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Jenni

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Jenni is a blogger and marketing professional in Portland, Oregon. A Well Crafted Party is a blog about all the little things to celebrate in life. Follow Jenni or A Well Crafted Party with BlogLovin, RSS feed, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Home entertaining is a passion of mine because it helps bring people together. After years of working in restaurants, and tending bar, I particularly like making my home bar area well-stocked and beautiful! If you have someone in your life that enjoys breaking out the cocktail shaker showing of their own bartending skills, then this gift list is for you!

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GIft Ideas for the Home Bartender

Any of these gifts will make for a winning gift for the home bartender in your life. They range in price from less than $20 to around $120. Whether your friend or family member (or yourself) could use a new barcart or some really beautiful glassware, may the shopping commence!

Bar cart
  1. Bar cart: A glass and gold bar cart is a statement maker! I love that this one comes on wheels. The cart comes in gold, rose gold, or black.
  2. Crystal Mixing Glass: I use my crystal mixing glass ALL THE TIME. It is not only a beautiful way to put together a drink, but such a great tool for any home bar.
  3. Shaker Set: Every bartender needs a good shaker, jigger, strainer, etc. This Gold Cocktail Shaker Set has it all! If silver is more the vibe for the home-bartender you’re shopping for, then this cocktail shaker set is an affordable option with all the necessities!

A great way to make a cocktail sing is to add a few dashes of bitters or utilize a delicious syrup as a mixer. Get some great suggestions on ways to use bitters from Food & Wine. These are some of my favorites which would make great gifts. You can purchase them online or you can purchase many of them in a good specialty market or liquor store!

  1. Scrappy’s Bitters: Scrappy’s is a household name for a reason! They make unique and flavorful bitters that brighten an Old Fashioned or make a Manhattan! Two of my favorites from Scrappy’s are the Grapefruit Bitters and their classic Aromatic Bitters.
  2. Portland Syrups: Yes, I am a bit biased since I am based out of Portland, but these syrups are delicious! They work great in cocktails, but are also wonderful with sparkling water to make a tasty soda! Give a gift of a Portland Syrups Sampler or pick out a flavor you’re sure they’ll love!
  3. The Bitter Housewife Cardamom Bitters: This bottle of bitters is a staple in my bar. I love the taste of the cardamom bitters instead of traditional bitters in many of my cocktails over the holidays. Adds such a delicious spice to my drink!

    I have a lot of glassware in my home bar. I really love the feel of a beautiful glass and how it can highlight a drink be it water or a tasty cocktail. These sets of vintage-inspired designs are both in my bar and on my personal wishlist!

    1. Vintage Flamingo Belle Coupe Glasses: These glasses are in my home bar as we speak. They made for a gorgeous presentation for my Spiced Cranberry Negroni Cocktail during last year’s holiday celebrations! The box that they come in is an added treat. It makes for a truly beautiful gift to open!
    2. Vintage Art-Deco Ribbed Collins Glasses: A collins glass is a classic and is incredibly versatile! This belongs in any home whether they have a bar or not. They make for lovely water glasses on a set table just as well as highlighted glassware sitting upon a bar.
    3. Vintage Art-Deco 1920s Lowball Glasses: Lowball glasses, similar to collins glasses, are versatile and classics for that reason. This size and shape of lowball glasses are great for those cocktails with large ice cubes!
    1. Smoker Kit: If your home bartender is playing with more nuanced drinks, this a cocktail smoker kit is a fun thing to find under the tree!

    Searching for the right gift for someone can be a task, especially during the holiday season. If you have a loved one that enjoys making cocktails and hosting others in their home bar, then you’ll be sure to make their holiday with anything on the above list!

    Be the reason your friends and family are thankful this Thanksgiving get-together by bringing one of these delicious Thanksgiving cocktails to share. Each of these beverages are simple with limited numbers of ingredients (making them great to bring to an event) but they have also been tried and enjoyed by many groups of friends who all gave their thumbs up reviews! Utilize some of the best flavors of fall— pear, apple, cranberry, and spice— to create cocktails for Thanksgiving this year!

