Party Season Essentials for Hosts and Guests

It’s a classic party scene: The night is two pours in and nobody knows which glass is theirs anymore. These merino wool felt wineglass markers to the rescue. They come in three different sets of 12: rainbow colors, autumn colors, and a “midcentury” design with six sides. They’ll help make sure everyone sticks with the same glass all night. And for more great holiday gifts from Amazon, check out our storefront. ($19, Amazon)

Help them build the Instagrammable serving board of their dreams…that actually tastes amazing. This book has recipes plus advice on ingredients and pairings (not to mention enough beautiful photos that it’ll look good on a coffee table). Butter boards who? ($17.39, Amazon)

Your giftee can give some cheese and crackers the ride of their life on this handmade cherrywood snack “carousel” — which doubles as a wine bar. It’s perfect for people who love to host but have a small space, since they can fit everything they need for a wine night (including six glasses) in one spot. Add a monogram to make it even more personal. And for more great holiday gifts from Uncommon Goods, shop here. ($128+, Uncommon Goods)

Brightland’s California olive oils have long been Skimm HQ’r faves. But the brand also sells honey, and this set of two jars (with honey from both California and Kauai) is a sweet gift for anyone who loves experimenting with oatmeal, salad dressings, cheese plates, baking…the limit does not exist. ($42, Brightland)

What’s better than one delicious-smelling and pretty Otherland candle? Three…or five. Choose from pre-curated candle bundles — including themed scent collections like Woodsy Wonders or Spice Lovers — or build a three-pack of your own. (And check out some more of our fave candles here.) ($89/3 pack, Otherland)

This good-looking container by S’well will keep their favorite wine cool without any worries about condensation, due to its vacuum insulation and copper layer. If they really love it, they can even get an ice bucket, carafe, and wineglasses to match. One super-chic bar cart, coming right up. ($40, Amazon)

Everything looks more special in a coupe. These hand-blown glasses are perfect for bubbly, cocktails, mocktails…whatever your giftee’s heart (and palate) desires. And they come in three cool colors. ($56/set of 4, Anthropologie)

A well-stocked bar cart is an important part of any host’s home — whether or not alcohol is being served. This metal cart with mirrored glass shelves comes in eight different colors (including bright options like coral and yellow), and conveniently rolls around on wheels. ($186.99+, Wayfair)

If you tell your mom you’re bringing a box of wine to your friend’s holiday party, she might roll her eyes. But this isn’t that kind of boxed wine — it’s actually good. Plus, one box is four bottles’ worth, it’s good for six weeks once you open it, and it even has a lower carbon footprint than bottled wine. Win. ($65, Really Good Boxed Wine)

This handmade 100% linen tablecloth comes in 27 different colors and 10 different sizes, so no matter what the entertaining setup looks like, you’ll find something to match. Get this for your friend who loves hosting dinner parties and makes it look about 10 times less stressful than it really is. And for more great holiday gifts from Etsy, shop here. ($44.30+, LinenHandmadeStudio via Etsy)

Make a combined gift of this and one of the tablecloths above, or just get a set of pretty linen napkins to freshen up their dinner party style. Go with a bright, festive color or a neutral beige or brown they can use anytime. ($6.90+, MyKitchenLinens via Etsy)

For the friend who’s always looking for new ways to spice up their food, here’s a special set of three delicious nut-seed-spice toppings (spicy, savory, and floral) from a woman-owned company. They’re vegan and sugar-free, and can be used to zhuzh up virtually anything — from breakfast meals to pasta and more. ($45, Ami Ami)

This 3.5-quart Dutch oven (designed for recipes that feed one or two) comes in four bold colors, and will quickly become their go-to for soups, stews, and more. For an extra $40, you can add an engraving of up to 25 characters. ($120, Great Jones)

These pretty glass tile coasters come in tons of color combos, so you can build a basic set or mix ‘n’ match. They’re handcrafted and have felt pads underneath so your host’s furniture won’t get ruined. Psst…they also make for a great housewarming gift. ($18, Urban Outfitters)

You know when you go to a restaurant and wish you could take home the plates your entree is served on? Guests will feel the same way about a dinner party featuring these distinctive clay bowls. Whether you’re gifting one or a whole table’s worth, it’ll be the upgrade to their dinnerware they may have never thought to treat themselves to. ($45, Material)

These Brooklyn-made hot sauce sets don’t have preservatives, artificial colors/flavors or added sugar. What they do have (depending which one you’re using) is heat, spice, smoke, sweetness — all the stuff you’d want from top-shelf condiments. Time to heat things up. ($36+, Food52)

When you don’t drink alcohol, it’s easy to swap in super-sweet, juice-based mocktails instead. Drinks that taste more like a classic cocktail can be tougher to find. Thankfully, these days there are some great options — including this Italian orange aperitivo that can help your giftee make a negroni sans ABV. Cheers to that. ($35.99, Lyre’s)

Your giftee can serve up 48 bevs using the three 8-ounce bottles in this set. There’s a batch for Old-Fashioneds, Moscow mules, and spicy margaritas — they’ll just need to add the hard stuff (or a non-alcoholic substitute). Pinkies up. Psst...use code SKIMM15 at checkout for 15% off sitewide. ($35/3 pack, W&P)

Made from walnut wood and marble, this cake stand doesn’t just look pretty. It’s also practical, since you can use the rotating top to spin a cake around while decorating it. Cloche sold separately. ($125, Food52)

Maybe you spent all summer trying to get invited back for BBQs at their house. Ensure you’ll be on the guest list next year with this set of five grilling planks (cedar, alder, cherry, maple, and hickory wood), plus cherry and hickory smoking chips. Plank-grilled salmon, here they come. ($25, Food52)

No more crashes in the kitchen followed by gasps and grumbled cleanups. These rose gold stainless steel wineglasses (which also come in black and silver) not only look eye-catchingly unusual, but are also super-practical due to their shatterproof design. ($27.99+, Amazon)

You know them well enough to know they don’t want to put up a tent, sleep in a sleeping bag, and forgo showers and toilets. But they do want a couple rounds of s’mores (who doesn’t?). All they’ll need is some food-grade chafing fluid to get the fire going. No camping required. (Note: ingredients not included. ($175, Uncommon Goods)

Get ready for boozy milkshakes and cocktails unlike any you’ve made before…all thanks to this peanut butter whiskey. Perfect when you want to bring some alcohol, but don’t want to show up with another boring bottle of wine. ($34.99, Wine.com)