Entertaining at home is a hallmark of the holiday season. Everyone on your gift list needs a few basics to bring out the tidbits and serve up the drinks. Elevate appetizers to elegance with these selections for the dining table. After the party’s over, make cleanup an exercise in hedonism with dishwashing liquid delicious enough for your bath.
For the woman whose hors d’oeuvres are too hot to handle.
Go minimalist with this quilted linen oven mitten in grey. Choose it for its compact size, loop for hanging and extra finger and mid-palm protection.
Fog Linen Oven Mitten, $17, Need Supply Co
Opt for glam with a glitzy oven glove that lets you get a grip on those sizzling culinary creations.
Gold Polka Dotted Pot Holder, $14, Anthropologie
For the friend who values traditional craftsmanship.
These naturally beautiful and chic 10-inch serving spoons are hand crafted by Kenyan artisans from reclaimed wood. Giving these helps 100 individual carvers support their families and preserves a tradition passed down many generations.
Zebra Serving Spoons—Shay Spaniola, $42, Bunglo
For the artsy girl who believes in mixing it up.
These boldly color-blocked cocktail napkins add style to any bar cart. Bring out 100 percent linen cotton graphic art when showing off your bartending skills at your next dinner party. Set of four 6-inch squares.
Color Block Napkins, $32, Sideshow Press
For the woman who thinks staid is a sin.
This two-tier serving dish may trace its origins to your grandmother’s tea party, but this incarnation springs from the Soho studio of designer Jonathan Adler. Hence the quirky touch that glamorously elevates your entertaining along with your bon bons, hors d’oeuvres, and desserts.
Two-Tier Serving Dish, $298, Jonathan Adler
For the girl who finds a chore a bore.
What’s better than an organic dish washing liquid that respects the environment and was not tested on animals? How about one that leaves an exquisite hint of perfume in the kitchen? One that treats your hands and exquisite fine china with loving care? One that turns dish washing into an exercise in hedonism?
Sage Dishwashing Liquid— Astier de Villatte, $26, Aedes
