If your place is ‘the house’ that everyone loves hanging out in, then you definitely know the ins and outs of entertaining. Hosting an event comes with its own set of tools, however, loving entertaining can become an expensive endeavour.
So, why not put your cooking and party-having needs on the Christmas wishlist this year? There’s no way your friends and family (and Santa of course!) would object to gifts that subsequently lead to more fun evenings of board games, charcuterie boards and anything-but-boring conversations. We’ve done the hard work for you and found gifts for cooks and entertainers that will be used at every future dinner party:
Beysis personalised wine cooler in Sage
from $84.90, Beysis
Wine is a very personal taste, so how better to enjoy a tipple than with this personalised wine cooler from Beysis? It’s coolly minimalist, it comes in a couple of delightful muted colours, and crucially it’s non-slip for when you’re reaching for that second or third top-up! With a stainless steel construction, it will keep your wine chilled for up to six hours – mean you’ll also be extra-chill as you unwind with an end-of-day drink.
‘Love Crumbs’ hardcover cookbook
from $39, Amazon
This lovely cookbook featuring 50 dessert recipes will make you a sweet sensation with your loved ones or housemates. In her second book, author Nadine Ingram (of Sydney bakery Flour and Stone) incorporates fruit, spice and aroma into a set of original recipes and gorgeous flavour combinations that pay tribute to her own cooking experiences and popularity of the scrumptious pastries that made her name.
Milk chocolate Baubles bon bons
from $21.90, Haigh’s Chocolates
C’est bon bon! The season just wouldn’t be as festive without some mouth-watering morsels to follow the turkey and trimmings, and Haigh’s has a well-earned reputation as superior chocolatiers – as the December queues out the doors of their stores can attest! In their seasonal red and pink foil and cute Christmas cracker packaging, these sweet little treats are confection perfection.
Dark chocolate Baubles gift tin
from $19.50, Haigh’s Chocolates
If the sugary good cheer of Christmas gets a bit cloying, you can cast a cocoa cloud over events with these dark chocolate delights. As you’d expect from Haigh’s, they come beautifully packaged, with the teal marbled bauble tin providing eye candy as well. And as all Better Homes and Garden aficionados will know, presentation is half the joy when it comes to your seasonal table or tree.
Grundig JAM portable Bluetooth speaker in Orange
from $129, Appliances Online
A portable Bluetooth speaker is a must-have seasonal accessory, meaning Yule be able to get the festive party started any time, anywhere. It allows up to 30 hours of playback without an external power source, and also serves as a pack to let you charge your phone. This Grundig model is so nifty and flash in its bright orange cladding, you’ll be singing “All I Want for Christmas is You” right along with Mariah.
Pommery Brut Royal NV champagne
from $85.50, Vintage Cellars
If sparkling wine is for everyday, champagne is for special occasions. You can’t get much more special than this vintage Brut from one of the most storied names in French wine-making. The balanced Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier blend makes it a great compliment to that central element of any Australian Christmas menu: seafood! So go ahead and add some refined fizz to your festivities.
Instax Fujifilm Mini 12 instant camera
from $99, Amazon
There’s something fun and spontaneous about an instant camera in our digital world. So while you have your favourite people around you this year, seize the (Christmas) day and make those memories tangible with photos produced on the spot. Don’t fret – it comes with a selfie mirror! It’s colourful, features easy-to-use modes and makes things so wonderfully tactile that you won’t be able to put it down.
Porto Fiesta 20cm side plate
from $7.95, Domayne
Australia is ground zero for a hot Christmas, so lean into our sunny Santa seasons with a side plate that says summer. This example from the Domayne range is porcelain, pretty and pineappley – a perfect trio which makes it hard-wearing, attractive and thematically appropriate for end-of-year gatherings. It comes in a lime version as well, meaning festive fruit salad never looked so good.
Ecology Torte cake stand in Blush
from $69, Domayne
It’s not enough to bake a perfect Christmas cake – you’ll want to exhibit it in style too. This Domayne high-gloss stand made from soda-lime glass offers classic appeal and means everyone can admire your handiwork before you divide it up among drooling guests. It comes in Storm and Honey colours as well as Blush, so we think that has all the potential moods at family gatherings covered!
Four in a Row summer game
from $39.99, Adairs
While away summery days with this traditional game of simple strategy and a dash of luck. It’s portable and durable, so appropriate for indoor and outdoor use, and will provide an easy distraction for kids of all ages that keeps things social rather than seeing everyone focus on their phones. You might say it will help everyone ‘connect for’ a day.
Tumbling Tower summer game
from $39.99, Adairs
Another classic game that will keep everyone amused after dinner is Tumbling Tower, available in a set of four fun, chalky colours. Remove a plank, add it to the top and see just how long your seasonal structure can stand. Adairs has other games available, too, so if you’re a fan of noughts and crosses or bean bag tossing, you’re sure to find something to occupy languorous Christmas hours.
Fenton RP118E record player
from $119, Amazon
Music geeks traditionally love vinyl, but this cute powder-blue Fenton record player makes record nerds of all of us. It plays at three speeds and snaps up into a handy suitcase for portability. In an age when streaming is at our fingertips, this chic piece of hardware lets you appreciate the large album artwork, put the needle on it and get into the groove like it’s ’78 all over again.
Farmer’s Wife Autumn dry gin
from $85, Garden Street Gin Club
Gin is the ideal tipple for the festive season – drunk straight or as the base for punch or any number of creative cocktails. Farmer’s Wife marries traditional gin-making techniques to the distinctive flavours of Australia’s native flowers (including rare sugar bag honey produced by local stingless bees), resulting in a boutique creation that captures in a bottle the spirit of Christmas Down Under.
Gelato coupe in Pink, Amber and Clear
from $89, Maison Balzac
Ice cream and gelato are delectable counterbalances to those summer days when the mercury jumps into the 30s and 40s. This playful Neopolitan-coloured coupe will bring a helping of whimsy to your dessert, with the Maison Balzac star logo on its base adding a stamp of quality to the most deliciously messy treat the family can enjoy together.
Winton Road Barossa Valley rose 750ml
from $24 (2 for $35), Liquorland
A rosé by any other label may not taste as sweet as this Winton Road pale pink variety with aromas of raspberry, strawberry and a hint of white petals. The grapes come from Australia’s celebrated Barossa Valley, and the delicate colour means the full bottle will look just as inviting on your Christmas dinner table as your guests will look satisfied once it’s been drunk.
Oskar Rattan cheese knife set
from $49.95, Seed Heritage
Who can resist the resolutely indulgent sound of a cheese knife against a wooden board, especially come Christmas time? This shiny stainless-steel and rattan set – including a cheese spreader, a pronged knife and a chisel knife – will make short work of your cheddar or camembert while bringing polished elegance to your seasonal occasions. A matching jug and salad servers are also available.