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For those who don’t throw dinner parties on the regular, it’s easy to live without cocktail napkins, cheese knives, and dessert plates. But when it’s your turn to host Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation where 15 people are about to show up and you only have six wineglasses. Rather than break the bank for a one-night affair, Amazon has everything you need to make your guests feel comfortable and your table look chic. Yep, you read that right. Despite being from the depths of the giant e-tailer, these entertaining essentials are as good-looking as they are affordable. The tableware below, like recycled glass pitchers, multicolored steak knives, and a conversation-starting cheese curler, might as well be from a trendy homewares shop.
Cocktail Hour
The best thing you can do when guests arrive is to get a drink into their hands as quickly as possible. Whether you’re beginning the night with champagne, serving a house-made mint julep, or cutting straight to wine, Amazon has quite an impressive selection of glassware. Bormioli Rocco and LSA are our go-to brands, and snagging them with speedy Prime shipping makes it even easier. Other surprising cocktail hour scores are of the snack-supportive variety: marble cracker boats, Boska’s iconic cheese curler, pretty deviled egg platters, and double-wall footed caviar bowls.
The Main Course
If you’re hosting a large group, just having enough places for your guests to sit can be a challenge. Ordering some stackable stools will ensure that no one gets stuck on an office chair or piano bench, and you can tuck them away for the next party. While you’re at it, load up on affordable linen tablecloths, textural placemats, and classic dinner plates that look way more expensive than their price tag suggests. Other favorites on the menu: plucky place cards, turned wood candlesticks, solid-brass dinner bells, and extra-tall tapers. Vessels for floral arrangements are a must, too—whether it’s a cluster of ribbed-glass bud vases or a single fluted silver style centering the table.
Dessert
All great holiday parties should end with a fabulous cake worthy of being put on a pedestal (literally). Whether you’re adding a cake stand or trifle bowl to a buffet potluck or placing it as a centerpiece on the table, introducing a variety of heights is a styling trick that never fails. If you’re going the extra mile, serve your guests espresso or tea in precious cups and saucers. Other crowd-pleasing after-dinner ideas include extra-long spoons, pastry plates, and French-made footed dessert bowls.
