2017 Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday gift shopping couldn’t be easier this year. You can literally shop for everyone on your list without lifting a finger – or a heavy shopping bag – and you can do it all with a laptop and a glass of wine from the comfort of your living room.

I did some of the leg work so you don’t have to and rounded up dozens of gift ideas for the home cook, the consummate hostess, the homebody and the wine lover.

The Home Cook

People who love to cook (and incidentally, people who love to eat) are the easiest people to shop for, for holiday gifts. The kitchen is an endless arena of serving dishes, small appliances and other culinary trinkets that will delight the chef on your list.

1. Ceramic Bake Dish: Modern and minimalist, this ceramic Bake baking dish from Rae Dunn is the perfect vessel for gooey chocolate brownies. You’re welcome. $39.
2. Comfort Food Cookbook: Nourish the body and soul with the stick-to-your-ribs recipes in this delectable cookbook from Williams-Sonoma. $30.
3. Grow and Infuse Olive Oil Kit: Step up your chef game with a starter kit to grow your own rosemary and infuse your own olive oil. $40.
4. Eat Bookends: We all have too many cookbooks, so contain them with these witty “eat” bookends from World Market. $18.
5. PieBox: File this one under ‘best invention ever’ for the home baker. This pretty pie box from Food52 will let her take her favorite pie from picnics to dinner parties. Sadly, a pie is not included. From $28.
6. Signature Tartan Cast Iron Dutch Oven: Every cook needs a classic piece of Le Creuset and this enameled cast iron dutch oven even has a little bit of holiday flair. $330.
7.  Mighty Salads Cookbook: After the holidays comes January, when New Year’s Resolutions give way to kale, quinoa, flaxseed, it’s the perfect time to try some inventive new recipes from the Mighty Salads cookbook. $23.
8. Signature Cast-Iron Grill Pan: Every chef needs a great grill pan for grilling meats, seafood or vegetables — especially when it’s too cold to grill outdoors. $225.

The Consummate Hostess

I love to entertain friends and when I do, there are certain essentials that I couldn’t live without. My linen napkin collection is impressive, I love tableware and there’s no serving tray that hasn’t tempted me in Target.

When you’re holiday shopping for your friend who channels Martha Stewart, consider these great holiday gift options for the hostess in your life.

1. Mason Jar Indoor Herb Garden and Growhouse: Anyone who loves fresh herbs will appreciate a mason jar indoor herb garden from Modern Sprout– and the of course, the elegant brass growhouse to put it in. $20, $140.
2. Linen Napkins: Every hostess has a secret weakness for linen napkins. The Hearth and Hand collection from Target has chic, practical linen napkins perfect for holiday entertaining, but versatile enough for year-round. $9.99.
3. Hot Chocolate Set: Anyone with a sweet tooth will appreciate this sinful hot chocolate set from Williams-Sonoma. With classic hot chocolate and salted caramel hot chocolate, you just might make it through the long winter. $40.
4. Curd & Jam Trio: Made locally near Chicago, Rare Bird Preserves use the highest quality seasonal fruit with a thoughtful nod to the french tradition of jam-making. Serve on biscuits, crunchy French bread or just dig right into the passion fruit preserves with a spoon. $38.
5. 10-piece Punch Bowl Set: If the best hostess you know doesn’t have a punch bowl set yet, it’s probably on the top of her holiday gift wish list. This Libby Selene set comes equipped with a serving ladle and six tumblers, too. $41.
6. Marble Serving Tray: With gold handles, this marble tray from Nordstrom at Home will add a touch of sophistication to any table. $69.
7. Gold Polka Dotted Apron: Fashion meets function meets a 1960’s dinner party. A gold polka dotted apron from Anthropologie will protect her clothing from splatters and look super cute while doing it. $34.
8. Wine Gems: These chic wine gems from RabLabs, a brand known for nature-inspired decor, will keep white wine chilled and rosés ice cold on those warm summer nights. $100.

The Homebody

We all want to hibernate in the winter. After New Year’s, it’s hard to get me to leave the house until about April — unless you count those two or three sunny days Chicago throws us in February so we don’t all just jump into Lake Michigan.

Here are some gift options for the person in your life who loves to stay in and wants to get cozy this season.

1. Monogram Mug: When there’s nothing better than curling up with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate, one of these monogram initial mugs from Anthropologie is the perfect holiday gift. $5.
2. Champagne Toast Candle: You don’t need to go out on the town for a champagne toast. The champagne toast candle from Brooklyn Candle Co. is the perfect accent to a comfortable night in. $32.
3. Teddy Bear Robe: Feel warm and cozy all season long as you hibernate in this fleece-lined robe styled with bear-ear pompoms to help you channel your inner kid again. $60.
4. Get Cozy Door Mat: Anyone who has guests regularly needs a cheeky greeting. Whether the newly married couple outfitting a home or a frequent thrower of dinner parties, this will make any visitor smile. $36.
5. Flannel Girlfriend Pajamas: Pair these flannel girlfriend pajamas by Make & Model with a cozy throw, a glass of red and Netflix for the perfect Friday night. $59.
6. Less Stress Bath Cube: We could all use less stress. Toss this calming bath cube into the tub when you need to unwind and soothe tired muscles.
7. Faux Fur Throw: The ultimate in luxurious comfort, this ruched faux fur throw from Pottery Barn is reason enough not to leave the house, even if the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow. $120.
8.  Metallic Moccasin Slippers: These indoor/outdoor beauties are sparkly in all the right ways and comfy enough to wear when you’re lounging at home or taking the pup for a quick walk.

The Wine Lover

A lot of my friends like wine. We join wine clubs, we visit wine bars and we buy $6.99 bottles at Trader Joe’s. So it only makes sense that when the holidays roll around, wine related gifts would be at the top of my holiday shopping list.

If you have a friend, sister, mother-in-law or cousin who loves her reds, whites and bubbles, think outside the bottle with these fun, unpretentious wine gifts that are sure to be rated 94+.

1. Corkcicle Canteen: The outdoor enthusiast who drinks wine on the weekends needs this 25-ounce bottle made from stainless steel with triple insulation. Corkcicle Canteen keeps H2O cold in the hottest of hot yoga studios and will hold an entire bottle of white wine for summer picnic perfection. $28.
2. Cheers Champagne Flutes: Perfect for toasting all year long, these champagne flutes by Cathy’s Concepts say ‘cheers’ in four different languages. $50.
3. Wood Marble Wine Cooler: A hostess with the mostess will never serve her guests wine that isn’t perfectly chilled. This wood marble wine cooler from Crate & Barrel will look perfect on any table. $40.
4. Monogram Slate Tray & Glass Dome: She can serve her favorite party essentials on this slate tray with a glass dome from Cathy’s Concepts. $58.
5. Geo Bottle Stopper Kit: She’ll never waste a bottle of wine again with these stylish and functional wine bottle stoppers from West Elm. $49.
6. Sparkling Wine DIY Kit: No room for a backyard vineyard? Give her the holiday gift of a sparkling wine kit from Williams-Sonoma so she can make her own brunch-friendly bubbly. $80.
7. Wine Pairing Towel Set: If she likes to eat, drink and be merry, this quirky but clever wine pairing towel set will tell her exactly what to serve with that rack of lamb. $28.
8. Bubbles Canvas Wine Tote: The social wine drinker will love this decorative canvas wine from Nordstrom tote to carry wine to picnics, parties and potlucks. $25.