The Only Thing I Want for Christmas Is Wine

I love buying gifts for other people. I spend months thinking about heartfelt presents to give to my friends and family during the holidays. But, when it comes to receiving gifts, I can be a little picky. I don’t like to ask for clothes or shoes in case I end up wanting to return them; I don’t like getting gift cards because it feels lazy; and, because I’m on a newfound mission to avoid clutter, I’d rather not unwrap unnecessary bits and bobs on Christmas morning.

That’s why this year, I’m only asking for one thing: wine! See, wine bottles don’t take up a ton of space (and some even just go in the fridge) and you can enjoy the contents and then get rid of them. Plus, wine is something I’d usually buy, so this saves me from having to spend my own money.

These are the bottles that are on my wish list.

This New Year’s Eve, I’m looking forward to having a pretty low-key celebration with friends, so I wanted to ask for a fancy bottle of bubbly to save for the occasion. I love rosé and I love Champagne — and how cool is the 18th-century-inspired bottle?

Bonterra is a brand I love (I drank a lot of the ‘Young Red’ this summer), but I don’t always splurge for organic wine. I have a love/hate relationship with Chardonnay, but this one promises to be refreshing, citrusy, and buttery.

I wanted to ask for a local wine this year and since I grew up in Massachusetts and have sweet memories of getaways to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, this one fits the bill. The name reminds me of a saying my dad taught me when I was a kid: “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.” I’m looking forward to sharing this bottle with him.

A bottle of Dreaming Tree wine is a gift I feel no guilt about asking for: the brand, which is a collaboration between Dave Matthews and winemaker Sean McKenzie, has donated thousands of dollars to environmental conservation organizations. Plus, I’m not even asking for the special-edition bottle that comes with a wireless speaker, and uses the empty bottle to amplify the sound.

As someone who spends a lot of time at the movie theater, I’m a sucker for Francis Ford Coppola’s wines. They’re usually above my price range, but I’ve bought plenty of this vino as housewarming gifts.

I got a box of this rosé two summers ago, and it was better (and way cheaper) than any other rosé I drank all season. Buying a box just for myself seems a tiny bit indulgent, so I’ll let one of my loved ones gift it to me.

I had this French wine on vacation with my family several years ago, and we all loved it. I’m asking for a bottle so we can enjoy another bottle together before our next trip.

I’m a big fan of Meiomi wines, and lately, I’ve been really into Pinot Noir (maybe because it tastes so good with pizza). This is a pricier wine than I’d normally buy for myself to enjoy with takeout, so it’s earned a spot on my list.

When I first saw these bottles on shelves, I was a little confused by the scary labels, but each wine tells a story of criminals banished from Britain to Australia. As an avid Law & Order fan, I’m into it.

Confession: I picked this wine because of the name, but I’ve had other bottles from Charles Smith that I’ve loved.