Christmas Gift Guide 2008: Entertaining and Hostess Gifts

November 12, 2008 by Erika  
Filed under Beauty, Fashion & Style, Giveaways, Shopping

With the Holiday Season comes the P & E — Parties and Entertaining!  From office parties to parties with family and friends, you will likely have more than one occasion to show that you are the “Hostess with the Mostess” or a gracious party guest!  Of course, we wouldn’t leave you hanging for this very important part of the Holiday Season, so Chic Shopper Chick has got you covered with everything you’ll need to survive this season of Holiday Parties!

The Perfect Holiday Dress — Each year I go in search of the perfect dress to wear to Church on Christmas Eve, as well as to all of the various parties and events that we attend throughout the season.  This year, I am so thrilled to say that I already have my dress, well before I moved into panic mode!  This year I will be wearing a flattering and gorgeous little number from ShapeFX!  When I pulled the dress out of the box I thought, wow, this isn’t going to look on me like it does on that size 2 model.  Guess what?  It looks fantastic (You know, I mean, if I do say so myself)!  I would be proud to model it anywhere — sign me up to be the new SpokesMom for ShapeFX!  Any dress that makes hubby do a double take MUST be a keeper!  Check out the full line of products from ShapeFX, including their shapewear, pants, and special occasion line!  I have no doubt that you will love this stuff as much as I do!  To prove it to you, I plan to do a post soon with some pictures of me wearing this amazing dress!

Entertaining — When I entertain, I love to have people walk in the door and say “mmmmm” because it smells so good.  Maybe it’s because of your fantastic cooking, or it could just be from a really well-scented candle.  I love to burn candles in my house, and I really like to choose ones that smell like food, like cinnamon, or buttercream.  Yankee Candles make some really great scents, and they even have a special line for the Holidays.  I especially love this Christmas Cookie Candle by Yankee Candle.  Nom Nom Nom!

Don’t forget that you also need to send out the perfect Holiday Party Invitation.  I love the great Holiday Cards from Tiny Prints! I know that you will be able to find the perfect card or invitation for your event from their hundreds of cards.

Need a great appetizer that is easy but will make your guests go “ooooh, this is fantastic!!”?  If so, check out the recipe that I posted on my blog today for an easy baked brie.

Need to jazz up your kitchen?  Check out some of the fantastic cookware, bakeware, and tableware from Emile Henry.  Their wares are simultaneously classic and modern, and I could really do some damage to my account on their website!

Hostess Gifts — You can’t be a gracious party guest without bringing the perfect hostess gift!  You don’t have to spend a fortune, but something small is always a nice token of your appreciation.  I really like this Half Apron by Jessie Steele in a Paris Print – I think it is a really sweet and adorably retro gift that any hostess would LOVE!  If you are close friends with the hostess and you know she has a sense of humor, I think she would enjoy this reprint of the classic book Entertaining is Fun!: How to Be A Popular Hostess.  Orignially published in 1941, some of the advice is outdated, but it is still a really fun read.  Not all of the advice is outdated however, because class never goes out of style!  Want to go with something smaller?  Try giving her a set of these awesome Effervescent Holiday Bath Balls – she can soak in the tub and relax after the stress of planning and hosting a Holiday Party!  Lastly, you might opt to give your hostess something that tastes as yummy as it smells!  If so, then you definitely want to order a keepsake tin of these amazing handmade bon-bons from South n France — but good luck getting them to the party without eating them! (If you missed it, you can check out my review of South n France, but I’ll warn you, it might make you drool!)

Win it! South n France has graciously offered to give away a 20 piece tin of handmade bon bons to one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader!  To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below.  (And trust me, you WANT to win this delectible treat!)

  • Visit South n France and tell me which Holiday Gift or flavor of bon bon is your favorite!  Leave a comment here telling me about it!
  • Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
    • Blog about this giveaway and link back here and to South n France. Tell me about it in a separate comment.
    • Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate comment.
    • Stumble my main webpage (www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate comment.
    • Get a Gravatar!  I’m sick of seeing those little blue and white icons.  Gravatars are universal avatars used for lots of sites, including this one – just register it with your email address.  Let me know about it.
    • Add me to your blog roll. Not just my button in your sidebar, I’d love to be on your blog roll! Let me know about it in a separate comment!

That’s it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contests ends at 11:59 pm CST on November 20th, 2008.

Don’t forget to check out the great hostess gifts and entertaining ideas that Christine at From Dates to Diapers and Kristin at An Ordinary Life have to offer you today!

