The Source: Gift Guides Round ✌️
Round Deux of our holiday gift guide fever dream/reverie!
Thank you for all the great feedback and morale-boosts and participation with Round One of the gift guide. I even heard from a shop-keeping pal that you sold out one of the items in question—thanks for clicking and for supporting some of these smaller bizzies.
TODAY: The Most(est) Host(ess)—roughly speaking, things for in and around a table and/or kitchen—and The Hardcore Hibernator—things for getting unreasonably cozy. Tis the season, frankly.
NEXT UP: The Fun Little Bud and Stocking-Appropriate/Under $30
Left to right, top to bottom.
“PARTY SPECKLE” CARAFE & GLASS | Because the best hosts know the key to peaceable hangs is ample hydration.
HERB STRIPPER | Stocking stuffable and looks extremely satisfying to use. Also pretty!
RICRAC NAPKIN | Honestly, who doesn’t love ricrac?! These napkins are also customizable—you can add initials, a micro-phrase, and/or choose from available symbols. Fun.
NAPKIN HOLDER | I’m recommending a fair share of napkins here, so a napkin holder seems to be in order. This one has three big spherical feet which add some humor to its good looks.
TETE A TETE NAPKINS | Don’t @ me about the lack of French punctuation, for some reason Substack isn’t supporting it. Rude. Do @ me about these napkins which I love so dearly, I would gladly have them staring back up each night at supper time.
ROLLING PIN | Are you already up on father-daughter woodworking company Herriott Grace? I have, predictably, outsized enthusiasm for them. Not only because wow, so cute, but also! The pieces themselves are just plain extremely pretty. This rolling pin (and really, anything therein) is an instant heirloom.
APPLIQUE PLACEMATS | Silk placemats are maybe in a category we can call: Risky but worth it? Naturally dyed and hand-appliquéd in India!
OYSTER BOTTLE OPENER | I love all bivalves and recommend including their iconography throughout the household when given any opportunity. Open a bottle with an oyster? Absolutely!
OYSTER SHUCKING KIT | While we’re on the subject, how about an oyster shucking kit for the uninitiated? The little wooden holder/hand protector seems like a really handy (sorry) mechanism for learning how to open an oyster without fear of impalement.
ROMANTIC CHICKEN TART VINEGAR | Do any of those words make sense to you all strung up next to each other? If they do, you probably already know about this fun little collab between Romantic Chicken cookbook author (AND MY FRIEND) Marjory Sweet and her friend Chris Crawford at Tart Vinegar. Something puckering to pair with their amorous poultry.
TORTOISESHELL COASTERS | I break for all things tortoiseshell and maybe your giftee does too?
WOODEN SPOONS | An instant and enviable collection of wooden spoons, hand-carved in Black Siris wood.
NAPKIN RINGS | We’re all (still) wacky for bows this season, but these little brass napkin rings feel like a nice, classic take—with more likely longevity—on the trend.
BEECHWOOD SALAD STAND | Normalize at-home tableside salad! Or guac! Or anything in a bowl that truly is that much better enjoyed by being literally put on a pedestal!
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS SWEETS | Try to follow this one: Crazy-chic and world-building to eleven Italian hotel group Pellicano has an entire digital world to itself called Issimo. Issimo has a lot going on, including a whole slew of gift bags, like this one full of iconic Christmas sweets. There’s also a Christmas decoration box, Pasta assortment bag… It’s a journey, and well worth it.
TEAPOT | From Queretaro, Mexico, a handmade teapot in limestone that is just so silly pretty. And sort of a perfect gift.
HANDQUILTED POTHOLDER | Protect their tender hands with one of these sweet sashiko potholders. Pairs well with the aforementioned teapot.
PEWTER FRAME | This is actually an intended personal project for me in 2025: Print and frame more photos. Heirloom quality pewter frames that look like they’ve already been around for generations—that’s exactly the vibe.
SCALP MASSAGER | I recently had an extremely enjoyable and snuggly hang with friends (watching the new Martha movie, naturally), when our host produced a few gua sha to use to mellow out while watching. This scalp massager feels like exactly the right addition to this sort of moment. Or, really any moment.
FLENSTED MOBILE | Maybe your giftee would like to use their new scalp massager while lazily and blissfully watching this graceful Danish mobile.
FORGET-ME-NOT TOWELS | For one: We’ve already established my personal feelings about jacquard. For two: The forget-me-not motif of these towels is just too sweet.
INCENSE HOUSE | Wee concrete brutalist incense house made in Kyoto ready to—how cute—waft good-smelling smoke through its wee chimney.
BRUSH | After years as a non-brusher, I have begun the occasional practice of brushing my hair. It gives you a sort of 1980s field hockey team captain look and I recommend it highly. I think it’s also supposed to be pretty good for your hair and scalp, but that’s sort of tertiary, frankly.
GAMMON + CHECKERS ROLL | Quick to learn, but difficult to master (depending of your base state of deviousness), I love backgammon and maybe your giftee does, too! These rolls are pretty luxe, which is fun for gifting. There’s also checkers in case you need to play a game with a child or something.
MOON DISH | Just a really beautiful brass dish for whatever needs holding!
SCENTED POMEGRANATE | Of all the ways to deliver a pleasing scent, this is likely the best one. Handmade, scented terracotta pomegranate!
BATHROBE | Yes, a robe is sort of a gift cliché, but this one is so great and it’s Autumn Sonata, honey.
HOT WATER BOTTLE & QUILT COVER | One-two punch of gifting, but instead of “punches” per se, it’s more like a warm quilted hug.
BOW CANDLE HOLDER | Wait, did you think we were done with bows?
HINOKI BATH SET | For when they want to completely envelope themselves in the scent and feeling of Hinoki wood (and if they are as yet uninitiated—they’ll forever be chasing this feeling afterwards!). The bath sachets are particularly great.
Affiliate disclaimer: I am experimenting with affiliate links where applicable! If the links I generated even work (dubious), I might receive a small commission should you choose to buy something. As you’ll see if you start clicking around, it’s a fairly small percentage of the items here and did not effect editorial decisions or recommendations.
