CozyChic Throw, Crimson

Why it works as a gift

A throw is one of the few gifts that works when you don't know someone's taste in detail, and the Barefoot Dreams CozyChic is a well-known, specific choice rather than a generic blanket. Barefoot Dreams says the knit is made from 100% polyester microfiber and won't shrink, pill or wrinkle. On the Cozy Meter, the brand's own scale, this throw is the light weight: fluffy and light, warm enough for every season, per the listing. At 54 by 72 inches it covers one adult on a sofa or the foot of a bed without swamping a small room.

The color does a lot of the gift work here. Crimson is a deep red that reads as a holiday or Valentine's choice while still sitting easily with wood, cream or gray furniture the rest of the year. It is also practical: the listing says it machine washes cold on a gentle cycle and can lie flat or tumble dry low, so it can actually be used rather than saved for guests.

Against a cashmere throw at a similar budget, this gives up natural fiber for machine-washable care, which suits households with pets, children or a habit of eating on the couch. Against a cheaper fleece blanket, it is the more considered choice: a named knit, a defined weight and a color chosen for the season. Barefoot Dreams notes the throw was named one of Oprah's Favorite Things; the stronger reason to give it is that it will be used most nights.

Who it’s for

• A friend or sibling who has just moved into a first apartment and is still furnishing the living room
• A parent or grandparent who feels the cold in the evenings, as a winter birthday or holiday gift
• A host or hostess you are staying with over the holidays, as a thank-you that suits a guest room
• A colleague going on parental leave, when you want something comforting rather than another baby item

Skip it if

• They prefer natural fibers such as wool, cotton or cashmere: CozyChic is 100% polyester microfiber, per Barefoot Dreams
• They already own a CozyChic throw; a second in a new color is fine, but it won't feel like a surprise
• Their home runs to cool neutrals and nothing red; a deep crimson can clash, so choose a quieter color from the same line
• They want a heavy blanket for a cold bedroom; this is the light weight on the brand's Cozy Meter

Giving it

• Order well ahead of a holiday deadline and confirm the color on the listing, since a specific shade may not stay in stock
• Roll it rather than folding it into a box, and tie it with a ribbon; it presents well without wrapping paper
• Pair it with the Neuhaus Classic Ballotin of pralines for a winter-evening gift, or an Ember Mug 2 for a tea or coffee drinker
• Tell them the care basics on the card: cold, gentle wash and no fabric softener, dryer sheets or bleach, per the listing
• Check the seller's return window on the listing before buying in case the color doesn't suit their room

The facts

Size

54 x 72 inches

Fabric

CozyChic knit, 100% polyester microfiber

Weight

Light weight on Barefoot Dreams' Cozy Meter; described as fluffy, light and warm for every season

Care

Machine wash cold on gentle; lay flat or tumble dry low; no bleach, dryer sheets or fabric softener

Brand claim

Won't shrink, pill or wrinkle

Origin

Imported

Consider instead

• Everlane The Cashmere Scarf, Heathered Toffee — Natural-fiber warmth they can wear out of the house, for someone who prefers cashmere to microfiber
• Ember Mug 2, 14 oz, Black — Another evening-comfort gift for a tea or coffee drinker whose sofa already has a good blanket
• Aura Walden Digital Photo Frame, 15 inch — A more personal home gift at a higher budget, for a relative who lives far from family