Host Fancy Nights In: 37 Essentials For Home Soirées

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a day ago

A lidded charcuterie board to help you prep the perfect spread ahead of time and keep it in the fridge and/or covered before its great reveal. It'll also come in handy when prepping to serve your charcuterie somewhere else because this is built to travel with wells for different elements and a locking lid.
A shaker of edible cocktail glitter can jazz up anything you're drinking without compromising the taste or consistency of your beloved lemonade Crystal Light packet you mixed with vodka because we have cocktails at home. Take it from someone who's used it, a little goes a loooong way.
Big Dip Energy, my pal Alyse's dip-centric cookbook CHOCK full of crowd-pleasing recipes that'll be way more scrumptious than whatever "elevated" French onion dip you ordered at your last happy hour. I've taste-tested about a dozen of these recipes and can confirm that if you'd like to just eat dip as a meal for the rest of your life (same), then you need this in your life.
A trio of nesting cabbage serving bowls to awe and delight when you dump a bag of a novelty potato chip flavor you took a gamble on into the largest one. (Zapp's Cajun-Dill Gator Tators? Sure!) Plus, they're great for everyday use! You don't have to (and shouldn't) reserve the fun stuff for when you have guests.
A pair of grooved paddles will help you make butter balls to serve with sliced sourdough or even gnocchi if you're feeling REAL ambitious. Cue to me remembering how I just paid $15 for two (quite good!) dinner rolls and a dab of butter at a NYC wine bar....
A quilted chenille floor pillow can help out if you're short on seating and use floor space when you entertain. Now you're halfway to a pillow fort — which also could be fun to do at home!
A set of spicy margarita instant cocktail tea bags if deep down, all you want to do is sip a marg the size of your head with your pals while you go IN on some queso and chips. With these beauts, you simply steep in cold water and tequila (unless you're going the mocktail route) for your next-to-no-effort marg.
Or some Espresso Martini Instant Cocktail Tea Bags from the same company if you aren't hoping everyone will leave by 9 p.m. Heck, it's Thursday night and everyone's in their comfy cozies. There are worse things!
Some ~spiral~ taper candles that'll deliver a whole lot more pizzazz than the regular ones. If you're looking to bit of a tablescape on the cheap, these are great and look splendid unlit.
Or flameless LED "candles" can flicker like the real thing and bring some ambiance where you want, also like the real thing! Except without worrying about having to babysit them.
A faux poenies bouquet that'll run you less than if you bought an actual bouquet once. (But still more expensive than just picking some from your neighbors...but you shouldn't do that without permission.)
A bottle of truffle seasoning, because at this point, I think I've spent a small fortune on truffle fries outside of my home. Time to start whipping 'em up myself with some frozen french fries!
A set of petite vintage-inspired spoons guests can use to serve themselves up some dipping sauces or condiments, or stir their post-food coffees.
A set of six dipping bowls perf for individual portions of dipping sauces or condiments on a charcuterie display. Heck, even some Costco yellow mustard feels chicer when served up in one of these! Plus, the mismatched patterns helps people remember whose is whose and gives off the "I picked these up at a cute little boutique" vibe.
A wine aerator pourer you can pop directly onto a bottle of wine instead of clearing some room on your bar cart or in your kitchen cabinet for a full-on decanter. With this, you can even present the wine bottle to your friend like they ordered it off a handwritten, seasonal wine menu instead of you being drawn to the cool label in the store.
And a set of pastel sheer rainbow wineglasses will give off the eclectic vibe you want, rather than the one your current collection is giving — a mishmash of glasses you nicked from bars and took home from winery tastings.
Plus, a bottle of Drop It, a natural wine sulfate and tannin remover that'll address the stuff that tends to give you hangovers. Time to bust out that red that's been hiding on the back of your bar cart for who knows how long.
A simple tablecloth you can throw over a card table or your coffee table even (floor party!) to give you more space to entertain without worrying about you friend who's notorious for forgetting coasters exist.
And a 10-pack of cloth napkins to opt for over a paper towel (though that's ALSO effective) to help really ~elevate~ your air-fried tots and frozen pizza dinner. A (not cheap) neighborhood joint I frequent has similar cloth napkins and they're always so charming, even though I know that's what I'm getting when I order food every single time!
