This month is filled with celebrations of all kinds, from elaborate soirées to intimate family gatherings. Well-thought-out and intentional hostess gifts show the party planners in your life just how much you appreciate them. We’ve rounded up some fabulous ideas from businesses throughout the South that will leave a festive impression wherever your travels take you this season.
TO SIP & SAVOR
Espresso Martini
Tip Top Cocktails serves up classic cocktails in cute little cans. Their fan-favorite Espresso Martini is strong and smooth and features Counter Culture coffee. This gift will start the party up or keep the revelry going. An eight-pack is $39.99 at Tip Top Cocktails.
Cookies
Byrd’s has been “baking spirits bright” in Savannah, GA, since 1924. Order a bunch of these customizable tins to grab on your way to any last-minute soirées or neighborhood hangs. Choose from a few pretty reusable tins, and fill them with two hand-packed cookie bags of your choice. There are about a dozen flavors to pick from! Shop these handy tins for $25.95 each at Byrd’s.
Chocolate spoons
Everyone’s down for a little extra indulgence this time of year. Chocolate spoons work deliciously in that Saturday morning cup of coffee or Sunday afternoon hot chocolate. This pack of six chocolate spoons is $10 at Poppy’s. Gifting tip: pair the set with a three-serving, handmade hot chocolate bomb from Tempered Fine Chocolate ($18).
Advent tea calendar
Gift your tea lovers the goodness of the tastiest, freshest teas from India. They can cozy up and open up a new flavor of tea each day. This Advent calendar features five tea bags each of 24 best-loved variants. Find this at Pink Tag for $65.
Callie’s cheese crisps
Gift these to your favorite hostess so they can up their entertaining display. The South Carolina biscuit gurus at Callie’s now make cheese crisps that you won’t be able to have just one of. Two bags are $29.95 at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit.
Book of honey
Six little three-ounce jars of the South’s leading honey maker’s most popular varietals? Yes, please. Flavors vary through the seasons, but will most likely include Tupelo, Lavender, Saw Palmetto, Wildflower, Rosemary, and Orange Blossom. They come beautifully packaged as a “book” of honey for $59 at Savannah Bee Company. This was one of Oprah’s Favorite Things last year.
Sea salt gift set
The perfect host gift for dinner parties? Gourmet salt, of course. This gift set contains two refillable salt grinders filled with the company’s most popular flavors: Charleston Sea Salt and Smoked Sea Salt (perfect for cocktail rims, too!). Find this for $30 at Bulls Bay Salt Works.
SERVING & ENTERTAINING
Cocktail napkins
These snarky paper napkins make a great gift for the rowdier hosts on your social calendar. They can stick a stack on the dresser for primping. Use during the famous holiday walks with a sneaky adult beverage. And for those “What time is it!?” top-offs before the Uber is called. This wrapped set includes 20 of each of the three napkins. It’s $68 at Houses & Parties.
Wine appetizer plates
Few things are more difficult to navigate at a gathering than figuring out how to hold everything at once. These pretty brown plates let you snack and sip with the ease of a free hand. A set of four is $35 at The Golden Slipper.
Cheese knives
Your hosts will love — and actually use — these timeless cheese knives made of stainless steel and olive wood. Ready for both casual and formal gatherings, each style (fork, cutter, spreader, and knife) is sold separately so you can customize your gift. Gift just one or all four! They’re $16 each at Biscuit Home.
Monogrammed potholder
Yes, potholders can be switched out through the seasons, too! Simply add a one-letter monogram to make a lasting hostess gift impression on your favorite baker or chef. These are just $12 at Oak & Blossom — stock up! Add a festive spatula (not included) for an added thoughtful touch.
FUN CURIOS
Irreverent playing cards
Game night just got a whole lot more fun with El Arroyo playing cards! This Happy Hour Deck features 52 different marquee signs that will certainly make any game a lot more interesting. Shop this for $13.99 at Trendy Trunk. The set comes in a hard box for storage, and Trendy Trunk will gift wrap your order for free!
Puzzle
Expert and novice puzzlers alike will relish this new challenge. Mosaic Puzzles are truly one-of-a-kind and made of satisfyingly crisp wooden pieces that snap into place. This brand’s shtick is its unique “whimsy” puzzle pieces: special pieces cut into recognizable shapes (like animals, landmarks, or people) that come together to form bigger images. These are not your average jigsaw puzzles! There are more than 450 different images to choose from at 100 ($39.99), 250 ($69.99), 500 ($99.99), or 1,000 ($169.99) pieces. Find the perfect puzzles to gift at Mosaic Puzzle. (All their puzzles are made in Alpharetta, GA!)
Frame
Revive the art of printing photos! Pick some memories from the past year and pick up a few of these sunburst picture frames for a thoughtful gift they’ll cherish. Walgreens and CVS make it so easy to print photos right from your computer or phone. Or frame some festive wrapping paper and let them choose the photo. The staggered rays are hand-crafted from natural rattan, and white will go with any home aesthetic. Prices range from $39 to $45, and they’re available in three sizes/shapes at Amanda Lindroth.
COZY & FESTIVE HOME
Flower spikes
This. This is the gift they will actually use. Everyone could use the help of a Japanese-designed “flower frog” to secure flowers in their perfect arrangement. Ditch the green foam and shop this in two sizes, small ($10) and medium ($16), at East Fork Pottery. Gifting tip: snag some fresh blooms on the way to the party! The little ceramic Bitty Bowl is also not included, but it’s $12.
Library candle
“Leather bound books, a warm wool coat, a Manhattan on the rocks” is the scene this scent conjures. And who doesn’t love a delicious-smelling new candle to burn with or without guests around? Sandalwood, leather, and vanilla create a dreamy holiday aroma. The candle comes packaged in a wrappable box for $28 at Atlanta’s Brick+Mortar.
Holiday diffuser
Hand-poured in small batches at Alabama’s South & Pine, this holiday reed diffuser will fill your hosts’ homes with a cozy and classic Fraser fir scent. Stock up on a few of these for $19 each at South & Pine.
Nutcracker tray
Dallas home designer Tart by Taylor teamed up with artist Courtney Burden to create the most adorable nutcracker collection. This tray serves up a bevy of possibilities: display some festive decor, cocktail napkins, or cookies for Santa. Pick up a few of these for $62 each at Tart by Taylor.
Ornament
An ornament is a great token of thanks for holiday get-togethers. These quirky cowboy boot ornaments are $14 each at From 6th Collective. Psssst! They have SO MANY special holiday ornaments and stocking stuffers!
Piped bath towels
Weezie Towels’ endless customization options make them a great gift idea. Add the colored piping and words (or monogram) of your choice and your host will love a fresh pair of guest bath towels to display seasonally or year-round. The pair is $54 (customization is $10) at Weezie Towels.
Here’s to a fun-filled holiday season!
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