‘Tis the Season for My Favorite Hostess Gifts

The cocktail parties, holiday dinners and family get-togethers are in full swing and I can’t let you show up empty-handed. A gracious guest always presents their host with a little something special. From grand gestures to “just a thought,” I’ve got you covered with a few of my favorites this year.

Some will tell you that it’s passé to show up with “just another bottle of boring wine.” But since I’m a wine lover, I think it’s all in the selection. Two of my favorite reds right now are Justin’s Cabernet Sauvignon and my all-time #1, The Prisoner, a delicious red blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet, Syrah and Charbono, with full, complex notes of cherry, chocolate and clove.

JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery Justin’s Cabernet Sauvignon SHOP NOW ➝

The Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner SHOP NOW ➝

You also can’t go wrong with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. It’s just the right combination of fancy and festive.

But if you really want to kick one of these bottles up a notch, then I highly recommend this gorgeous Aerin Jade Stone Bottle Stopper. The semi-precious dark green stone with a gold tone finish adds just the right touch of glamour to any celebration. (You’ll probably finish the bottle of wine and won’t need the stopper, but it certainly looks pretty as a display piece on their wine cabinet!)

Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne SHOP NOW ➝

Aerin Jade Stone Bottle Stopper SHOP NOW ➝

If your host isn’t much of a drinker, you can still give her these delicious champagne chocolate truffles and win a few bonus points. Or for a slightly healthier version, I recommend these chocolate dipped strawberries (yummm!!)

Vosges Champagne Truffles SHOP NOW ➝

Sur La Table Chocolate Dipped Strawberries SHOP NOW ➝

For your food snob friends, try this Williams-Sonoma Fleur de Sel French Sea Salt. Gathered on the island of Ré, off France’s Atlantic coast, since the seventh century, these light, flaky crystals have a high concentration of beneficial minerals and add a delicate flavor to any dish.

Williams-Sonoma

Fleur de Sel French Sea Salt

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Or if you prefer your sea salt seasoned with garlic, herbes de Provence and Dijon mustard, try this one.

I also love a good olive oil and I’m a sucker for a pretty bottle. Try this classic Tuscan Extra Virgin olive oil from Il Palagio, or if you’re a fan of everything truffle like me, you might want to gift this one with white truffles, instead.

Il Palagio Extra Virgin Olive Oil SHOP NOW ➝

Urbani White Truffle Olive Oil SHOP NOW ➝

She might be exhausted (and a little hungover) post-festivities, so gift her with the Tea Forte Herbal Retreat Gift Box, a collection of naturally caffeine-free herbal infusions to calm the mind and soothe the holiday spirit. If you want to splurge add this Southern Honey Gift Set from Savannah Bee Company of three of their most popular honeys: Orange Blossom, Wildflower and Tupelo.

Tea Forte

Herbal Retreat Gift Box

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Or you can gift a jar of their Bee Cause Honey and help save the honeybees. For every jar purchased, $3 is donated to the Bee Cause Project to help fund the installation of classroom observation hives in schools across America to educate the next generation to understand, love and protect honeybees.

Savannah Bee Company Southern Honey Gift Set SHOP NOW ➝

Savannah Bee Company Bee Cause Honey SHOP NOW ➝

Help her fully recover from the night before with these luxuriously calming rose sea salts from French Girl. She can follow up her scented soak with their hydrating rose body lotion.

French Girl Rose Sea Salts SHOP NOW ➝

French Girl Rose Body Silk SHOP NOW ➝

I will never tire of giving a beautifully scented candle (the gift that lingers!) or a great book. My all-time favorite holiday candle is this one. And for the remaining 11 months of the year, I’m usually burning this one in the SheBrand office. It makes a perfect gift year-round.

Illume Balsam & Cedar Foil Candle SHOP NOW ➝

Diptyque Baies Candle SHOP NOW ➝

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while or following me on social media, you know what a fan I am of Michelle and Barack Obama. Michelle’s memoir, Becoming, has been one of the most highly anticipated books of the year and was just released this month. It’s the perfect book to cozy up with during the season – you’ll definitely find me curled up with it on my bed with the Shit Pickles, a warm fur throw and a piping hot cup of tea. It won’t disappoint the most discerning of hostesses.

Michelle Obama

Becoming

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If you’d prefer to gift something of the coffee table variety, an oldie but a perennial goodie is this one from Tom Ford and this one from Vogue Living. I also recently bought this one from Paloma Contreras and love it.

Tom Ford, Bridget Foley, Graydon Carter, Anna Wintour

Tom Ford

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Vogue Living Country, City, Coast SHOP NOW ➝

Paloma Contreras Dream Design Live SHOP NOW ➝

Lastly, spoil her with this limited edition Slip for Beauty Sleep caramel and leopard print silk two-piece sleep set. This anti-aging, anti-sleep crease, anti-bed head silk pillowcase and eye mask will ensure that she sleeps like a baby once all the guests have gone home for the night.

slip for beauty sleep

Caramel & Leopard Collection

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Happy holidays and happy gifting!