18 fabulous family-friendly presents

Emilia Wickstead Alliyah swimsuit, £415
The long-sleeved swimsuit was a concept introduced to me by my four-year-old daughter (admittedly, hers has a mermaid pattern, but still). It is the first foray into what I imagine will be a lifetime of being influenced by her. emiliawickstead.com

France-Lise McGurn handpainted table lamp, £2,500
The spring show at Simon Lee Gallery by this Glasgow-based artist saw giant line drawings of women stretch out from the hanging works and onto the walls and furniture. This table lamp is a beautiful extension of that idea, and all proceeds go to London not-for-profit Studio Voltaire, which supports the work of under-represented and emerging artists. houseofvoltaire.org

Meri Meri dinosaur costume, £65
Our dressing-up box is, quite literally, the centre of family life – my grandmother’s travelling trunk full of costumes is in the middle of our living room. Unlike his siblings, my two-year-old is a dino obsessive… and he deserves his own roar. mollymeg.com

DiorTravel pink-calfskin toile de Jouy iPhone cover with cord, £430
Lizzo has summed up my life: “Where the hell my, where the hell my phone?… But you’re holding it. Oh.” Maybe if it was hanging round my neck with toile de Jouy sass, it might change things. I’d hope, anyway. dior.com

Sonia Taouhid cotton corduroy Etienne jumpsuit in neon coral, £320
A longstanding jumpsuit obsessive, I have been lusting after this more dressy design by Paris-born Moroccan designer Sonia Taouhid since I was pregnant. I’d walk past her shop in Hackney and long for the day I’d be able to fit into it. This season’s iteration comes in the best orange. A gift to myself, if from no one else. soniataouhid.com

Make-your-own hobby horse, £45
The dream craft present – paint your pony, tie ribbons in their hair, then romp around for the rest of the year. We already have one, so I know this is a complete winner. myhobbyhorseandfriends.com

Bling2O Good Vibes swim goggles, £19.99
My four-year-old daughter has requested these in no uncertain terms. childrensalon.com

Amy Shuckburgh commissions, £500
I love Amy Shuckburgh’s colourful portraits of people who are facing away – she captures something of her subjects that’s so much more than a facial likeness. A similar set-up to this bottoms-and-baths one, but of my own six-, four- and two-year-old, would definitely make me sob when I opened it. amyshuckburgh.com

Westman Atelier Lip Suede in Les Rouges, £78
I paint my lips red every day, whatever the occasion. I have my go-to lipsticks, but like to mix things up with a variety of brands. I like the idea that I can create my perfect shade through blending the tones in this compact. More bluey-red than orange is the goal. westmanatelier.com

Cloudy Legs with Scrambled Sky, 2022, by Anthea Hamilton, £800, edition of 75
Dreamy, surreal, sexy, this edition by the awesome Turner Prize nominee donates all proceeds to Open School East, Margate, a free, independent art school and community space that supports burgeoning talent. countereditions.com

Garage Italia Customs Fiat 500 Spiaggina, from €55,000
Spotted on our family beach holiday in Italy this summer, this razzy electric Fiat from Garage Italia Customs made us all want to jump in and drive off into the sunset. Turns out there’s a chichi new version with woven seats by rattan gurus Bonacina. Let’s be quite clear, no one is going to buy me this car. But let me indulge the fantasy, please. garage-italia.com

Rachel Feinstein x Ippolita Fan Castle ring (available in silver and gold), from $500
American sculptor Rachel Feinstein’s reinterpretations of myths and histories put women at the centre of the narrative; they found fresh expression earlier this year with the creation of an epic foot-high ring inspired by medieval Jewish Mazel Tov marriage rings. This bijou, pared-down version is part art, part jewellery, part utter flight of fancy. gagosianshop.com

Stella McCartney appliqué cotton boys’ military jacket, £195
A fancy-dress ringmaster’s jacket has been my six-year-old son’s wardrobe staple for three years. This pre-loved Stella McCartney interpretation (a collectable classic only available on vintage sites) would be the ultimate upgrade that would blow his mind. mytheresa.com

The Ballad of Darren by Blur, vinyl with ocean blue inner, £36.99
Blur forever. I saw their reunion gig at Wembley this summer with the schoolfriends I danced around my bedroom with back in the ’90s. I went for Britpop classic “Girls and Boys”, but came away with a fondness for the new album – and new memories. blur.co.uk

An Atlas of Es Devlin, £85
Set designer Es Devlin is a goddess and this book is a worthy tribute – 3D, fold-out, naturally – to her enormous talent. thamesandhudson.com

Glassworks sheer criss-cross socks, £6
I never tire of this staple gift from my family. Socks, yes, I know. But these are sheer and fun and look excellent when everything else I’m wearing is black, or with a summer dress in complementary colours. My kids love buying me crazy patterns, but the criss-cross (in any colour) is the hands-down winner. glassworkslondon.com

Reiko Kaneko Ocean Wave print plates, from £21
My current crockery is very sorry for itself. I’ve been a fan of ceramic artist Reiko Kaneko’s work since she launched in 2007, and if anyone gave me one of her handpainted-to-order plates, it would be a much-appreciated way to help me build an incredible new set. reikokaneko.com

Manolo Blahnik suede pumps in red, £545
Because I’m always hankering after that pair of ultimate vamp heels. manoloblahnik.com