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The best hosts make entertaining look easy — but we know the truth: Hosting an enjoyable gathering takes serious work.
So say thank you to the party planners in your life by arriving at the soiree, ugly sweater party, tree decorating, gift swap or gala with something special just for the host. We’ve rounded up a short list of gifts that prioritize personality and thoughtfulness over jingle — and are sure to get you invited back.
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Since it's the thought that counts, we put a lot of thought into the LAist gift guide for 2025. The gifts will be well received too, of course.
Write on! Fun and fabulous fountain pen ($38)
This pen was developed in 1935 and remains a classic.
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Bert Youn
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Style meets substance with the Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen in orange at The Good Liver in downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District. The compact classic with a lightweight plastic body and gold-plated cap was developed in 1935 and remains just as distinctive today. Each pen is equipped with a medium nib and one blue ink cartridge.
Rock ‘n’ Roll bottle stopper ($20)
Nothing is more rock 'n' roll than not wasting wine.
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Suck UK
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A bottle of wine or spirits is a welcome gift for most holiday gatherings. Kick it up a notch with an unexpected punch of personal style. Rock On Bottle Topper from the GRAMMY Museum Store.
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Flowery finishing salt ($21)
Your host might decide to use this gift right away.
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Loria Stern
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Pretty and practical, Flowersalt by botanical baker, Loria Stern of Eat Your Flowers offers an extra special combination of flaky finishing salt and edible flower petals. Sprinkle it atop cheese boards, dips, salads, soups and even dark chocolate desserts to elevate both taste and style.
Classic California vase ($55)
Yes, flowers make a great host gift. But flowers in a thoughtful vase are even better.
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Museum Associates
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LACMA
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Flowers are always a thoughtful gesture — especially when presented in a giftable container. The Bauer 9-inch Ringware Vase in turquoise by Bauer Pottery Company of Los Angeles at the LACMA Store allows the party to get started without a mad dash to put the bouquet into water. The vase will serve as a wonderful reminder of your kindness long after the party is over.
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Pro tip: A floral foray into a Trader Joe’s is a wallet-friendly way to fill a vase. Cut the bottoms of the stems (for the best length and freshness) before arranging.
Tarot cards with hip-hop attitude ($17.85)
For the mystical hip-hop head who's hosting.
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Blue Monday Press
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What’s in the cards for 2026? The Hip Hop Tarot deck at the GRAMMY Museum Store features all 22 Major Arcana cards reimagined rapper-style to predict the future in the mystical, musical year ahead. MF Doom graces the Hermit card, RZA is crowned as the Hierophant and Tupac Shakur is cast as the grim reaper.
Flower bowl ($65)
These bowls are designed and made by OWIU Goods in L.A.'s arts district.
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Courtesy of OWIU Goods
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Bowl them over. Designed and hand made by a member of the Only Way is Up (OWIU Goods) team in their arts district studio, no two Sakura Flower Bowls are exactly alike. With petal-like curves and a dreamy, ephemeral glaze, the bowl was inspired by travels to Japan and intended for use at the table, in ceremony or as a daily part of a mindful matcha ritual.
Candle with a wink ($148)
We can't lie. We like this candle.
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Poured New York
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Here’s a cheeky gift for the right person: the Negroni Nights Booty Candle at Los Angeles-based online retailer Here & Always. It features a fresh citrus, botanical and herb scent and is captured in a sexy, sculptural brass form.
Journal as art object ($19.99)
A perfect companion for someone who loved "The Book of Alchemy."
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Courtesy of Suleika Jaouad
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Wish them the best in the new year. The Alchemy Journal: Part Diary, Part Sketchbook, Part Laboratory for Your Mind at Los Angeles-based Skylight LA is New York Times best selling author Suleika Jaouad’s answer to the perfect journal. Designed with a tactile leather cover to serve as a creative companion to her bestseller, The Book of Alchemy, Jaouad hopes others will find the same joy, clarity, refuge and sense of self in journaling that she does: “I reach for the page like I reach for prayer: to plead, to confess, to commune, to remember that all is not chaos, all is not lost.”
Get some Goodies (nothing over $25)
Goodies stocks thoughtfully sourced home goods, and nothing is more than $25.
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Pornchai Mittongrare
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With four stores in Southern California, Los Angeles-based retailer Goodies is on a mission to level the playing field when it comes to contemporary style. The egalitarian stockist offers thoughtfully sourced ceramics, marble, wood, and woven home goods and accessories such as decorative catchalls, vases, candles, baskets and more — with nothing priced over $25. Chic, modern style, with minimalist price tags, like the Goodies Mini Market Tote, $5.
A reference for the next gathering ($30)
"Having People Over" is a celebration of hospitality.
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Ten Speed Press
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Having People Over: A Modern Guide to Planning, Throwing and Attending Every Type of Party by best selling author Chelsea Fagan at Pasadena-based Vroman’s Bookstore is a celebration of radical hospitality. Fagan’s new release offers tips for optimizing party space, planning an unforgettable dinner (from mood board to menu!) and mixing up cocktails and mocktails. It also offers pointers for being a good guest when the party shoe is on the other foot. From inspiring tablescapes to charcuterie board maps, Having People Over is the perfect read for the most entertaining of friends.
Hand-printed and dyed bandana ($40)
A print inspired by sunny Southern California gardens on a bandana is a perfect addition to a Southern California host gift.
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Museum Associates
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LACMA
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This piece is inspired by LACMA’s Deep Cuts: Block Printing Across Cultures exhibit featuring William Morris’ classic Textile Rose pattern. The Los Angeles-based sisters at Block Shop drew from the poppies in their own sunny SoCal gardens to create a collection exclusively for the LACMA Store. Wrap the Block Shop x LACMA Bandana around a freshly baked (and packaged!) loaf of bread or on the handle of a gift bag of your best homemade cookies.
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If you know Altadena Hardware, Pomona's 6 Ps logo, Chef's Coffee Shop ... then you know. -
The AirTalk host recommends coffee table books about Art Deco and car culture, as well as a book about Shohei Ohtani and a guide to Hollywood careers. -
Gardeners will be itching for springtime when they unwrap these items. And plant parents will be overjoyed to add to their collections.
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Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
