Collectables: The Christmas gift for people who have everything

A collectable is deeply personal. It is the archetypal thoughtful Christmas gift.

Christmas symbols. Merry Christmas. Christmas abstract geometric background with simple shapes, Santa Claus, celebration symbol, holiday food. Creative modern art. Bauhaus style Merry Christmas poster
(Image credit: Getty Images)

"Something collectable” is the answer to the great question that comes up every Christmas: what do you get that person who already has everything (or, at any rate, grumpily tells you they don’t need anything)? Nobody needs a rare vinyl or a first edition. They are just nice to have for those who are into that sort of thing, and everybody, no matter what they tell you, has an interest in something. And it’s not about whether that vintage snuff bottle or Toby jug will sell for more than you paid for it a few years down the line. If that’s your goal, you might as well get them a long-dated government bond. But that’s not very festive. A collectable item is something deeply personal and meaningful. It is the archetypal thoughtful gift.

Naturally, auctions are a great place to find such gifts. But Christmas is stressful enough without the uncertainty of whether your bid will be successful, or deciding how much to spend and when to make your offer. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably be running out of time as the big day draws close. That’s when “buy now” platforms come into their own. Sotheby’s offers such a service on its website, selling everything from six-figure Hermès handbags to prints for just a few hundred pounds.

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Chris Carter
Wealth Editor, MoneyWeek

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.

Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.

You can follow Chris on Instagram.