    This post contains affiliate links marked with an asterisk (*). Affiliate links help this blog by providing a small portion of a sale from purchases made from the link without extra cost to the purchaser. Thank you for helping to support this blog and its content!

    Fall-Flavored Drink Recipes Perfect for Thanksgiving Cocktails!

    Spiced Pear Cocktail featuring Wild Roots Vodka - A Well Crafted Party

    Pears are often overlooked. They are the subtle and most delicious fruit of the Fall in my opinion! This spiced pear cocktail is similar. It is sweet, but not overly so. It is spicy, but again, not overly so.. making it just right for your Thanksgiving cocktail this year! Serve it in a martini glass* and garnish with a slice of pear! Click on the image above to access the full recipe!

    apple cider margarita with brown sugar and cinnamon rim

    Apple Cider is a classic flavor profile for Fall and for your Thanksgiving drink. Make it a party by adding the classic citrus elements of a margarita! Due to the sweetness of apple cider this Apple Cider Margarita is made without Sour Mix. This drink is best served in a rocks glass*, don’t forget to rim it in brown sugar and cinnamon! Click on the image above to access the full recipe!

    Yes, I obviously love apple cider during the Fall season… but, let me tell you, bourbon and apple cider BELONG TOGETHER! This fall Bourbon Sparkling Apple Cider Cocktail is extra refreshing with the addition of sparkling wine making it a great opening cocktail for your Thanksgiving festivities! While you can make this cocktail with an apple brandy of your choice, I love the Wild Roots Apple & Cinnamon Vodka for the natural flavors and kick of spice! Click the image for full recipe.

    I know, I know… the apple is a theme. This one though is NOT an Apple Cider cocktail! Though I do enjoy a good apple cider cocktail, this Spiced Apple Cocktail brings the spice and flavor without being overly sweet. The cinnamon flavor is EXCELLENT in this cocktail. The secret to this cocktail is a spiced simple syrup that really comes together with a day in the fridge, so get started on this one a bit early! These beautiful belle coupe glasses* are available on Amazon! They are some of my favorite cocktail glasses! Click the image above for the full recipe!

    Pear and Apple Cider Sangria // A Well Crafted Party

    We’re mixing these two fall fruits together for this Thanksgiving cocktail! Sangrias are such a great beverage for a crowd. This drink is no exception. Mix together the wonderful flavors of pear and apple then fortify it with bourbon for this Pear and Apple Sangria! The soaked fruit then become a treat at the end! Click the image above for the full recipe!

    Spicy Cranberry Cocktail | A Well Crafted Party

    While I originally created this cocktail for Christmas (the red color is fantastic, isn’t it?) the flavor of cranberry is very much a Thanksgiving staple. This slightly spicy Chipotle Cranberry Cocktail will be exceptional paired with turkey and the heavier dishes from the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

    Filled with the best flavors of Fall, any of these drinks will be great Thanksgiving cocktails! May your Thanksgiving be filled with merriment and fun. Drink safely, of course, and monitor your dear Uncle who will inevitably bring up politics after one or two of these tasty drinks. Happy Thanksgiving from me and my family to yours!

    Tips for Hosting a Holiday Wrapping Party Ladies Night

    1. Provide holiday gift wrapping materials, but also encourage guests to bring their own, especially if they are doing something special for the holidays. If you’re using a theme in the wrapping materials provided (classic Christmas colors, winter whites, or brown paper to wrap up with string) then add that to the invitation.
    2. Don’t forget to have some fun gift toppers and tags. Download my free printable holiday gift tags to print off on cardstock or label paper to top packages!
    3. Provide some savory snacks that are easy to grab and eat. Charcuterie boards, vegetable platters, savory pastries, and small appetizers are great for this type of event. Add in some cookies to round it all off!
    4. Let guests serve themselves drinks by providing a hot cocoa bar. Include some sparkling waters and perhaps wine to round out the menu, but let the hot cocoa be the star!

    Give your friends an excuse to get away and still get things done— invite them to a Holiday Gift Wrapping Party!