21 Fabulous Hostess Gifts That Are $21 or Less

Almost too cute to mask with cheese and crackers, this handpainted ceramic cutting board sports bespectacled woodland creatures in cozy dress, from $13 at HomeSense.

Peggy is fabulous. Hank is swanky. And Heidi is lucky. Each of your hostess’ friends have different personalities and now they can wear them on their wineglasses. Plus, they help figure out whose misplaced merlot is whose. Wine Lines saves the gang’s soiree! Get them in sassy silver or glam gold for $12 through Toronto’s AGO.

With classic shapes in a mercury-glass finish, these glittery glasses, which are $8 each at Urban Barn, sparkle with festive spirit making them ideal for special gatherings. Choose from on-trend rose gold (pictured), gold or silver grey.

You know your wacky friend who’s impossible to find a gift for? Yeah, that one. Well, this Tervis National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Wrap Tumbler featuring a smiling Clark Griswold and the saying: “Not the Brightest Bulb,” is exactly what you need to buy. Find it here for $18.99.

Oh, yes, this is exactly what you think it is: a book for the hostess with the mostest to record her deepest thoughts, doodle or ruminate over the decor while on the throne. The padded hardcover journal, complete with foil stamping and a ribbon to mark its 112 pages ($15 through Uncommon Goods), means others can enjoy thoughts from the can for decades to come. Cheeky!

Here’s one of those gifts everyone needs multiples of – a cute kitchen towel. Printed with adorable succulents in green food-safe ink by Courtney Beyer Design, the 100% cotton super-absorbent towel comes as a set of two for $20 through Brika.

Jot down cheese selections on these handsome wood plaques designed by Carter McGuyer for Crate and Barrel that retails for $20 for a set of six. Signpost-shaped markers stick into cheeses and have a rectangle of chalkboard for labelling with Crate and Barrel’s soapstone chalk (sold separately for $2.50).

Hit up Saudade in Toronto, THE destination for modern Portuguese goods. We love Casa Cubista’s hardworking rustic handmade baskets that start at $18. Show up at your friend’s door with a basket piled with edible goodies. Your hostess friend can then reuse it to hold bread or doodads in the kitchen, bathroom or any room in the house.

Gold and white are a timeless combo and they look spiffy and seasonal on this six-inch-tall forest-themed snow globe – $18 through the Home Depot. The globe makes a wintry addition to holiday decor. There’s also an elegant deer and doe version adorned with a tiffany-blue wreath.

On a budget? Arrive at your pal’s house with a trove of homemade goodies and two of these hand-glazed stoneware canape plates from West Elm. The adorable teal and black llama pairs nicely with the quirky cat and they’re only $9 each.

We’re firm believers in jokesy gifts, so if you share our penchant for the peculiar, then this is for you. The Stay Weird Garland, $18 through the Drake General Store, features upside-down felt lettering that makes a statement draped across a mantle, a wall or a window.

Light up the mantle or the table with a faceted candle that celebrates the warmth of the season. The candles come in a variety of holiday scents and are made entirely of soy wax (not that yucky chemical-laden stuff). Bright Night (pictured), $20, emits a soothing, “it’s the holidays!” citrus scent.

Polly’s got a look on her face like “puh-leeze, not that ole joke again!” which is why we love this personality-packed bird. Tell your hostess to fill this wry gal with a tasty tiki concoction (think coconut and pineapple) or use it as a fun pencil holder. Snag the mug for $15 through The Cocktail Emporium – the green has since sold out, but a festive red parrot is in stock.

Dog-loving hostess alert! This cushion cover that sells for $13 at Bouclair stars the sweetest French bulldog to inject tidings of joy – without the goobering saliva – into your pal’s Christmas decor. Add a cushion insert and you’re all set.

File under red-hot deal. At only $19, this ethereal trio makes a lovely – and affordable – hostess gift. And because the candles are made of glass (handblown and heat-tempered, no less), they go with just about any decor.

This specialty tome is THE book to buy for the hostess who snubs dairy and dead animals. Marie Laforet’s impressive recipes include standards such as mince pies, glazed logs, cardamom almond kringle, pot pie (this one made of seitan) and – gasp! the ultimate non-meat-eater’s dish – foie gras-style mousse. Published in October 2017, the book, $20 (or less) through Amazon, will make a welcome addition to your foodie friend’s shelf.

Here’s a gouda idea: a cheeseboard that comes with the implements needed to, um, cut the cheese. The sleek slab is $17 at HomeSense.

Packaged in flashy gold, Kim Crawford’s Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc, $20 through the LCBO, is totally holiday appropriate. The wine has fresh and zesty aromas of citrus and tropical fruit that go beautifully with that cheese spread your friend always puts out.

Not only is the graphic packaging cool – perfect for the decor-obsessed hostess – but the games are pretty fun. From Sing It Back (for the musically inclined) to Charades (for the thespians), this is a gift that keeps on giving. Best served with booze. Available at Anthropologie at $12 a pop.

Ree Drummond, the colour-loving Pioneer Woman who lives on a ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, has a nice line of vivid dishware at Walmart. This rainbow-bright quartet of ceramic measuring cups can be used for baking or to hold snacks such as nuts and olives. They retail for $10 for all four!

Flexible, hexagonal silicone moulds create extra-large ice cubes that melt slowly and evenly – which is super important so you don’t dilute all that good booze. Pick up the set at Williams-Sonoma for $18.