On the First Day of Christmas

Since I don’t currently have a true love in my life, I thought I’d just use the twelve days conceit to talk about different holiday-related design, decor, and giving  ideas.  By the way, I never, ever say gifting. It is incorrect and sounds very jarring. You are given a gift, not gifted a gift. {end of rant}

So, on the first day of Christmas, we’re going to talk about hostess presents, since there are so many parties at this time of year. I went to the most marvelous party on Saturday night (thanks again, Susan!) and took my delightful hostess two of the French Ivory fish knives.  They can be used for cheeses or fruit, or just jam on your toast in the morning, or they would look lovely set on a table for two.Another great thing to do with miscellaneous pieces of good silverware is to include it along with a gift of food. A jar of gourmet olives can be paired with a great silver or silver plate fork. You can find one-off pieces of silverware at any thrift shop or antique mall. If you tie a big beautiful bow on the jar and add the piece of silver, you’ve got a very nice and thoughtful hostess gift. Another great idea is to take a cup and saucer and make a candle in the cup. Again, any and every junk shop has a ton of these and many are quite good-looking and can be picked up for a dollar or two. It’s easy to find candle-making materials at a craft store, or you can even melt your half-burned candles and make a new one by adding a fresh wick.  Make sure you top up the candle, so it doesn’t have a dip in the center like the one below does. Another wonderful idea is to find a really wonderful expensive and lush bar of soap and put it on a beautiful dish. You know I am a big proponent of thrift- and antique-shopping, so I always pick up gorgeous orphaned plates when I see them. Tie up the soap and plate or bowl with a huge ribbon and a lovely tag and you’ve got a simple present for less than $20 or even $10! While I’ve used all of these ideas in the past, these images came from BBC Homes & Antiques Magazine’s December issue, kindly sent to me by the thoughtful House of Beauty & Culture!