Which Glass is Mine?

What’s the safest gift to give to your friend or family member for the holidays? Maybe they’re throwing a party. Maybe they stopped in and ensured that your cat didn’t die when you neglected him over Thanksgiving break. Or maybe it’s just one of those things you’re obliged to do.

Not that there’s a problem with sobriety, but let’s just assume they drink. Sure, you can get them a bottle of wine, but they’ll either love it, think you have poor taste, or not appreciate the taste that you do have — so let’s skip all that. You have other options.

What’s worse than someone filling your half-full glass of balanced Pinot Grigio with overly-sweet Reisling? Drinking Aunt Sally’s wine, the one with the nasty cough.

Mark your glasses. And ensure that your host does the same.

For Everyone: Use the included chalk to write a letter, a name, or draw something on your markers. Just hope there’s no one present who’ll erase the markings or switch up the initials. Etsy.com, $20 for six.

For Those Who Like Labels: Hopefully there are no brawls over the Chanel. Etsy.com, $20 for eight.

chinese food
For Fun: A Chinese-food takeout container, a scallion pancake, an egg roll (minus a bite), a bowl of rice, shrimp lo mein, and a fortune cookie. To avoid salivating, it’d be advisable to provide some snacks. Etsy.com, $18 for six.

For the sophisticated: These call for some bubbly. Etsy.com, $20 for six.

They sell out fast, but you’ll find thousands more here. You’re also likely to find an hour of your life lost in browsing.

Stay tuned for more spirited gifts and party paraphernalia.

Emily Callaghan is managing editor of Table Matters and a graduate of Drexel University. Her work has appeared in Philadelpia Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer and TheSmartSet.com.

Article photograph from E amonn via Flickr (Creative Commons), "Planet of the Grapes" photograph from Getty Images, "Bottle" photograph from istockphoto.com