HOLLY WAINWRIGHT: The only gift guide you need this year (as approved by the Out Loud hosts).

This article originally appeared on Holly Wainwright's Substack, Holly Out Loud . Sign up here .

Are you ready, friends, for an onslaught of wonderful stuff?

A gift guide needs no explanation, but as you scroll, you're going to see things beloved by the Out Loud hosts and some things made and sold by Outlouders themselves.

Watch: The three words Em drops on every first date. Post continues below.

There are hand-picked pressies for the Jessie, Mia, Em, Amelia or me in your life, and then — of course — lots and lots of BOOKS because we know they are the best presents. There's a General Excellence section, and some of the things in there have been gifts sent to us jammy hosts, but I've featured them only because we love them and think you will, too.

Okay, settle in.

For the Mia in your life.

Do you have one? Lucky you. This is what she wants:

Mug from the Inappropriate Gift Co.

No explanation needed. Mia in a mug. It's $30, and I can't tell you how many more excellent slogans you'll find at the Inappropriate Gift Co., so please browse freely.

Image: The Inappropriate Gift Co.

Fake fringe from Amazon.

Because we all know that when you really, really want to get a fringe, it's not about the fringe. But with a fake one, you can indulge your feelings without the grow-out. This is officially called the "Wispy bangs hair clip" and is $10.59.

Image: Supplied.

For the Jessie in your life.

Books, obviously. We all love those but we'll get to that. So I pushed our girl to pick things that a) Are worthy of suspending her disdain for consumerism and b) Luca might allow in the house. Here we are:

Arms Of Eve Mila Gemstone Necklace, Clinozoisite.

You've seen this on Jessie and I admire it every time, which is most days because like me, Jessie puts on her jewellery and it just… stays there 'til she remembers she's wearing it. Could be a week, or a month. It's $99, and it's gorgeous.

Image: Supplied.

She's also very into these…

Kaia Pearl Stud Earrings from MIMCO.

Image: Mimco.

They're $59 and they're classy and unique. Like Jessie. But they talk less.

General excellence.

The Unwind Box.

Heard Em banging on about her 'analogue bag'? Yes, well, this is like that, but in a box. Each Unwind Box (the business was founded by Outlouders Tahnée and Kate, by the way) has a collection of three mindful activities — painting, sewing, paper-chain making — plus a lil' luxey treat, and it all comes packaged beautifully for that mate of yours who needs to chill the F out. Which is all of us.

$129 for a box, or you can buy a subscription, a box delivered every three months, for $109.65.

Image: Unwind Co.

Maisin Peptide Glow Sheet Masks.

LOOPS. Not just one set of ear loops, but TWO, one pulling up from under your chin, meaning they do not slip or fall off. Maisin is a brand started by Brisbane Outlouders and best friends Maria and Roisin and I have used this mask SO many times this year when I've needed to pull a glow together but have no time for lying down. They're not cheap, but they're excellent. Box of four is $59.

Image: Supplied.

Abel Perfume.

Let's not mess around — these perfumes are fancy. Natural ingredients (that means no synthetic chemicals or preservatives), low-impact packaging, and invented by a woman who used to make wine, they are absolutely irresistible. Each of us hosts were lucky enough to be gifted one of these and we've discovered our signatures. I'm wearing mine right now and it's so heavenly I'm making myself swoon.

I am: Pause — a woody, textured floral.

Image: Supplied.

Jessie is: Nurture — a soft, floral musk

Amelia is: Laundry Day — a crisp, sun-filled citrus.

Mia is: The Apartment — a dark floral.

Em is: Coat Check — a dark, smokey amber.

Not a budget gift, these are $330 each. Believe me, they smell like it. You can also get minis and discovery sets from $65.

Francesca Jewellery Etch Chain Necklace - Engraved.

I LOVE this necklace. I love that it's personalised but not in-your-face about it. And that it's paper-clip style. You can choose gold, rose gold or silver, and they start from $229.00 Mine has a panel with my name on one side, Brent's on the other, and another for my kids, Matilda and Billy. Dog Tuna's campaigning for a re-do.

Image: Supplied.

Books and books and books…

Links here are to Booktopia for ease, but please support your local booksellers where you can. And I haven't included prices because you're smart, you know books cost different amounts in different places.

Image: Booktopia.

Did you think I wasn't going to start with friends and family? As if…

The Worst Thing I've Ever Done is our Clare Stephens' debut novel. It's clever, sharp and takes you inside an Internet pile-on in such a visceral, human way you'll feel sure it happened to you. Buy it for: Your extremely online, smart friend.

He Would Never. Well, this is awkward. It's by me, Holly Wainwright. My novel is about a group of families who go camping together once a year, every year, until the trip when everything goes wrong. Buy it for: Your friend group. If you single just one of them out, they'll know you think they're the one married to a dick.

