Gifts for People Who Love Hosting: 7 Ideas for the Table

Friends smiling together at a restaurant table

People who love hosting usually have the basics, so the best presents add to the table itself. These seven picks cover setting it, with linen napkins, vintage candlesticks and coasters; serving from it, with a large stoneware bowl, maple salad tongs and a cake stand; and remembering it, with a dinner party book. Several are made to order or ship from abroad, so give yourself time.

Softened Linen Napkins Set, Camel Stone Washed

1 Stonewashed Linen Napkins, Set of Four

Softened linen napkins in 100% medium-weight linen. This pick is the set of four in the 16-inch (40 cm) size; the shop also sells other set sizes, a larger 20-inch size and a long list of colors.

Best for:

Hosts who set a proper table even for a casual weeknight dinner.

Why choose this:

Cloth napkins come out at every dinner, and soft washed linen makes even a simple table look considered.

Good to know:

Nothing is preselected, so choose the set of four, the 16-inch size and a color when you order; the listing also offers single sample napkins. They ship from Lithuania. Returns are accepted within 14 days.

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Delft-Style Blue and White Chamber Candlestick Holders, Pair

2 A Pair of Vintage Delft-Style Chamber Candlesticks

A pair of hand-painted blue-and-white ceramic chamber candlesticks. The shop describes them as vintage from before 2007, made and hand painted in the Philippines, and in nice condition with no chips or cracks. Each is about 5.25 inches tall.

Best for:

Hosts who like a candlelit table with a bit of old-fashioned character.

Why choose this:

Vintage candlesticks add warmth to a dinner table, and a matching pair is easy to place.

Good to know:

It's a one-of-a-kind vintage pair, so once it sells it's gone. The listing doesn't give the candle size the holders take and doesn't mention candles, so plan to find candles that fit. Returns are accepted within 7 days.

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3 A Hand-Thrown Stoneware Bowl for Serving

A hand-thrown stoneware bowl sold as a pasta bowl in four sizes from 20 to 26 cm. This pick is the largest, 26 cm (about 10 inches), for serving at the table. It comes in turquoise, green or speckled white.

Best for:

Hosts who bring food to the table family-style.

Why choose this:

A handmade serving bowl gets used every time they have people over, and it looks good on the table between helpings.

Good to know:

It's made to order, which the shop says takes three weeks, and it ships from the UK, so allow plenty of time. The shop describes it as dishwasher and microwave safe. Returns are accepted within 14 days.

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Handmade Maple Salad Tongs: One-Handed Hinged Server

4 One-Handed Maple Salad Tongs

Hinged maple salad tongs, about 10 inches long. The two arms are joined at one end so you can serve with one hand, and the shop says they store flat in a drawer.

Best for:

Hosts who serve big salads or pasta and like simple wooden tools.

Why choose this:

Tongs come out at nearly every dinner party, and a hinged pair is easy to use and easy to put away.

Good to know:

It's a single hinged tong, not a separate spoon and fork. Returns are accepted within 30 days.

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5 A White Stoneware Cake Stand

A white stoneware cake stand, about 10 inches wide and 3.5 inches tall.

Best for:

Hosts who bake for guests or put out dessert at the end of the night.

Why choose this:

A cake stand makes even a store-bought cake feel like part of the occasion.

Good to know:

It's made to order in three to four weeks, so order well ahead. The shop describes it as food safe and dishwasher and microwave safe. Returns aren't accepted.

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6 Four Marble-Effect Coasters with a Holder

A set from cosiness23 in the UK: four jesmonite coasters, each 10 cm (about 4 inches) square, with a matching holder, in black, grey or light marble effect. This pick is the version with feet.

Best for:

Hosts who'd like guests to put drinks down without a second thought.

Why choose this:

Coasters are a small thing hosts reach for constantly, and the holder keeps the set together between parties.

Good to know:

The shop says the coasters are not waterproof, so spills need wiping up right away. They're made to order in a few days and ship from the UK. Returns are accepted within 30 days.

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7 A Linen Dinner Party Guest Book

A handbound dinner party book with a linen cover, a gold-foil "Dinner Parties" title and a ribbon marker. Its 80 cream pages have sections for the guest list, seating and table design, the menu, and entertainment or conversation topics.

Best for:

Hosts who like to remember who came, what they served and where everyone sat.

Why choose this:

It turns their dinner parties into a record they can look back on, and it helps when planning the next one.

Good to know:

The pages are printed in both English and Italian. The shop's FAQ calls it non-personalized, even though a personalization field appears on the listing. It ships from the UK, and returns aren't accepted.

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Created with AI assistance.