Comments

398 Responses to “Christmas Gift Guide 2008: Entertaining and Hostess Gifts”
  1. PegiL says:

    The coconut bon bons are for me

  2. Jennelle Henderson says:

    I so want the fudge brownies!

  3. Catherine KingChuparkoff says:

    cafe au lait without a doubt.

  4. Rozie H. says:

    Coconut is my favorite.

  5. bev says:

    The fudge brownie ones sound really good, I like coconut too, so it would be a hard choice. Thanks for the giveaway!

  6. Pamela White says:

    Café au Lait and coconut flavors are my favorite.

  7. Rebecca C says:

    I stumbled your giveaway

    Username: wastebasketsa

    mommyhoodisthankless{AT}gmail.com

  8. Rebecca C says:

    I blogged about this giveaway: Here

    mommyhoodisthankless{AT}gmail.com

  9. Rebecca C says:

    I am a subscriber!

    mommyhoodisthankless{AT}gmail.com
    legacyofbrutalitysa{AT}gmail.com

  10. Sand says:

    The Fudge Brownie sounds incredible!

  11. Gianna says:

    I love the Fudge Brownie Bons Bons :)

  12. Michelle H. says:

    I am in the mood for cookie dough.

  13. Joy Venters says:

    coconut has always been my favorite but I’d love to try the rest of them

  14. Suanne Giddings says:

    My favorite gift is the 9 Months of South ‘n France Bon Bons. My favorite flavor is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Thank you for the opportunity to win!
    HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE !!!

  15. Tammy says:

    ooh ooh the Peanut Buttah flavor sounds so yummy!

  16. Rebecca C says:

    I got a gravatar

  17. Rebecca C says:

    I have you on my blogroll: Here

    mommyhoodisthankless{AT}gmail.com

  18. Brandy says:

    I think the 16 Piece Snowman gift set looks perfect for giving! Thanks :)

  19. Shannon says:

    fudge brownie, they all sound great though

  20. vanessa hunter says:

    OMG, coconut bon bons???? Now I can’t stop thinking about them!

  21. Michele says:

    I’m a subscriber! :-)

    Thanks so much!!
    Michele R.(CA)
    luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com
    Butterfly Whispers

  22. Michele says:

    I stumbled your mainpage, and my username is Luvkitty.

    Thanks so much!!
    Michele R.(CA)
    luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com
    Butterfly Whispers

  23. Michele says:

    You’re on my blogroll, and you button is on my sidebar, too.

    Thanks so much!!
    Michele R.(CA)
    luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com
    Butterfly Whispers

  24. Michele says:

    Oh YUMMY!!! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is my favorite Bon Bon flavor!!

    Thanks so much!!
    Michele R.(CA)
    luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com
    Butterfly Whispers

  25. Michele says:

    Well, hopefully my gravatar shows up. I uploaded an image from my computer of a kitty holding a rose. If it doesn’t work, I’ll try again. Not sure how long it takes to show up.

    Thanks so much!!
    Michele R.(CA)
    luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com
    Butterfly Whispers

  26. Jennifer V. says:

    I like the 16 piece snowman!

  27. marybeth i. says:

    16 Piece Snowman is so cute!

  28. marybeth i. says:

    I am a subscriber!

  29. marybeth i. says:

    you are on my blogroll

  30. claire says:

    I love the candles – can be a good food fake out!

  31. Patricia T says:

    Fudge Brownie sounds oooh sooo good.

  32. Patricia T says:

    entered you contest by finding it at An Ordinary Life.com

  33. Kait B. says:

    Mm-mm, Fudge Brownie. Sounds delicious.

  34. Nicole says:

    Fudge brownie looks soooo yummmy!!!

  35. Nicole says:

    oo and i entered by finding u through an ordinary life!!

  36. Kate says:

    The coconut would be amazing! I heard about this contest at An Ordinary life! Thanks!

  37. Susan P says:

    the bon bon mug with coffee is cute, thanks!

  38. Susan P says:

    sent over by An Ordinary Life, thanks!

  39. kerri says:

    I like the 32 piece flower tin very nice I like all the flavors yummy and ordinary life sent me over here!

  40. Donna K says:

    I would like the 16 Piece Winter Wonderland Tin

  41. Donna K says:

    I subscribed.

  42. Donna K says:

    I put your button on my blog roll.

  43. Donna K says:

    I signed up to get a gravitar.

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