Welcome to Metropolitan Mama’s Christmas Gift Guide for Party Hosts. Below you will find hand-picked selections of the best furniture, decor, serveware, glassware, lighting, games, activities, and accessories for people who love to entertain - both indoors and outdoors.
Whether you gift recipient enjoys hosting formal dinner parties, weekend brunch, high tea, or backyard barbecues, this list will help you find exactly the right gift.
Party hosts can never have too much party gear - especially in adorable, artistic designs! Based in my home state of Arizona, Slant Collections offers delightful partyware options by theme. Find paper plates, napkins, cups, cake toppers, candles, and everything else you might need to add a special touch to your next celebration.
Pictured (left to right): Birthday Cake Party in a Box, Happy Birthday Cake Shaped Napkins, Make A Wish Bead-Filled Cake Topper.
Libbey is a glassware company with a long history of producing lovely, translucent glasses, plates, prep bowls, and serveware. Since 1818, Libbey has become synonymous with glassware for parties. I'm fairly certain that the punch bowl at my first baby shower nineteen years ago was made by Libbey!
For holiday 2024, I'm loving the modern (yet nostalgic!) farmhouse look of the new glass and acaciawood serveware pieces. The wood is beautifully marbled in color and grain - each piece is unique!
We are choosy about dinnerware and we adore Liberty Tabletop's American Bistro set. Made in the USA in the cheerful and sun-kissed city of Tucson, Arizona, these pure white dishes are sturdy, smooth, and elegant. When you pick them up, you'll be surprised by both the weight and the grace of each plate, bowl, and mug. When Tim and I got married twenty years ago, we chose white dishes on purpose and that was one of the best registry decisions we made. White dishes go with every kitchen and tabletop decor theme and can be seamlessly used for everyday meals or fancy dinner parties (even weddings!).
Liberty Tabletop is a brand that is committed to quality and patriotism. In fact, Liberty Tabletop bought Oneida in 2005 and it is now the only remaining flatware manufacturer in the United States. You can expect shiny, durable, and high-end flatware from Liberty. The spoons, knives, and forks in the Annapolis collection will add beauty to any table, while also being a pleasure to use.
Serving hot beverages to a crowd can get complicated fast. Never fear though! Nostalgia's 45-cup coffee urn can save the day. With speedy brewing power and an incredibly handy keep warm function, these large-capacity urns with double spigots are perfect for serving large amounts of coffee, tea, hot cider, or hot chocolate to large groups of people. Ideal for baby showers, dinner parties, and holiday get-togethers!
Decorative throw pillows are a wonderful go-to gift for party hosts - especially ones in neutral colors that have meaningful and inspiring messages.
For knives that are both sharp and stylish, we turn to Cutco. They're beautiful to look at, a joy to use, and durable enough to last decades. We also love Cutco's accessories and kitchen tools, which are equally sturdy and sophisticated.
Pictured (left to right): 4-Pc Table Knife Set and Slice n' Serve.
When you need to serve coffee to a crowd, Black + Decker's 12-Cup Thermal Programmable Coffeemaker will save the day. It's sleek appearance will look great in any kitchen and the thermal carafe will keep coffee piping hot for up to 2 hours.
Experienced party hosts know that you can never have too many tables and chairs. Bonus points if the chairs are easy to store and easy to transport while also being comfortable and durable. GoSport's WOVN Premium Chair fits the bill.
When it comes to board games, there's a reason that classic games are classic. Cranium and Sequence are party games that will please most any player - from ages 7 to 77+!
Cranium is a fast-paced group party game that involves sculpting with clay, drawing pictures, acting out charades, spelling words, and completing a number of other challenges whereas Sequence is a strategy game with cards and chips (the first person to get five in a row - wins!).
If you're still using foil or parchment paper when baking (or spraying/buttering your pans!), it's time for a grand introduction. Silpat® baking mats have revolutionized baking in our home. These silicone, non-stick mats allow cookies, scones, muffins, and baguettes to cook to perfection while minimizing and almost completely eliminating sticky clean-up! We love Silpat® and I have a hunch that your favorite baker or cook will too!
Just released in March 2024, this brand new cookbook bills itself as "the quick-and-easy cookbook for busy families, featuring 150 simple, everyday recipes." I'll preface this by saying that I'm somewhat of a cookbook snob. In other words, I'm not easy to impress. This one, however, appears to offer the things I value most in a cookbook: bold, beautiful photographs; clear directions; simple ingredient lists; a cover without a picture of the author on it, and recipes that serve 6-8. We tried the Grilled Flatbread with Arugula and Vegetables recipe last night and it won rave reviews among the whole family. Can't wait to dive in more in the upcoming weeks!
Get ready for trips to the beach, the park, or a neighborhood parade with the recently released oversized Cuddy Wagon Cooler by GoSports. This giant wagon has an integrated 40 QT capacity cooler with additional 12 QT of under-seat storage so that you can take your drinks and lunch on-the-go. This versatile family transportation option is equipped with a shade canopy for sun protection, 4 cup holders, and a cargo net for securing gear. The wagon's sides are removable to turn it into bench seating for up to 4 kids.
Take the "bored" out bored games with the innovative and action-packed games by Exploding Kittens. In Throw Throw Burrito, you play cards while dodging squishable burritos. In Poetry for Neanderthals, you try to get your teammates to guess a word, but the catch is that you can only use single syllable words. If not? You may get bonked on the noggin with an inflatable club.
Keep the air fresh for your guests with Shark's high-tech NeverChange™ Air Purifier MAX, which is designed for 10x longer filter life to save you $300+ in filter replacement costs over 5 years. The purifier covers up to 1400sqft and has a helpful Odor Neutralizer Technology that is especially helpful in the kitchen! Plus, it exceeds HEPA standards, providing the cleanest, freshest air for your family and friends.
Party hosts love sprucing up their front and back porches for their next big party and gardening couldn't be simpler than with Step2's stately planters. Although they are made with high-quality plastic, you could easily be fooled to think that they are ceramic. The elegant design is a treat to the eyes while also being exceptionally pragmatic. These planters offer customizable drainage and are designed to be relatively maintenance-free.
For people who love entertaining outside, consider an innovative backyard game by GoSports. If your gift recipient hosts teens, try Slammo. If the patio is always full of senior adults, a sturdy pair of patriotic tournament regulation bean bags is a shoo-in.
What screams "party" more than cotton candy? Don't wait for the county fair to come around! Now you can wow all of your gifts by making fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth, pastel-colored cotton candy right in your own backyard! So fun for circus-themed birthday parties, teen sleepovers, or family movie nights!
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Some of the products in the list below were sent to us to try. Other products are ones that we purchased ourselves or were given by family members and friends. Know that I will always provide both the pros and cons of each featured product.