Gift Guide: For the Host and Hostess

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I’m so grateful that Daniela has taken time out of her very busy schedule to share four amazing gift guides on White Cabana. Her earlier guides, in case you missed them, focused on babies and toddlers, tweens and teens, her and him.  In this last guide, she’s sharing more original ideas for the host. Or, as she told me, thoughtful “just because” gifts. And, yup, that’s Daniela…always thinking of others!

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Are you always stuck for what to bring to that dinner party or holiday drop-in? Or maybe you’re stuck on ideas for a small token for a teacher, coworker, or friend? This list is made up of affordable (under $30, with the exception of one!) items that cater to all types of people, but it is especially geared towards those drop-in visits and dinner parties we attend more frequently this holiday season.

Candles. Who doesn’t love a nice smelling candle? This one comes wrapped so nicely, so it’s ready for gift giving!

candle, $14 CAD (on sale), Chapters Indigo

Ornaments are great for those of us who celebrate the holidays with a tree. An ornament is a thoughtful gift your recipients will remember you by year after year. These ones are monogrammed with an initial and can be given by first or last name.

monogram ornament, $6 CAD (on sale), Chapters Indigo

The pineapple trend is still hot, and people are incorporating pineapples in home décor and accent pieces. This pineapple jar can be used for anything “dry,” or it can be left out empty. In addition to it being a trendy item, pineapples signify warmth, friendship, and hospitality. These are all the things you receive when going to visit friends and family over the holidays.

pineapple storage jar, $22.49 CAD (on sale), Well

The store Saje started off with only a few locations, but now you can find many all around. It has the best essential oils and aromatherapy items for home and body healing. No doubt this store will continue to grow and thrive as people are increasingly pursuing personal wellness. This great housewarming gift is priced just under $30.

electric ceramic diffuser, $29.95 CAD, Saje

Know anyone who loves stationery? Eighty Seventh St. is a Canadian company founded by Monica Smiley. Be sure to follow her on Instagram for great illustrations that are sure to bring a smile to your face. These items found online are sure to please the stationery-lover in your life.

notes, $12.50 CAD, Eighty Seventh St.

all occasion boxed notecards, $20 CAD, Eighty Seventh St.

greeting cards, Eighty Seventh St.

L’Occitane En Provence is sure to please anyone on your list. Below are two well-priced hostess/host gifts. I am a big fan of the hand cream and lip balm. They’re packaged beautifully in true “French” fashion.

shea butter holiday bauble, $14 CAD, L’Occitane

shea hugs and kisses, $20 CAD, L’Occitane

Who doesn’t love a magazine subscription? The gift of reading is perfect every time. Start someone’s year off right with a subscription to Style at Home, since it is priced perfectly, and it’s gift that will have your friends thinking of you each month.

Style at Home year subscription, $23.95 CAD for print, $19.95 for digital

As a true coffee lover, I can’t start my day without two cups. I have to draw attention to my favorite coffee – Dineen Coffee Company. We drive here monthly to pick up a few bags of their beans which we grind at home each morning. When I say “we,” I really mean my husband. There is really nothing like a good quality cup of coffee. If you happen to be in the Toronto area, trust me, buying someone a nice bag of Dineen’s temperance roast will not disappoint. It truly is my favorite cup of coffee.

Dineen Coffee

I know that many people won’t be able to make it down to Toronto, so on the subject of coffee, if you have a coffee lover on your host/hostess list, this coffee maker is not only one of a kind, but it makes an incredible cup of coffee. It is on the higher end of my price point for a hostess gift. However, if you know someone who really loves coffee, they will thank you each time you visit by making an exceptional tasting cup. And, cool bit of info, this Chemex coffee maker is featured in the MOMA in NYC!

Chemex coffee maker, $47.99 CAD (on sale), Well

Happy shopping!

– Daniela

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Oh my goodness, Daniela! You’ve shared another excellent gift guide today! Thank you! I hope you get spoiled this holiday season!

Guest Post: Celebrating This Life’s Christmas Home Tour

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I’m so happy to welcome fellow Waterloo-region-based blogger, Rox-Anne from Celebrating This Life, to White Cabana this Monday morning! Rox-Anne and I met via Twitter, then in person, and we’ve been having fun every since. We were fortunate to explore Scandinave Spa and Langdon Hall together, and we always seem to have loads to talk and laugh about when we’re together. I also absolutely love that Rox-Anne and her family do so much traveling both near and far. They always have fun stories to share!

We’re all in luck today because Rox-Anne is bringing us into her home and showing off her white Christmas decor. So, enough of my voice, let’s hear from Rox-Anne…

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Hello! I’m Rox-Anne, the blogger behind Celebrating this Life, a travel and lifestyle blog. I love styling my home for the holidays and decided to take a page from Jordana’s book and try an all white décor theme for my kitchen. I recently painted my cabinets Cloud White from Benjamin Moore. They were originally a light coloured wood, and I am just so amazed at how much the white brightens the room! I also installed some shelving, bought a wine rack, and installed a backsplash and a marble window sill. I still have a few more projects lined up (is any home décor update really ever done?). Kitchen lighting is first on my list.

Jordana was kind enough to let me take over White Cabana today to show you how I have been able to incorporate more white into my holiday décor.

CTL x WC 1

I came up with this window treatment after finding some birch logs in my garage. I used two pieces of fishing wire and using gold push tacks, attached them to my window trim. I very carefully added some greenery (make sure to mist to prevent the greenery from drying), attached a few white and silver Christmas ornaments with fishing wire, and carefully arranged a few sets of 12 wire lights on top.

CTL x WC 2

These lights are great for adding a little sparkle and they run on a watch battery. Just make sure to tuck the on and off switch under some greenery. ($5.99 each at Sheridan Nurseries) I used two sets on my larger window and one set for my smaller kitchen window.

CTL x WC 3 An adult hot chocolate bar, with my white and gold monogrammed mugs from Williams Sonoma, was a great way to fend off the cold air this weekend.

CTL x WC 4I recently installed these simple kitchen shelves made with cut MDF board from Lowe’s. It’s a great place for displaying my collection of milk glass, and the remote control candles I bought from Costco two Christmases ago add a nice glow to the room. Oh, and yes that is my ever-growing collection of Colonel Sanders dolls beside the stove. It started as a joke and is now a prized collection!

CTL x WC 5

My boys (I have two teenage sons) were out for the night so that left AMH (my hubby) and I on our own for dinner. I set the kitchen island for dinner for convenience but that didn’t mean I skimped on my tablescape!

CTL x WC 6I started with a set of rattan chargers from Target and added a dinner plate, salad plate, also from Target, with an angular soup bowl and small appetizer plate I purchased at a dollar store. My favorite Ralph Lauren water glasses, purchased at HomeSense, added a touch of sparkle to the table. Some white napkins, my everyday cutlery, a few white roses with red berries (a farmer’s market find), and a candy dish of scotch mints (I always have a dish of scotch mints in the kitchen) completed the simple, elegant all white look.

Thanks so much for reading and thank you to Jordana for having me. I hope you have enjoyed this little peak into my attempt at adding more white into my décor! Feel free to visit me at Celebrating This Life.

Cheers!
Rox-Anne

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Thanks, Rox-Anne! Your house is perfectly festive, and I’m impressed by how much white you have in your kitchen. I’m always on the lookout for Colonel Sanders figures for you, but they’re tough to find!

And for White Cabana readers who want to see how I decorate for Christmas, hop on over to Celebrating This Life today as I took over the blog!