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. Australia's queen of domestic noir at her absolute best. There are two people no-one ever expects to be guilty of murder — little girls, and little old ladies. Mabel changes all that. Funny, fast, twisty. Buy it for: Your true-crime solving group chat.

Image: Booktopia.

The Elements by John Boyne. Jessie's book of the year (apart from her sister's, of course). It's actually four novellas, Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and each one centres on a crime. It knocked our Jessie's socks off. Buy it for: Your Book Friend.

Say Everything by Ione Skye. A memoir of the 80s & 90s by the coolest It Girl of the era. Beautifully written, it's Ione on being a teenager making out with Keanu Reeves, dating a Red Hot Chilli Pepper, marrying a Beastie Boy, making movies, and partying with Kate Moss & Madonna. Buy it for: Anyone Gen X.

Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton. Probably the best-selling Aussie book of the year, it's about murder, yes, but also: Marriage, mental load, ego, fame, masculinity. Dalton at his absolute peak. Buy it for: A bloke. They need to hear it.

Image: Booktopia.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach. Another of Jessie's absolute favourites, and one of the hits of the year. It's about a woman who is mistaken for a wedding guest at a fancy resort she goes to to heal from heartbreak. Buy it for: Your friend who's always at a wedding.

The Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper & Sarah Krasnostein. There are many, many words written about this trial, but these ones transcend all the tragic details. It's like a having a conversation with three galaxy brains about the biggest story of the year. Buy it for: The one who kept sending you headlines.

100 Years Of Betty by Debra Oswald. Betty is about to turn 100 and is looking back on an Australian life of migration, sex, love, politics, parenthood, loss and friendship. It's such a big, bold book, just so satisfying. Buy it for: A grown-up.

Image: Booktopia.

Our Summer Book Club picks ^^^ Three VERY different books, each of them getting a big, meaty Out Loud ep about them in our Royal Caribbean Summer Book Club.

All Fours by Miranda July. Not everyone loved this landmark 2024 book, branded "the world's first great perimenopausal novel" by the New York Times. I definitely did. Sexy, kinky, honest and completely original. Buy it for: Someone brave.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. Henry is a romance juggernaut and everything she makes gets snapped up for adaptation. This mega-hit follows a writer sent to a holiday island to compete for the job of profiling a reclusive heiress. Problem: Her competition is very, very hot. Buy it for: The beach.

Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin. An Australian sensation, Melaleuca is an outback crime novel that follows indigenous detective Renee Taylor leading a murder investigation in her Queensland home town. The new case she's assigned is mysteriously connected to the past disappearance of two young Aboriginal women, and Taylor finds herself gripped, unable to leave. Buy it for: Mystery lovers.

For the Outlouder in your life.

Tap here to get your hands on your favourite T-shirt or tote bag.

For the Amelia in your life.

Remember when Amelia said her take-a-plate was… cocktails. Specifically, making negronis.

P&V's Australian Negroni.

Well, make it even easier. This one is pre-mixed with Poor Toms Gin, Poor Toms Imbroglio bitter/sweet amaro and Sweet Vermouth and Amelia thinks it's pretty much the best present for anyone hosting. Throw in an orange. $75.

Image: P&V.

For the Em in your life.

The classic initial necklace with an Em Vernem twist, this is what she's asked her people for:

Organic Dôme Liquid Letter Pendant Necklace from Mejuri.

It's got a little white sapphire in it, and it's bougie as heck. $248.

Image: Mejuru.

But she'd also like some towels, please:

Two-pack bath towel in blackberry from Hommey.

I concur. I think lovely towels and lovely bedding make ace gifts because it's stuff you rarely buy yourself, but that make your life better daily. This set is $108.

Image: Hommey.

For the 'Me' in your life.

Finally (f*cking finally)…

This is literally what I have asked Brent for this Christmas and if it's not under the tree I'll be throwing a little sook.

Backyard Farmer Timber Locker Greenhouse, Bunnings.

For my babies. My veggie babies, obviously. I'm always growing seedlings in weird places around the garden and they get nibbled or fried with depressing regularity. THIS is going to lift my game. Watch me sprout like crazy. It's $159.

Image: Bunnings Warehouse.

And if you have a garden person in your life… may I also suggest this very fancy-pants garden hat to make them feel special while not getting burned:

Jardin Raffia Hat by Le Sac.

Image: Supplied.

This baby is $199, comes in a big fancy box and will make your bougie gardener swoon. I'm living in her this Summer.

That's that. Happy gifting.

This article originally appeared on Holly Wainwright's Substack, Holly Out Loud . Sign up here .

Feature image: Supplied.