Two years ago, Jeff Starks received a set of sustainable tea towels as a party gift. The highly absorbent towels were whimsically colorful, made from recycled bottles and fun to show off in his kitchen. Within months, Starks, co-owner of Maffrey’s in Ivanhoe Village, began carrying more than 40 designs of the towels in his shop, where gift items are chosen to celebrate Orlando, improve life on the planet, and support local businesses.

“Whenever someone’s looking for a hostess gift, I always recommend this because it’s a very, very special towel,” Starks says.

Gifts like tea towels, cheese plates, cookbooks and more can work beautifully for the party host who loves to experiment in the kitchen or keep cabinets stocked with delicious treats. If you know your host well, consider his or her style, says Julie Edwards, co-owner of the House on Lang, located in the Mills50 District.

“Think about the style of the person and how they like to entertain, or maybe they don’t entertain often, and you want to get them something super personal like a piece of local art,” says Edwards, whose shop celebrates its fourth anniversary this month. “For small gatherings of family and friends, I think the perfect host or hostess gift is a small tray or serving dish, or a lovely hand-blown vase for the kitchen counter or bar.”

To inspire gift-givers, we’ve curated a list of goods from local shops and stores that are sure to wow the host of your holiday gathering, cocktail party, or any celebration.

The Kitchen is a Host’s Happy Place

Maffrey’s: Sustainable tea towels recycled from plastic bottles in bright designs of citrus fruits, flowers, berries and more brighten the home. ($17) by Geometry. For the cocktail enthusiast, bottled drink mixers are perfect for whipping up a mean cucumber-jalapeño or orange peel and bitters cocktail ($20). Packs of sassy cocktail napkins are a perfect pairing ($7-$8). For the host or hostess who loves games, Maffrey’s obliges. Race to ring the bell of truth in True or False—can you tell fact from fiction? ($24) And here’s a gift you won’t find anywhere else—Maffrey’s signature Orange Blossom bath and body soap is made in Clermont specifically for the shop ($10).

The House on Lang: Wine glasses hand painted with sunflowers and other floral designs by Robin’s Cottage Studio, ($22). Clark & June 11 oz. candles customized to celebrate Orlando neighborhoods including the Milk District, Eola Heights, Ivanhoe Village and more. When the candle burns to nothing, you have a gold state-of-Florida embossed cocktail glass for happy hour ($34). You’ll find elegant cheese boards ($28-$58) here, a set of cheese knives ($34) and a clever bag of cheese markers ($28) to identify the cheeses—goat, brie, mild, sharp, etc.—on your board.

The House on Lang also sells cookbooks by local authors like Pam Brandon of Winter Park. Her latest, written with The Disney Chefs, is the “Official Disney Parks Celebration Cookbook featuring 101 Festival Recipes from the Delicious Disney Vault.” Signed hardcover copies of the book are available for $20 by contacting pam@pambrandon.net.

At YAY! the tiny Ivanhoe Village shop established six years ago; owner Stacy Coon swears by novelty gifts like the Chirpy Top wine bottle stopper ($29.99) shaped like a bird’s head that chirps whenever the wine is poured. Coffee lovers will delight in a Bridgerton Lady Whistledown mug ($16). And who can resist a pair of Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart glass beverage coasters? ($16.99 each). As Snoop once said of his friend, “When we come together, it’s a natural combination of love, peace and harmony.”

Is Your Host a Music Fan? Rock that Gift!

So, you know your host is a Beatles fan with a passion for vinyl. Rock & Roll Heaven offers collectibles from $10 to $50. Kiss up to a close friend with an Anniversary Edition of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band ($50) or other special vinyl editions. Hand-drawn posters of the Beatles and other rock and roll legends by Mike Duran are an affordable option ($9.98).

Go Gators! Go Seminoles! Go Knights!

With college football still top of mind (is it ever not in the South?), game day is always a party for area alumni. When a friend is hosting, take a gift from Maffrey’s like college mascot-themed socks, towels (UCF towel $23), tailgate tools or insulated cups. You can even get mascot-branded chocolate bars to share with party guests ($7), or a themed lava lamp ($65) to light up your host’s night!

How Does Her Garden Grow?

You won’t find silver bells or cockle shells, but Ten Thousand Villages in Winter Park offers fun and affordable host gifts for plant and garden enthusiasts. There’s a set of brushed-plated brass stainless steel plant markers featuring mindful meditations like “Sage Advice” and “Grow Peace” handcrafted by artisans in India ($18.99).

A Crouching Cat whitewashed terracotta planter crafted in Bangladesh is perfect for growing herbs, African violets and other greens or florals ($29.99), and there’s a Petite Crouching Cat Planter, too ($19.99).

For washing up after digging in the soil, the store sells master-crafted soaps in every scent from rosemary to lemon, cucumber to coconut. Produced at Palam Rural in India, the soaps fund childhood learning ($6.99). “The soaps that we sell support 250 families—each bar sold gives a child a day of school. How cool is that?” says store director Pamela Kindschuh. Pair a bar with the Bidasar Stone Soap Dish crafted by artisans in Rajasthan, India ($18.99).

Every piece in the shop has a story. “We are pioneers in fair trade, and you can trust that every purchase directly impacts the life and community of its maker,” says Kindschuh, who oversees the store with the help of volunteers. Hand-woven baskets, jewelry, wood carvings and other fair-trade products fill the shelves.

Let the Food and Wine Gifts Flow

At The Ancient Olive Gourmet in Winter Park, Sunshine Specialty Balsamic Vinegar is a citrusy blend of blood orange, tangerine, and mango developed by shop assistant manager Stephen Wagener. Available in four sizes ranging from 60 mL to 750 mL ($7 to $37.95). “The citrus really reflects the Florida sunshine, and there’s a reason it’s our best seller in the store,” Wagener says.

Another tasty gift makes for bespoke appetizer pairings. The Cheese.Loves.Jam sampler contains 8 mini 1.5 oz jam jars; varieties vary and may contain raspberry mostarda for bloomy rinds, spiced plum with port for blue cheeses and French onion with rosemary for alpine-style cheeses.

If you’ve forgotten to plan, and you’re wheeling your way to the party minus a gift, you can still be a thoughtful guest. Stop at The Fresh Market (several Orlando-area locations) for a quick and easy solution. Dark chocolates and aged cheeses with gourmet cracker assortments are always welcome gifts.

Or choose an Orlando- or- Winter Park-themed tea towel decorated with cats or dogs for your pet-loving host ($12.99) and a bottle of Island Grove Wine Company Sunshine State Berry Sangria in the Local Wine section. It’s a Florida blueberry wine aged with tropical fruits—perfect to sip over ice on a warm Florida evening ($12.99).

Cheers! Enjoy the party.