The Best 12 Gifts for your Favorite Host with the Most
Whether your holiday plans call for party-hopping, an open-door policy, or a quiet table for two, this time of year is all about sharing (food, space, laughter, opinions, you name it) with the people you love. Whatever the occasion, you should never show up empty handed. Here are the best host and hostess gifts to help you make a great impression.
A Very Fine Cookbook for the Chicest Cook in the Kitchen
Irma Rombauer’s Joy of Cooking gets a major makeover with red edges and an embossed Vachetta cover. No olive oil drips, please! (Or do, and keep it real.)
To buy: $180, House & Parties
A Book for the Coffee Table and the Dinner Table
Consummate hostess Deeda Blair’s new book, Food, Flowers, and Fantasy, describes perfect party moods and menus. The volume was edited by former T and Domino editor-in-chief Deborah Needleman, who knows a thing or two about style.
To buy: $60, KRB
Dressed-Up Dessert Service
Cut the cake in style with this two-piece pewter set, which happens to pair beautifully with The Pie Life: A Guilt-Free Recipe for Success and Satisfaction by Samantha Ettus, who chatted with Zibby on a recent podcast episode.
To buy: $160, Neiman Marcus
Inspired Serveware to Corral the Chaos
Handmade in Italy, and taking cues from your favorite abstract-expressionist painters, these cheerfully splattered ceramics make everyday meals more fun.
To buy: $39.99-$64.99, Williams Sonoma
A Stack of Books for Your Stack of Books (or Coffee, or Wine, or Whatever)
What’s better than an end table? A 17th-century end table made to look like a stack of leather-bound books, that’s what. And of course, every book table needs a book to go on top—we suggest Claire Messud’s A Dream Life, and don’t miss Claire’s podcast episode here.
To buy: $2,100, KRB
A Truly Trippy Tablecloth for the West-Coast Host
D’Ascoli’s Laurel Canyon collection is the perfect backdrop for any psychedelic fête—perhaps to celebrate the upcoming launch of Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica! (HYPERLINK TK)
To buy: Varies, D’Ascoli
Easy-Breezy Place Settings for the East-Coast Host
At the other end of the spectrum, D’Ascoli’s Long Island collection features nostalgic names (Maidstone, Tuckahoe, Peconic) and a faded-chintz vibe your breakfast nook will love.
To buy: Varies, D’Ascoli
Scratch-Free Dish Scrubbers
Are you team dishes-before-bed or soak-and-save-it-for-the-morning? The votes are in, and the house remains divided. In any case, a multi-pack of these utterly perfect scrub pads will restore your kitchen without a scratch in sight.
To buy: $18.62, Amazon
Wallpaper That Speaks Volumes—Literally
Perfect for the powder room, a work-from-home corner and just about any book nook you can find, Brunschwig & Fils Bibliotheque is a next-level love letter to all your favorite roommates.
To buy: Varies, Kravet
Fruitful Vessels for the Elevated Tablescaper
Abundance, longevity, and good fortune—yes, please! The pomegranate is an auspicious symbol in Greek and Persian mythology. But no matter what they mean to you, these French terracotta vessels are great to use as bud vases, candleholders, or just to dress your table.
To buy: $40, Reed Smythe
A Palm-Reading Primer for the After Party
The ultimate portable party trick, palmistry is an age-old approach to divining character traits. And after Zibby’s chat with actress, writer, former supermodel, and palm-reader Paulina Porizkova, we’re all in.
To buy, $20.99, Amazon