Sure, the best things in life are free. But if you don’t get peace, love, and understanding this holiday season, how about a pair of diamond earrings and two weeks on the Great Barrier Reef?
Click an image to start the slideshowIt’s that time of year again, so 02138 asked six generous alums what they plan to give their loved ones for the holidays. Their answers are sure to inspire the rest of us to share the love. (And speaking of sharing, we’ve identified some Harvard-connected charities for your year-end list.) Our alumni panel also mentioned some things they’d like to receive …
It’s that time of year again, so 02138 asked six generous alums what they plan to give their loved ones for the holidays. Their answers are sure to inspire the rest of us to share the love. (And speaking of sharing, we’ve identified some Harvard-connected charities for your year-end list.) Our alumni panel also mentioned some things they’d like to receive …
Dr. Hilda Hutcherson
OB/GYN; Associate Dean and Clinical Professor, Columbia University Medical Center; Sexpert
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
A diamond engagement ring from my husband. He proposed while we were walking on the beach at night in Barbados.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
A new home for my parents. They were still living in the house where I grew up in Alabama. I called them and said, “Pack up!”
What’s on your gift wish list?
A day of pampering at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Spa. We women spend our lives taking care of somebody else. A day of pampering is a time to have someone focus on me.
Who’s the toughest person on your list to buy for?
My husband. There are only so many pairs of socks, shirts, and ties you can buy a man in his lifetime. Whereas he can always make me happy by buying me jewelry.
What will you get him?
A new mountain bike.
Harry Kotlar 3.01 carat diamond Cushion ring ($100,425). Call 800-675-0479 for store locations. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Spa, New York, Full Day Program ($1,270/weekdays, $1,325/weekends). Call 212-805-8880 to reserve. Ibis Mojo Carbon SL mountain bike ($6,399). Available at Sid’s Bikes NYC (www.sidsbikes.com) and at www.wrenchscience.com.
Martha Schwartz
Landscape Architect, Martha Schwartz Partners
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
My three children. Jake, 23; Joseph, 20; and Hannah, who is five.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
A bagel made of bronze that I had cast by a foundry for my husband on our anniversary.
Your winter holiday destination?
Las Brisas Ixtapa on the west coast of Mexico. It was done by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta.
What’s on your gift wish list?
An eight-hour massage at the Therme Spa in Vals, Switzerland, which was designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.
Toughest person on your list to buy for?
My husband. He’s a hard-core minimalist, has exquisite taste, and is a perfectionist. This makes gift-giving tough.
Stone massage at Hotel Therme Spa, Vals, Switzerland ($195 for 110 minutes). Call 41-081-926-8961 or visit www.therme-vals.ch to reserve. One week at Las Brisas in Ixtapa, Mexico ($1764/person for a Deluxe Grand room for two). Call 888-559-4329 or visit www.brisas.com.mx to reserve.
Lis Wiehl
Legal Analyst, Fox News Channel
Best gift you’ve ever received?
The clay hand imprints my kids made when they were four and eight years old. And a gold heart necklace from my parents. My mom said she picked it out to remind me that children are always tied to their parents’ heartstrings.
What is on your gift wish list?
The two “V”s: a vacuum cleaner and a video camera. Boring, I know, but I really need them. Hope my husband is reading this!
What’s your most memorable re-gifting experience?
What? Me, re-gift?
Toughest person on your list to buy for?
My husband. He has very specific likes, so I can’t just pick out a generic tie or shirt. And he loves Prada shoes, which is tough for me because I think that shop is way too stuffy.
What will you get him?
Prada shoes.
Tom Brady
Director, The Comebacks; Writer and Director, The Hot Chick; Writer and Producer, The Animal
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
A card my son made me, with a drawing of us playing catch.
Your winter holiday destination?
Although I enjoy snow sports, I’m more of a warm-weather guy. I always try to go to Maui or Kauai over the winter break. But I’m being more adventurous this year and heading to New Zealand and Australia.
What’s on your wish list?
World peace. And a jet ski.
Your most memorable re-gifting experience?
One Christmas Eve, I was given a night of wild passion. The next morning, I gave it right back.
Who is the toughest person on your list to buy a gift for?
My agent—all he deserves is a lump of coal.
What will you get him?
A gift-wrapped copy of my latest screenplay—a heartwarming family Christmas movie.
Guia La Bruna “Bonjour Princess” silk lingerie set ($243). Available at www.guialabruna.com and in New York at Catriona MacKaechnie (www.catrionamackechnie.com). Highlights of Australia and New Zealand, featuring the Hayman Island resort on the Great Barrier Reef (starting at $15,370 per person). Call Absolute Travel for a custom itinerary, 800-736-8187. Sea-Doo GTX Limited ($17,999). Find local dealers at www.sea-doo.com.
Timothy Draper
Founder and Managing Director, Draper Fisher Juvetson
Best gift you’ve ever received?
Life. Thanks, Mom and Dad. I also got a football for a wedding present. Thanks, Brian. And my best friend gave me a golden retriever puppy named Risky for my birthday when I couldn’t convince my wife to get a dog. Thanks, Cree.
Best gift you’ve ever given?
Viral marketing, which I decided not to patent, but to give to the world. I also gave a school choice proposition to California. They returned it.
Your winter holiday destination?
Lupita Island in Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania. I’m looking forward to being one with the Cape buffaloes.
What’s on your wish list?
Peace and prosperity for all. And someone to digitize every piece of media in my house.
Toughest person on your list to buy for?
My wife. She is always the toughest, because she is the best.
Autographed official NFL football (prices vary). Available at www.ProSportsMemorabilia.com. 24-inch iMac with one-terabyte internal hard drive ($3,499). Available at Apple stores and online at www.apple.com. Ten-day family safari, featuring the Lupita Island Resort ($30,000 for two adults and two children). Contact Firelight Expeditions to reserve, www.firelightexpeditions.com.
Dr. Ian Smith
Medical and Diet Expert, Celebrity Fit Club; Host, Meet the Faith and HealthWatch; Founder, The 50 Million Pound Challenge.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
For my Harvard graduation, my grandmother gave me four years of medical school.
The best gift you’ve ever given?
I gave a medical report when I was a correspondent for NBC News. A fellow Harvard grad saw the report, followed the advice I had given, and, after years of failing to conceive, gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
What is on your gift wish list?
Four large flat-screen monitors arranged in a square so that I can watch ESPN, CNN, the History Channel, and Animal Planet all at once without getting up from my desk.
Toughest person on your list to buy for?
My wife! She never wants anything. And I always want to get her the perfect gift.
What will you get her?
I have my eye on a pair of canary diamond earrings that would look dazzling on her honey skin.
Pioneer 50” KURO Flat Panel HDTV ($5,000). Available at the Pioneer store, Costa Mesa, Calif., or at www.pioneerelectronics.com. De Beers Marie-Antionette 15.61 carat white and yellow diamond earrings ($320,000). Available at De Beers boutiques (visit www.debeers.com for locations and appointments).
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