Gifts for hosts and hostesses with the most(ess)

At long last, it's time to kick off the first series of Tall and Salty holiday gift guides.  To start things off, let's begin with the first people you'll want to buy for: the hosts and hostesses who invite you over for dinners, White Christmas viewing parties, tree-trimming, wassailing (we did in fact get invited to a wassail this year; I had to Google it to find out what it was!), and other forms of holiday revelry.  Some great ideas for gifts to have on hand so that you don't end up ducking into a 7-Eleven for a bottle of wine that you have to scratch the $9.99 price tag off of on your way over to the party:

A pretty cheese knife and spreader set from France.

Delicious seasoned salt (that you might recall from here).

Festive cocktail glasses so your hosts can enjoy a relaxing beverage . . .

. . . or a book of cocktail recipes for intense de-stressing!

Cleaning spray (it's great for countertops) that smells like a Christmas tree (Thymes has a whole line of Frasier Fir scented candles and home items -- they're all wonderful).

A gilded leaf tray for holding keys, soap, or other little odds and ends.

A board game (my favorite: Cranium).

A set of Christmas plaid napkins.

A cool bottle opener.

Because I just can't get enough of these, a return address stamp.

And for a good laugh -- and a little story to go with it for the uninitiated -- a pickle ornament!

(Mrs. Lilien Cocktail Swatchbook image via Oh Joy!; pickle ornament image via here.)