Well Stocked: Holiday Hosting Helpers
Because you don't need another gift guide today
Hello dear readers! I meant to make you a gift guide this month, but here we are already halfway to Christmas and I’ve finished my gift shopping and am getting tired of seeing gift guides everywhere I look online... so I think that ship has sailed. But what I can offer you now instead are some of my favorite things to stock during the holiday season to make hosting, no matter the occasion or guest list, a little easier and a little more fun for you and your guests. For today let’s forget about choosing gifts for others, and focus on some of the things which can help make the holiday celebrations you’re about to host more festive! Which are in themselves a gift you give to each guest. So maybe this is a gift guide after all? Here goes:
Party Crackers
Place a party cracker (or maybe you prefer to call them party poppers?) on each plate and have everyone pop them open with a loud bang at the same time before you eat dinner. My family has always done this as part of Christmas Eve dinner, and it never ceases to make the night a little more magic, a little more silly, a little more like Christmas. There’s loads of cracker options out there, from traditional to whimsical in design, but the best way to choose is by what falls out of each cracker when they’re popped open. A paper crown is a must, and a joke is always good for the table. The best addition is a fake mustache, which these crackers contain.
Fake Mustaches
Speaking of mustaches, even if you’re not doing party crackers you can always elevate the general hilarity and reduce any awkwardness by busting out a batch of fake mustaches at your next gathering. The more unrealistic the mustaches, the better! These are a good option, while this set offers even more ridiculous looks. I have never laughed as hard as I have laughed trying to have a conversation with my mom while we both wore fake handlebar mustaches.
A Bowl of Nuts and a Nut Cracker
The process of cracking nuts out of shells is extremely rewarding and exactly the right thing to entertain and occupy anyone feeling a little bit socially awkward, or anyone who just wants to eat a nut. There’s something about a big bowl of mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts, oh my!) that feels especially ye olde time Christmassy. You can buy a nut cracker (or two) at the grocery store and that’ll do just fine, but there is a wide world of charming vintage nut crackers out there to be scooped up for your own personal holiday host collection. I’m not talking about a nut cracker like The Nutcracker but of course you could happily go in that direction if you’d rather. I’m talking about alligators, squirrels, roosters, legs, or any funky vintage handheld nutcrackers that you can toss right into the bowl with the nuts and then leave the whole setup on the coffee table for a whole weekend of hosting.
A Big Punch Set
I have a huge punch bowl with 24 matching little cups that I found at a thrift store years ago and it is still one of my most prized possessions. It’s the shining star of the show at my annual holiday party filled with Champagne punch. The tiny glasses mean lots of trips back to the punch bowl, which means lots of moving around and mingling happens between my guests. You need a punch set, even if you only use it once a year. And since they’re not so popular of a household item anymore, you can usually find a used one at your local charity thrift store for a very good deal. Or order one off Etsy—there are literally thousands to choose from, watch out. A punch bowl is even better with a decorative ice ring—here’s how to make one to impress all your guests.
A Special NA Drink Option
Don’t forget your NA guests—they deserve something special and festive to drink too! I like to keep a bottle of Ghia in my fridge at all times so I can whip up a buzz-free spritz for anyone who wants it. Pour a shot of Ghia over ice, add an orange wedge, and top it off with seltzer and give it a stir. It’s bitter and refreshing and elegant.
A Digestif to Go With Cookies
After dinner when the platters of Christmas cookies start being passed around it can be hard to find the right thing to drink other than coffee or tea. An amaro (over ice, please!) is the perfect thing to drink with cookies. My favorite is this one from Forthave Spirits, which has a nice balance of bitter and sweet. On the sweeter more crowd-pleasing side is Nonino, a classic cookie pairing in my house. For the NA, St Agrestis makes the delicious Amaro Falso.
Swedish Angel Chimes
I grew up with this angel candle chimes as the soundtrack of the holiday season, and it wouldn’t be Christmas for me without them. They’re a joy to watch, but it’s even more of a joy to watch guests discover them for the first time at my house. You’re going to need a lot of little candles to burn with it. These beeswax tree candles are the best.
An Inspirational Holiday Cookbook
Even if I don’t get around to making all the Christmas cookies I bookmark each year, the mere act of sitting cozy on the sofa flipping through a favorite holiday cookbook feels like a festive ritual for me. It’s best if this is the kind of cookbook that transports you to another time and place, with lush language and photographs that are as exciting to return to each year as your favorite holiday movie. My two favorite books in this category are Advent by Anja Dunk and The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater. This is the one item on this list that is purely just for you—though your guests will benefit if you do follow a recipe from either book.
Our Christmas tree this year stands with a bit of a curve in the spine, but I’m still hopelessly in love with it. I’m getting ready to host my annual solstice party next week then head to NH for Christmas! I’ll be back after that with more weeknight dinner recipes for you all. In the meantime, I’m wishing you a happy and healthy holiday break! I truly hope you find ways to make all your hosting this season fun for yourself too.
xoxo, A