Shades of the Seasons: Gift Ideas with Winter Colors

There's never a wrong time to give a gift to someone you love. Gifting is a year-round activity, whether for a birthday, a holiday, a celebration, or just to show the person you were thinking of them. So if you're seeking out a special something for a special someone, why not align the selection with the season?

Next up in our seasonal, color-focused gift guide series are the white and silver pieces that glisten and glimmer like freshly fallen snow — or the holiday lights that twinkle in the early twilight. Cozy up with a mug of something warm and pick up something shiny for the season.

Cold weather means soup season, so add some shine to your heartwarming meals with this striking silver lacquerware bowl. The lid helps keep the soup warm as you prepare the rest of your dinner, and its large size makes it perfect for an extra helping of miso soup, or for use with any other soups you'd like in a bigger portion.

Protect your tabletop and make it glimmer with this sleek, unique silver placemat. The perfect foundation for any place setting, this lightweight and durable mat is made by the leading metal leaf producer in Kanazawa, renowned for its metalware. This is from the HAKU LA TABLE line, chosen by professionals and chefs for its modern, beautiful look — so you can tell your friends you use the same placemats as Michelin-starred pros.

The stark matte black lacquer on the exterior is striking, but once you have it in your hands, you'll be dazzled by the shimmering elegance of the silver interior. The bowl itself is made of heat-proof glass from Aomori and then sent to Ishikawa Prefecture, where it is covered in the contrasting lacquers you see inside and out.

Warm your hands against this minimalist teacup, made of Mino ware from Gifu Prefecture, Japan's largest producer of stoneware. Its tall shape is just right for you to hold in one hand or both, and its larger capacity works well for any tea you'd like to sip on. Its stone grey exterior features a single broad swipe of white paint, creating a traditional as well as wholly modern look all at once.

Everyone knows the iconic shape of the majestic Mt. Fuji, but have you ever dreamed you could drink sake from it? Made of tin, this sake cup hails from Takaoka, a city at the forefront of Japan's metal industry. The material softens the flavor of the sake, and when filled with clear, crisp sake, resembles a large body of water with the mountain's reflection. Sip and be transported to the base of Mt. Fuji, wherever you are.

This chic white plate is a signature Usukiyaki style. Usuki City, where it is produced, is famous for its lotus flowers. The plate's sharp petals have a dignified atmosphere, framing the food beautifully. It's made by hand using a technique that lays a sheet of clay over a plaster mold, and the artisan presses the clay into the mold by hand to get the shape and texture you see. So each plate is wholly unique, just like the flowers themselves.

Made of Arita porcelain, this plate features a sleek silver finish that seems to shift hues as it moves under lights. It's shaped like a bellflower, with the points of the petal ends contrasting the soft curves of the bell. It's handcrafted and the size is perfect for smaller dishes like desserts and appetizers, allowing you to start and finish a meal with its beautiful silvery vision.

In Japanese culture, white is considered a sacred color, representative of purity. Shinto practitioners often dress in white, and in ancient times the Emporer of Japan would dress in white for main Shinto rituals as well. It is also symbolic of death, which sounds morbid, but suits the idea of winter quite well. The plants and trees shed their leaves in preparation for winter and spend the cold season barren and beautiful in their own way — waiting to be reborn with new life in the warm sunlight of spring.

We'll see you in spring with more colorful seasonal gift ideas.