10 Stylish Hostess Gifts for the 2012 Holiday Season

Nest by Tamara's 
Top Picks for
Stylish Hostess Gifts 
this Holiday 2012

photography by Carmen Santorelli Studio

Source: stylemepretty.com via tamara on Pinterest

Well, 

here it begins 
the barrage of cocktail parties, 
dinner gatherings and all the Holiday Cheer!  
After hurricanes and presidential elections,
 the festivities are a welcome relief from all the hand wringing.  
Beginning with the spooky celebration of Halloween 
and ending with News Year's Day let's ring in 
the 2012 Holiday season.  

What's a guest to do, however, when pressed for time and running about from one party to the next in between work and holiday shopping?  I usually stock up on a plethora of gifts, unusual finds and quirky special novelty items to bring sparkle to the host's home.  Check out my special picks of 2012 Holiday season and many at a good price to boot. These are my Top 10 "GO TOs" for the season, and many can be ordered with the simple click of your keyboard keys.  

Pack a little fashion and style into your hostess gift 
with this box set of eight bubble gum flavored macarons 
from French patisserie, Laduree.  
The Parisian company paired with fashion label Lanvin to bring this little box of magic

Alber Albaz creative genius of Lanvin illustrated a special set for Ladureé. 

Order up a cute little red nutcracker and bring it along with a bag of nuts - this red squirrel can sit front and center along with your Holiday decor.  Anthropologie's home line from wallpaper to table lamps is quirky and stylish.  

Anthropologie nutcracker

Who doesn't love a beautiful coffee table book to inspire. Well, this year's top of the list for me is Slim Aaron's La Dolce Vita.  Paying homage to the beautiful, high-styled Italian life, the famous photographer captured it all offering us glimpses of celebrities in beautiful villas from days gone by.  Check out the slide show of the pages from La Dolce Vita as shown in 

last month's New York Magazine editorial 

I am in love with Michele Varian's gold urchin salt cellar

This is one of those items you would use over and over again when setting your
beautiful holiday table, but you may never buy it for yourself.  It will give you an excuse to pop into Michele's gorgeous shop in Soho.
Michele Varian's gold urchin salt cellar

So excited to hear Williams Sonoma is pairing up with Blackberry Farm.  I will be profiling Blackberry Farm soon here on Nest.  This season you can pick up some delicious cheeses made on the farm at Williams Sonoma 

Blackberry Farm Cheeses at Williams-Sonoma 

The Beall family run a Relais Chateau hotel on their 600 acre farm in the Smoky Mountain foothills. I am longing to stay at this hotel where they use  most the ingredients grown on-site to create their meals.

I'm obsessed with these kitchen papers by

kitchen paper placemats from Cake Vintage

Since this summer I've been stocking up on all these practical and cute designs from lobster and botanical motif paper place mats to holiday designs.

for the host who loves to cook, I usually bring a collection of salts.  These delectable salts have distinctive flavors and hail from exotic places. 

Dean and Deluca herb and salt collections

Crate and Barrel sparkly votive collections
these vintage looking votive candles are a perfect gift, and for a reasonable price you can pick up a slew of these little sparkly numbers.

The perfect flower arrangement from Olive and Cocoa

Olive and Cocoa offer interesting and unusual floral arrangements 

and these succulents in all-white and green, yet in a rustic pine container, add a festive note

For custom designed homemade candy, I love the large lolly pops and bags of  beautifully hand cut artisan candy at Pappa Bubble.  When I am in for a fun,  sweet hostess gift I pick up  candy at the shop or online. 
Pappa Bubble in NYC

 photograph courtesy of the New York Times

Stop back soon for more design goodness
XO Happy Nesting 

photograph courtesy of belgianpearls.blogspot.com