A charming vintage-style speaker so you can create your own ~listening bar~ like that place you went to for birthday drinks. But because it's YOUR place you can put on whatever album you want. May I suggest moisturizer by Wet Leg?!
A chic candle warmer to help make your scent of the moment last for wayyyyyy longer. At least at home, you can easily use the bathroom overhead light, unlike at a trendy place where the washroom is apparently lit ONLY by candlelight?! We've all been to some of those places, right?
Plus, a luxury-scented candle *without* a luxury price. If your friend who's over for the night asks if you're burning a Le Labo Santal 33, just tell 'em yes and move on. This jasmine, oud, and sandalwood blend def has those vibes. (Though this'll run you as much as $50+ less.)
Waterproof globe string lights will really set the mood for your patio instead of having to wait at least 30 minutes for a table at that romantic Italian joint with the lasagna that makes your mouth water just thinking about it.
Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions you can use to really build up your mixology skills (it's even bartender-approved!) with recipes for all kinds of popular cocktails *and* tips on how to make some stuff your own with ingredients you have on hand *without* ruining a drink. It teaches you how to make six "root" cocktails and then builds from there.
A Thermacell mosquito repellent that'll also serve as a light source so you can squeeze in more hours on the patio without getting eaten alive by bugs. It works for a 20-foot zone, which is perfect for filling in your friends on the neighborhood gossip without the main characters of said gossip hearing your chat.
Plus, a tabletop fly fan that'll do the swatting at bugs for ya. Its steady breeze serves as a deterrent while you're just trying to enjoy the great outdoors.
A set of space-saving slim profile olive oil dispensers will look so aesthetic on your kitchen counter without hogging tons of room but you can bust 'em out for entertaining, too! And it'll remind you to use that fancy schmancy olive oil that your friend oh-so-kindly gave you for housewarming and you've been "saving for something special." Each day is special! Use the dang fancy stuff!
A set of zombie ice pop molds because it's ice-pop season but ALSO Summerween. Bust out a few of these freezer walkers and queue up the horror comedy classic Tucker & Dale vs. Evil for a little dinner and a show. Listen, you can still have a fancy night at home and enjoy some quality horror!
An adorable three-piece nesting bakeware set to help you whip up and serve all kinds of gorgeous eats. Anything will look extra aesthetic served straight from one of these beauts! Pss, this set is like a first cousin of the similar $200 four-piece Our Place set — at less than a quarter of the price. Plus, it's dishwasher-, microwave-, and oven safe up to 450 degrees F.
Or a trio lasagna pan so everyone in the friend group can get some to their liking!
A Stanley Tucci cookbook in case watching his excellent show Tucci in Italy has spurred the friend group chat to actually book an Italy trip BUT you're determined to divert some of your going-out-to-eat budget to the trip planning. This will be some excellent, delicious motivation!
And a set of shallow pasta bowls for your Big NIght at home. (Yes, you could even queue up that Tucci movie for your at-home hang!) You don't have to put pasta in these, but it'll look mighty fine in them! Plus, they'll be great for everyday use so you aren't investing in something that's just for entertaining!
A fondue set with color-coded forks you can use for cheese *or* chocolate. If you've never had a fondue night with friends, you're truly missing out on things. It's also a great way to get through some food that's about to go bad, like broccoli, apples, and more!
Some pistachio cream you can use to whip up something Dubai chocolate–adjacent (like this reviewer's cake), gelato, tiramisu, or just as a charcuterie spread!
A set of silicone teacup cupcake liners to help you craft a delish dessert ahead of time in the most adorable fashion. Then you can reuse them over and over again after you awe your pals and they ask for a repeat night in!
A set of flower petal dessert glasses where you can plop a couple of scoops of whatever seasonal flavor of ice cream catches your eye in the freezer aisle. Throw on some sprinkles if you're feeling real fancy.
And a pack of instant cold-stirred foam caramel iced lattes in case your crew is an iced coffee year-round group and you'd love to offer up a special coffee post-dinner! These are FAR cheaper than anything you can get at an actual coffee shop (or a too-busy eatery that just got written up by the local paper).