GIFT GUIDE: The Ultimate Hostess

Struggling to find the perfect gift for the Ultimate Hostess in your life? Here are some of our favourite gift options for the hostess with the mostest that you can still order and buy in time for Christmas!

Organic tea blends: a beautiful pack of six herbal and sweet tea blends from T2. Neatly stored in tins and partnered with a perfect scoop, these loose leaf varieties will provide you with all day tea drinking bliss.

Disposable linen cocktail napkins: for the Hostess that decreases her carbon footprint, the semi-disposable lines by MYdrap are the perfect gift. These linens sold as a perforated roll can be laundered up to six times and come in 20 different colour ways and four patterns. MYdrap can meet any party needs. Available from The Country Trader.

Cocktail kit: Many a hostess’ have a couple of bottles of alcohol lying around but few claim to have a bar. Change that by sourcing a sleek sliver set that includes shaker, ice tongs, corkscrew and bottle opener.

Apron: whether she has one or not it is great to receive a beautiful apron to ensure she always stays chic in the kitchen. Visit The Bay Tree for some beautiful designs.

Smythson Inspiration and Ideas note book: order a beautiful Smythson note book via net-a-porter so  your hostess can note what worked and what didn’t.

Vintage plates: One can never have too many vintage plates for an afternoon tea or for serving petit fours at the end of a dinner party. Find them in antique shops, markets or specialty homeware stores.

So whether the Ultimate Hostess in your life is your mother, sister, friend or otherwise, she's sure to be impressed with these gifts!

GUIDE TO: New Years Eve entertaining

Have you volunteered yourself to organise the NYE celebrations for your friends? And also offered your home as the venue?

Of course at the time, you thought this was a stroke of genius but now, after the weeks of Christmas cheer and celebration, the night is fast approaching and you're no doubt feeling a little stressed! And you still need to get through Christmas Day!

There is always a bit of pressure hosting NYE celebrations – trying to ensure  the New Year gets off to a glamorous start for your guests.

But don’t worry – you are not alone! The reality is it really is no different to hosting a party on any other night of the year.

Here are some of our top tips to make it a rocking party…

1.     Offer a fun cocktail on arrival to set the tone of the evening – this could be a vodka martini, French 75, a classic Bellini or a Moscow mule.   Or be creative and devise your own delicious concoction for the evening.

2.     Prepare as much food as possible before your guests arrive. You need to make sure everyone is having a good time, including you! Try creating  a buffet that can be set up ahead of time, with a selection of salads and cold seafood, leaving only some hot food to be added when your guests are ready to eat.  .

3.     Music, music, music! This element is crucial. Spend as much time on the playlist as you do on any other element. Music needs to start with a bit of a jazz/lounge vibe and then progress into the top 40 charts as you approach midnight. As the year ticks over make sure the tunes encourage everyone to dance and have a good time!

4.     Buy an oversized clock so that you can have an official countdown with your guests.

5.      Add novelty to the event. Head to your local party shop or $2 store to buy party poppers, confetti, hats, streamers, novelty 2013 glasses, party horns – whatever you can find. Place them in a basket and hand them out to your guests before the clock hits 12. Just make sure you have enough for everyone!

And finally, make sure you have fun.  Happy New Year from all of us at Marilyn Grace!