Madame's 2023 Holiday Gift Guide
Hostess presents and gift ideas for the people in your life that love to entertain, gather around table, and serve up joy.
As I do every year, I debate if I need to make a holiday gift guide or not. There are so many out there and I hesitate if I need to add to the “noise.” Also I am always so skeptical of most gift guides because of affiliate links or the idea of pushing people to buy things they may not need. (Side note: I fully respect content creators and the need to make money off their ideas and influence. I just wonder if they will also suggest things if they aren’t going to profit from it also. #deepthoughts ) I have also been cracking up at some of the ridiculous gift guides out there and
has a really funny post about ridiculous luxury gift suggestions.Two years ago my gift guide came out a week and some days before Christmas and last year I skipped it all together. However this year, a few people actually DM’d me asking if I was doing a gift guide so decided to curate a little something and do it in a semi-timely manner. And I say semi because these guides have been showing up in my inbox since late October, so this is probably too late already.
This gift guide focuses on gifts you can take as a host/hostess present and suggestions for people in your life that like to entertain. And no I don’t profit from any of the links, but yes I do profit from products that I suggest from my Madame de la Maison shop.
Enjoy and look out for another post or two this week because I am feeling extra inspired and energized. Bisous xx, Ajiri
FOOD & DRINKS
Fanciulle olive oil is one of my top presents to gift hosts and friends. I always get a text about how insanely delish it is. It’s the kind of olive oil that makes you plan a meal or a moment that involves wiping bread around to inhales this oil. I was gifted this olive oil by the maker, Jem Macy, an American wine and olive oil maker who lives in Tuscany and have been ordering cases ever since. She ships worldwide so head over and order toute de suite.
My friend and her husband run La Compagnie Français des Poivres et des Epices, a cute little spice shop in Saint Germain-des-Pres. She recently brought over a can of these Poivre Vert Fermenté au Sel, which translates to Fermented Salted Green Peppercorns and now I am hooked. I have about 5 cans of these in my gift closet. I like eating them alone, spreading on salads, or even salmon. The possibilities are endless and it’s a very unique gift to treat someone to different spices from a little cute shop in Paris. These make a great host present or pair it with your favorite french cookbook as a Christmas gift.
I have been gifting boxes of salt from Gruissan since my first visit to the shop and the restaurant, La Cambuse du Saunier, on the pink salt flats in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. It’s such a simple gift but in my opinion the presentation with the wax seal and the brut salt inside feels like a more thoughtful than some other salt tins. I only recently found out they deliver but I still like to stock up when I traveling in that area.
I love the charming packaging from this little company Esprit Provence. The spices and the teas come in these charming country chic tins. It looks like something you would find in a market in Aix-en-Provence.
I stumbled upon Tails while trolling Monoprix and while I love mixing cocktails at my bar, it’s equally nice when the proportions are all prepared then you can shake with ice and just pour.
Your friend who is a Francophile and sober or damp will appreciate beautifully packed alcohol free apéritif from french brand, Jardins.
I find the labels of Seedlip so beautiful and any flavor you choose of this non-alcoholic spirit will be a beautiful addition to any bar cart.
I know, I know…why am I recommending Brad Pitt’s Gardener Gin? Because I tried it while I was in Provence and it is damn good actually. Plus it has a story and connections to the south of France and who doesn’t love a present with a story.
Speaking of stories, I was invited to taste Ruinart’s new cuvee, Blanc Singulier 18, which was described as “complex to make and simple to enjoy.” It’s rare for houses to make new cuvee’s and this is the result of the changing climate and soil in Champagne. You can read more about it on their website, which makes it an extra special present and not just any old bottle of champagne as a present.
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