Unique Holiday Hostess Gifts!
I enjoy giving gifts that bring a special touch to homes, especially for those who are kind enough to host a Christmas get together. Hopefully this list of unique and thoughtful hostess gifts will inspire you to arrive at a friend’s home with a gift that’s more personal than a bottle of wine and something that can be appreciated long after the season is over!
Tea Towels and Coffee Gift Set
This might be my favorite gift to recommend this year! The lovely towels are hand sewn at the Goods of Conscience workshop in the Bronx of wild cotton fabric woven in Guatemala. The hand-roasted coffee is the product of direct trade from San Lucas Toliman, also in Guatemala. I am lucky to have traveled to the source of both of these items and witnessed the good that is being done for all involved in the production. (Goods of Conscience, Tea Towel and Coffee Set, $45)
Custom Cutting Board
A Brooklyn based couple will craft a cutting board in the shape of your selected state and add a heart or star to mark the recipient’s hometown. Retailing for $40, this is a gift that shows a lot of thought! (AHeirloom, State Cutting Board)
Music and Recipes
This unique culinary gift combines a beautiful cookbook and CD in three different boxed sets. Each set highlights a different locale with both recipes and music. Choices include Buon Appetito (Italian specialties with romantic Italian music), A Votre Sante (Parisian Bistro recipes with French Jazz) and Wine Country (Recipes from Inns and Resorts with an eclectic music mix by the Mike Marshall Quartet) (Soft Surroundings, Italian; Bistro; Wine Country, $35 each)
Monogrammed Tray
Stylish and colorful, these square trays are sold in a wide array of patterns and colors, all available with personalization. The solid colored trays retail for $29.95 and the patterned versions are $49.95. The only problem you’ll have with this great gift is making a selection! (Swoozies, Monogrammed Tray)
The Perfectly Imperfect Home
This guide to home decorating, written by Deborah Needleman, the former editor-in-chief of Domino Magazine, offers the “80 items that are all one needs for a livable, comfortable and undeniably stylish home!” I’ve added this book to my own Christmas wish list! (The Perfectly Imperfect Home, $19.80)
Vintage Silver Fork Cheese Markers
These cheese markers are cut from vintage silver-plated forks, embossed with a variety of cheese types. Perfect for entertaining, these markers will add an attractive and informative touch to any cheese tray! (Napastyle, Vintage Silver Fork Cheese Markers, $39 to $59)
Glittering Serving Pieces
From Sabre Paris, this set of three serving utensils features a traditional design with a decidedly modern twist: tons of glitter! Available in gold or silver, these pieces are made of acrylic and are dishwasher safe. (GILT, Glittering Serving Pieces, $44 to $51)
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