42 Gifts for Every Type of Host

Former Vogue fashion director Tonne Goodman, who is now the magazine’s sustainability editor, told us about this 20-ounce bucket of sea salt from Maldon that would make a delightful and highly useful gift for the consummate cook. “I gave it to my brother-in-law, who is a wonderful cook, and he laughed and loved it,” she said.

Here’s a host gift that will actually come in handy while hosting. Goodman also told us about these cotton cocktail napkins that conveniently come in a roll. She discovered them in Paris and has been re-ordering them ever since. “They’re the simplest solution to the tedious task of serving hors d’oeuvres,” she says, and “indispensable during the holidays.”

Caspari makes some really fun cocktail napkins in prints like Van Gogh irises, Matisse florals, and wassailing wild animals that your party-loving host will appreciate.

I gave up traditional sponges for these highly effective sparkly dish scrubbers, which are a popular gift among Korean ajummas (a.k.a. aunties). Not only are they fun to look at, they’re reusable, dry fast, and don’t get grimy or germ-y.

Instead of getting them traditional incense sticks, try this matchbook of burning papers that writer Young Kim told me about. You simply tear off a sheet, fold it like an accordion, and light it up.

These fruit-shaped candles made from soy wax also happen to be scentless — and would look delightful among a full banquet spread of real desserts and other trifles.

This salt that Antoni Porowski swears by is infused with fermented garlic that will elevate any dish with its “sweet and aromatic” umami flavor.

Let them rep their favorite fruit with this hand-printed cap that would be perfect for mornings at the farmers’ market.

These scissors from Japanese brand Niwaki are made with fluorine-coated blades and resin-molded handles and can be used to cut flower stems as well as some woody branches. They’re also great in the kitchen.

This pomegranate-shaped bud vase from Brooklyn home store Porta would look stunning with a single bud or two.

These speckled terracotta pinch pots are handmade in Italy and the perfect size to hold salt and pepper.

Once the guests are gone and they finally have a chance to put their feet up, they’ll appreciate this microwaveable alternative to a hot water bottle that’s weighted with all-natural, biodegradable clay.

If they’ve exhausted every digital crossword game out there, they’ll enjoy this book of TV-themed crosswords from A24 that goes from easy to hard across both puzzle difficulty and TV knowledge.

A bottle of fancy hand soap is always a good idea. As Joanna Goddard, founder of the newsletter Big Salad, puts it, “It’s the same price as bodega flowers, so I can rationalize buying it for friends.” Plus “it smells SO GOOD.”

I use this mini wooden dustpan-and-brush set daily to clean up coffee grounds from my countertop, but it could also be used for gathering bread crumbs and other leftover food debris after a dinner party.

These brightly colored wool coasters “both absorb and evaporate moisture and thus stay in perfect condition no matter how many drinks sweat on them,” says Strategist writer Emma Wartzman.

If they’d rather not reuse plastic takeout containers to store leftovers, consider this set of glass food containers from Pyrex that I’ve owned for over ten years and have given as a housewarming gift multiple times.

Carbon-steel pans like our best-in-class wok pick develop a nonstick patina over time, so they can sear, sauté, and steam without worrying about the bad stuff.

Free Rein’s collaboration with Stetson includes small-batch coffee — available in pods or grounds — slow-roasted in Texas and a big, brawny mug that’s perfect for living out your range-life fantasies.

The caffeine in matcha is released more slowly than in coffee, giving the drinker a more consistent boost of energy. This starter kit has everything they need to make matcha at home.

In case they don’t already have a giant wooden salad bowl, this 14-inch one from Crate & Barrel comes recommended by three chefs and cookbook authors.

Miami Heat player Jimmy Butler loves playing dominoes, and this is one of his favorite sets.

Aprons from Hedley and Bennett are a chef favorite for their durability and lifetime guarantee. They also come in a range of trendy colorways and patterns, at least one of which, like this handsome midnight-blue one, will be sure to please.

This is one of the fluffiest, most comfortable bathrobes out there, according to Strategist writer Ambar Pardilla, who goes “straight from wearing it to lotioning up without needing a towel to wipe away leftover water.” We imagine it would make a fantastic après-hot-tub robe as well.

Haws’s copper watering cans are as stunning as they are functional, and this one is the perfect size to keep their many indoor plants hydrated.

If they can’t stand to part with a beloved broken dish, this kintsugi kit comes with everything that’s required to repair it using the traditional Japanese art.

They’re certainly pricey, but ABC Home’s mohair-and-wool throws are some of the coziest blankets out there and come in a dozen gorgeous, unexpected colors, including hot pink and citronella.