In this edition of “The Gift,” we’re sharing the most giftable bowls. Plus, gorgeous cloth napkins, elegant tapered candles, and the best host gifts.On my dining room table is an expansive spalted maple bowl that my mom got me for Christmas many moons ago. It was hand-turned with reclaimed wood in my home state of Massachusetts, and it has a raw edge that reminds me of the rough-hewed aesthetic of my parents’ converted-barn house — a little piece of my woodsy New England upbringing. For dinner parties, I serve massive salads out of it, but for the most part, it corrals receipts, wires, and all the other detritus of everyday life.That’s the beauty of bowls. As vessels, they can be almost anything: home decor when unfilled, servers for lazy meals or fancy ones, holding pens for all the things you don’t know where else to put. As a gift, their emptiness offers possibility and versatility. Everyone needs at least one bowl.Of course, not just any bowl will make for the gift of a lifetime. Standard-issue white plastic ones serve their purpose as a post-college stock-up, but a great bowl has to earn its cabinet or table space, be it through utility, aesthetic, or some ineffable specialness. Here are some gift-worthy ones we love:An artsy upgrade on standard salt bowls, these little glass vessels are handblown and hand-painted. They can hold spices and chopped herbs, serve condiments like soy sauce and ketchup, or offer a resting place for jewelry on the nightstand. Anything goes.Big Night Vitreluxe Salt BowlBuying options: $18 from Big Night, opens in a new tabWriter Sarah Gannett admired her grandmother’s vintage Arne Clausen lotus bowls for some time before her parents, as good parents do, graciously let her “steal” them. And she loved them so much, she bought smaller porcelain versions with the same iconic design to use for ice cream, yogurt, and small snacks.Arne Clausen Lotus BowlBuying options: Buy from Arne Clausen, opens in a new tabAbout a decade ago, head of newsletters Sofia Sokolove received this striking, colorful wire bowl from a friend — and has cherished it ever since. Its double-walled mesh construction allows for plenty of air circulation, making it ideal for showing off fruit. Plus, it just looks cool. “It has somehow matched every house I’ve lived in,” says Sofia.MoMA Wire Mesh BowlsBuying options: $50 from MoMA Design Store, opens in a new tab$100 from 2Modern, opens in a new tab(set of two)East Fork Pottery’s earthy stoneware, with its signature unglazed rims, counts many Wirecutter staffers among its fans. After admiring them at a friend’s dinner party, video producer Lisa Fischer received two of the company’s wide, shallow everyday bowls as a birthday gift. “I truly do use them every day,” says Lisa. “They’re one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received.” We’re big fans of the bowls’ teeny-tiny little sisters, too.East Fork Everyday BowlBuying options: $44 from East Fork, opens in a new tab$158 from Quince, opens in a new tabset of fourEast Fork Bitty BowlBuying options: $14 from East Fork, opens in a new tab$50 from Quince, opens in a new tabset of fourWhen I gave my sister-in-law this light-catching, “dewdrop”-beaded bowl, a 1964 mid-century modern classic from the Finnish design brand Iittala, she delightedly asked if it was to honor her Finnish heritage. It wasn’t. But as a long-time fan of the brand, I knew it would fit in with their house built in the same era. What kismet.Iittala Kastehelmi Bowl, ClearBuying options: $26 from Amazon, opens in a new tabOn the more utilitarian side, senior editor Ingrid Skjong has gifted these outdoor-friendly, lidded bowls more than once. They work for storing leftovers and mixing, and I’m eyeing them as a more sustainable fix to our bad habit of covering dinner prep containers with plastic wrap.Hydro Flask 3 qt Serving Bowl with Lid - BirchBuying options: $60 from Hydro Flask, opens in a new tabSimilarly, these salad bowls come in a dozen colorways, including marbling and a Matisse-inspired pattern. But the stainless steel containers and matching lids are specifically designed for lunch on the go, with a handy removable tray for mix-ins and a mini canister for dressing.S’well Salad Bowl KitBuying options: $28 from Amazon, opens in a new tab$40 from Swell, opens in a new tabFor baking, breading, mixing, and mashing, we also love the retro look of this jadeite mixing trio. They’re crafted in the last hand-pressed glass factory in the US and look like they came straight from a fancy estate sale.Mosser Glass Jade 3 Piece Mixing Bowl SetBuying options: $83 from Amazon, opens in a new tabFinally, one of our all-time favorite bowls to gift is this dual-purpose produce and storage bowl, which has holes on the stoneware bottom for storing alliums and a cork top for displaying fruit. Anyone who’s side-eyed errant onion and garlic skins on the counter will appreciate its tidy thoughtfulness.Emile Henry French Ceramic Fruit Storage BowlBuying options: $148 from Amazon, opens in a new tab$160 from Nordstrom, opens in a new tab