- For the world’s wealthiest people, Christmas can look a little different.
- The most sought-after gifts for the billionaire set can cost five figures — or more.
- Here’s what the ultrarich have on their wishlists this year.
Money, a sweater, perfume, and a smartphone are among the most desired gifts in the US this Christmas, a recent Statista survey found. But unless that check under the tree is for $10,000 — the amount Warren Buffett used to give each member of his family — most of those won’t cut it when it comes to the gifts of the ultrarich.
“The most amazing thing about billionaires is that there tends to be no budget,” said Nicole Pollard Bayme, the founder of luxury styling firm Lalaluxe, which provides bespoke gift sourcing for clients. That “allows us to have unlimited imagination,” she added. For these shopping services, she charges a starting price of $600 an hour, plus a percentage of the cost of the items purchased.
Alongside Pollard Bayme, Business Insider also spoke to Winston Chesterfield, the founder of Barton, a consulting firm focused on luxury and the wealthy, and Elisabeth Brown, a client manager at travel and lifestyle concierge company Knightsbridge Circle.
They gave us their insights about what the richest people give and get for the holidays. The answers varied from the eye-popping — a $5 million villa — to the ear-pleasing — a Steinway in a stocking (well, not literally).
Here’s a look at the presents that the .001% are giving and receiving this year — and just remember, it’s probably best not to compare those socks you got from your mother-in-law with any of the items on this list.
Pianos: Multiple wealth experts said there’s been a newfound interest in giving pianos, and not just your average upright or electric keyboard.
Grand pianos — which can run to tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, Brown said — are a great gift for someone who actually plays, of course, but are also appreciated as a part of one’s decor.
“Our members appreciate the finer things in life, including good craftsmanship,” Brown said, “and a piano oftentimes can be a focal point of a room.”
Chesterfield added that a piano doubles as a party trick, with the wealthy hiring professionals