u/Aselle27

Buying a scarf for someone this winter and the colour is where I keep stalling.

Do you go safe and neutral so it works with whatever coat they already own, or something brighter because that is the thing they would never pick for themselves. Grey and camel feel like the sensible answer but also a bit forgettable.

And if anyone here has been given a scarf, did you actually wear it or did it end up in a drawer. Trying to work out what makes the difference.

Genuine question from someone who buys socks for other people and never knows if it works.

I love getting good socks. But every time I give them, I can't tell whether the person is quietly thinking "socks again" or actually pleased. Wool ones especially, since a decent pair costs real money and the difference between a good and a cheap pair isn't visible in the wrapping.

So: do wool socks land as a real gift for you? And if yes, what makes the difference — the brand on the label, the thickness, the colour being something you'd have picked yourself, or the fact that someone spent more than the usual multipack money?

Also curious whether people care about the exact wool percentage, or whether "warm and doesn't itch" is the whole test.

I'm putting a winter gift box together and I'd rather get it right than guess. Right now it's a big 100% wool wrap (about 200x70 cm, so it works over the shoulders or tied like a scarf) and a pair of wool socks. Recipient is a woman in her 30s who is cold in the house from October onwards.

Two things I keep going back and forth on:

For anyone who actually wears wool — is itchiness the dealbreaker, or is it the weight and bulk? I keep hearing merino is the only thing people will put against bare skin.

On the socks: the honest ones seem to be around 86% merino with a bit of elastane, because fully 100% wool socks wear through at the heel. Does the exact number matter to you, or only that they're warm?

And if you were the one opening it, what's the one thing you'd want in there that I haven't thought of?