Your Hostess Gift Guide

Whenever you are invited to someone’s home for an evening or longer visit, it is appropriate to bring a hostess gift. This token helps to thank your hostess for the time, money, and energy she devoted to making your visit a good one. Hostess gifts can range from bottles of wine to Arte Italica tabletop accessories, and the size of your present should be determined by the significance of your stay; a weekend visit to a friend’s cottage warrants a larger gift than a two-hour dinner party, for example.

Although wine is often considered a classic hostess gift, this present is actually fraught with problems. First, unless you know that your hostess drinks alcohol, you can’t be sure that your gift will even be used. Additionally, wine is a temporary gift – after the bottle is empty and the glasses washed, what will be left of your present?

For a more lasting gift, we recommend choosing among the tabletop accessories and beverage dispensers from top brands like Arte Italica. If you’re worried about the expense, you might consider organizing a cumulative present from several guests, thus ensuring that your hostess receives one enduring gift, as opposed to half a dozen bottles of wine.

Brilliant Barware: Our Favorite Wine Glasses

A fine wine deserves a fine wine glass, wouldn’t you say? You can enhance your reds, whites, pinks, champagnes, and more with elegant and innovative barware. Check out a few of our favorite products below.

Double Blind Tasting Glasses: Ravenscroft Crystal has done it again! Pictured on the right, this opaque black glass makes it impossible to see what you’re drinking, which is great for formal wine tastings and casual gatherings alike. We can't think of a better way to test the knowledge of all those sommeliers-in-training you know.

Bella Bianca Wine Glasses: Arte Italica’s Bella Bianca series is known for its refined items for the home, and barware is no exception. Featuring subtle rippled glass and innovative silhouettes, Bella Bianca stemware is truly irresistible.

Animale Wine Glasses: Everybody will get something different when you pull out your assorted Animale wine glasses by Arte Italica. Each glass features a unique pewter head depicting a bull, bear, ram, or fox.

Minerale Wine Glasses: Uniquely textured out of mouth-blown glass, Minerale stemware for red and white wine is a conversation starter flattering to any vintage. Guests will love the way the modern shape contrasts with the timeless bubbled surface, hand-crafted in Italy by Arte Italica.

Arte Italica Beverage Dispensers and Serveware

Whether you're shopping for yourself or a friend or family member, Arte Italica is definitely something to consider. Known for its elegance and class, Arte Italica is a go-to manufacturer for beverage dispensers, serveware, and more.

One of our favorite collections is the line of Vetro beverage dispensers, featuring a blown glass shape and accents in either silver or gold. These Arte Italica pitchers are sure to showcase any beverage, not to mention your hostess skills.

Alternatively, you may prefer some serveware from the Arte Italica Bella Bianca collection. A fine example of Arte Italica ceramics, these impressive products are pristine white with subtle and intricate beaded designs, featuring soothing swirls and charming rosettes.

Choose a set of standard Bella Bianca serveware to craft refined place settings evocative of old Italy with chargers, dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls, cups, and saucers. Or enhance your collection with specialty products like round and oval platters, soup tureens, dipping bowls, mugs, trays, and more. Best of all, you can find all of these Arte Italica products at significant discounts at www.ElegantTabletop.com.

Bridal Shower Gifts with a Personal Touch — Tabletop Accessories & More

Whether she's hoping for tabletop accessories, serveware, or bar glasses, a bride-to-be will assist her guests in the gift-giving process by creating her own bridal shower registry. Registries are fantastic tools to ensure the lucky lady gets exactly what she wants, but for some gift givers, arranging to have a present shipped to the bride lacks a certain personal touch.

Let's look at some easy ways to personalize bridal shower gifts:

Tabletop accessories. Coveted by brides-to-be everywhere, tabletop accessories combine form with function to create perfect usable pieces. To capitalize on said function—and make your gift stand out from the crowd—order an appropriate accompanying gift such as a bag of luxury chocolates for a candy dish or bouquet of roses for a glass vase.

Serveware. Plates, platters, bowls, and more are all standard bridal shower gifts, but as most homeowners know, setting a table is about more than just arranging the porcelain. To help the new bride find her way, give her fabric napkins or napkin rings in colors that coordinate with your serveware.

Glassware. When you pick out a set of elegant champagne flutes or sturdy highball glasses, you know the budding bride didn't request these items to drink soda and juice. To personalize your barware, supplement your present with a bottle of champagne or a kit for blending mixed drinks.