly!
• Provence Style, Decorating with French Country Flair by Shauna Varvel is a GORGEOUS coffee table book the lets you take a peek into the beautiful decor of homes in Provence.
• Carnet du Voyageur France from is a Parisian guide from illustrator (and coloring book queen) Zoé de Las Cases.
• A Table in Paris this book by John Donohue is everywhere Francophiles hang out. A combo of Paris, food, and restaurants, it makes a fabulous gift! And if you think the book makes a great gift, a print from his shop would be the perfect accompaniment.
• Dear Paris: The Paris Letters Collection came out earlier this month from Janice MacLeod of the well-read A Paris Year and Paris Letters. Dear Paris brings together all of her letters from both projects (and more) into a single book.
• Cooking with Truffles: A Chef’s Guide this book based on the award-winning Truffle Hunters film has 150 recipes from chef and author Susi Gott Séguret.
• Tartes faciles: Salées – Sucrées – Rustiques in French from Emilie Franzo (otherwise known as @plus_une_miette on Instagram) has 80 recipes for tartes. This tantalizing food blogger has created a lovely collection of sweet, savory, complicated, and simple tartes.
• The Margo Affair from Sanaë Lemoine is novel, fiction but if you pay attention to modern French history, it feels like it is crafted from some real-life non-fiction stories! It is about a secret daughter of a French politician and a famous actress with lots of drama.
• Paris, A Life Less Ordinary: A Memoir by Krystal Kenney: I recently started following Krystal on Instagram which happened to coincide with the release of her new book about her personal adventures in Paris.
• The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles: Think Code Name Hélène with librarians!
• The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron: Think Code Name Hélène with haute couture dressmakers! (Mentioned last month, but out for sale on Feb 16)
• While Paris Slept by Ruth Druart: Another France in WWII story told from 2 different perspectives. (Mentioned last month, but out for sale on Feb 23)
• Nick by Michael Farris Smith: Pre-Gatsby Nick Carraway has a little adventure starting in Paris.
• Boulangerie at Home: Bread, Brioche, and Other Baked Delicacies by Rodolphe Landemaine: French pastry chef shares his bread recipes.
• My Place at the Table: A Recipe for a Delicious Life in Paris by Alexander Lobrano: life story of a James Beard award-winning writer.

Please do check out any of these lists as well: January | February | March | April | June | July | September | General Gift Guide for Francophiles 

One last special mention. Our 1st arrondissement local, Mathilde of French Address has put together a wonderful guide that highlights 25 of the Best Stores for French Home Decor, take a look!

So what are you waiting for? Start shopping!

The holidays are a time for generosity, and it's always worth the effort to find Christmas presents that will make your loved ones feel extra special. Shopping can be overwhelming with so many options, but I hope my list of gift ideas will help you find something for just about everyone on your holiday gift list.

I am really not a fan of shopping, but I don't mind online shopping at retailer sites, small business shops, or Etsy! If you have gotten through this entire list and you still don't know what to get for your loved one, the simplest solution this holiday season is probably gift cards!

How about you? Have you seen something that you think should be included in this guide? Do tell!

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