What To Bring Your Hosts This Holiday Season

My family loves to have a little fun when bringing gifts to our hosts during the holidays (in addition to a proper present, of course).

Bacon gummies or candies are just the thing that we'll be toting to each person's place. Consider them bacon-lover approved!

With an ethereal lightness, a dainty crisp texture, and a satisfying filling that always seems to pack a flavor punch, these elegant sweets have been called the anti-cupcake by The New York Times. Once only available in France, the colorful treats have taken the U.S. by storm.

These brightly colored treats can be found in most cities at French bakeries. They are made by hand with the utmost precision, and are just the thing to gift that hard-to-please person on your list.

If you've traveled to Tuscany, then you know of these delightfully crisp, nut-studded biscotti that are served with the after-dinner coffee, tea, or glass of dessert wine.

But you don't have to travel back to Italy to get your fix, thanks to Dean and Deluca. Pair a tin of cookies with its best mate a bottle of vin santo.

The holidays aren't complete without a little indulgence, nor are the celebrations complete without something bubbly, so this gift is the perfect solution to that what-should-I-bring dilemma (After all, you don't want something that screams commitment).

Featuring a trio of carefully selected cheeses, crispy oatcakes, berry jam, and something sweet, is perfect to send ahead, with a bottle of bubbly of course.

Any meat lover or food lover will love receiving tasty Italian salami. It's perfect to put on sandwiches, serve with cheese, or snack on in the kitchen.

Salami is actually a type of cured sausage that can be used for a wide variety of things, such as peperoni for pizza.

It's a gift that is simple and delicious, with no pretense — gourmet dried soup mixes that are able to feed tons of people. And when the weather gets chilly, it's nice to have all the ingredients for soup at the ready in the pantry.

Make the hearty soup mixes in a mason jar to give your host a practical, homemade gift. You can also buy soup mixes premade at a wide variety of stores.

Everyone has those moments where they're too tired to cook, but ordering in is just not an option. Whether it's too late or you're trying to save on money, homemade gourmet sauces are a fantastic food gift. With flavor-packed harvest tomatoes, simmer sauces are great for pasta and for dipping.

Transform boneless, skinless chicken breasts into something that tastes quite indulgent by simmering them in a smoky bacon and Parmesan sauce. Added benefit? Your house will smell like you've been cooking all day. 

Jams aren't only for spreading on peanut butter or to go with crumpets at tea time. Homemade jams make a fantastic gift for party loving hosts, because they can easily be used to make impressive appetizers.

Try giving peach jam as an appetizer to place on top of cream cheese for cocktail hour, or use it to glaze chicken before grilling.

Blueberry jam is the perfect match for a lemony dessert or roast meat. We love strawberry-basil flavor on a scoop of ice cream for an instant dessert.

There is something so simple yet utterly satisfying about breaking open a fresh-baked croissant. The flaky layers, the buttery flavor, and perhaps the molten chocolate surprise inside make this the perfect Francophile treat.

For the host who can't make it to Paris this year, even though they've been practicing their French, send them a bit of Paris with a package of croissants that can be baked for breakfast the next day or for tea.

Bake up homemade croissants filled with surprise centers for your hostess! It's like taking a trip to the City of Lights without changing out of your pajamas.

Wine or chocolates are a hostess-gift standard, so why not surprise hosts with something that will truly come in handy when they're too tired to cook the next morning — breakfast staples.

From all natural peanut butter and nut-studded granola to jams and waffle mix, there isn't a bad choice to make, and you can even throw in some homemade goodies for a gift that truly suits the receiver's taste.

For the food-obsessed host who'd love to taste their way around the globe, but can't, bring some of the world's most flavorful and unctuous oils to them this year.

Buy a set of olive oils or collect different brands from different farmers markets for your gift. Don't forget to give this to your host with a fresh loaf of artisanal bread and balsamic vinegar for an olive oil tasting.

Caramel is caramel, but these caramels take the plain candy to a whole new level by putting a unique spin on traditional favorites. The pistachio caramel corn and dark chocolate caramel sauce are perfect for gifting.

Save them for a snack, or combine them together, topping a scoop of ice cream with a drizzle of sauce and a garnish of caramel corn for crunch dessert is instantly served.