Your Last-Minute Guide to Picking up a Host Gift in Philly for That Holiday Party Tonight
From Center City to Northeast to South Jersey, our go-to Philly shops for when you were just invited to a party — or you dropped the ball and forgot, and now the party is tonight.
Holiday goodies at Occasionette’s Wanamaker Building pop-up / Photograph by Laura Swartz
You were just invited to a party — or you dropped the ball and forgot, and now the party is tonight. You need to bring something that makes it look like you have your life together and are a thoughtful member of society who give thoughtful gifts.
We’ve all been there, so our staff decided to share our favorite shops and last-minute gifts we keep in our back pocket for this very problem. We all pitched in and jotted down our ideas in a collab Google doc, which felt true to the spirit of this guide: a mad dash for gifts that somehow still turns out nice and ends with you in a sparkly holiday outfit toasting the season.
BOTLD
119 South 18th Street; 117 South 13th Street
Everyone appreciates a nice bottle of wine, but for Eagles fans who need something a little stronger right about now, Bird Gang Spirits’ new artist collab series commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Eagles’ 1960 championship is available exclusively at BOTLD. Want to forget the Birds altogether? BOTLD also has unique spirits and mixers, and are very helpful in pairing selections for a nice package that drinks nicely together. — Laura Swartz
Bird Gang Spirits displayed at BOTLD in Rittenhouse / Photograph by Laura Swartz
Ali’s Wagon
2017 Fairmount Avenue #19
It’s almost a joke in our neighborhood at this point — how before you go anywhere, you always stop by Ali’s Wagon. It’s funny because it’s true: This cute little neighborhood mainstay in Fairmount just has perfect hostess gifts (and last-minute kids’ treats, birthday presents, engagement and anniversary and holiday gifts … you name it). Last Christmas, I bought my mother-in-law the most luxurious hand cream here, and a fancy tiny little bottle of olive oil; I bought our neighbors (and myself) pairs of beautiful twisted taper candles; I bought my kids Gritty ornaments, and my sister, sassy socks and a wooden cheese board. This place is like if someone Googled “cute gifts on the go” and then filled a store with everything that turned up. Truly never fails. — Christine Speer Lejeune
Joan Shepp
1905 Walnut Street
Heading to your fancy friend’s holiday party? Match their style and taste with a limited-edition Philadelphia scarf. It’s created in collaboration with Italian brand Faliero Sarti and features landmarks around town — Rittenhouse Square, the Betsy Ross House, and Joan Shepp’s new boutique, of course. Mixed in with all those icons are statement-making style pieces, from shoes to sunnies. You’ll be the chicest gift-giver on the guest list. — Kristen Schott
Sabbatical Beauty
1901 South 9th Street, #308 (inside Bok)
Give your host the gift of at-home pampering with skincare products from Sabbatical Beauty. At their room inside Bok, find their handcrafted line of cleansers, toners, masks, serums, and more. To really lean into the festive spirit, opt for their Holiday Box, which features five items — including their Donkey Cream and Maple Essence Toner — meant to deeply hydrate and protect the skin during the winter cold. — Laura Brzyski
All Aboard Candy
233 South 20th Street
The founders of All Aboard Candy got their start crafting custom “candy charcuterie boards,” but their Rittenhouse shop is so much more than that, with giftables like puzzles and cutesy home goods alongside the sweet stuff. But who doesn’t like candy? So grab one of their colorful pre-made candy boards to bring to the party, and you’ll be a hit! — L.S.
A rainbow of gummy snacks at All Aboard Candy / Photograph by Laura Swartz
Frangelli’s
847 West Ritner Street
If you’ve ever been to Frangelli’s before, it’s probably because you read something somewhere about their frannoli, their cannoli-cream stuffed donut. Yes, it’s good. Yes, it would be perfectly acceptable and even wise of you to walk into any party with six frannolis tucked under your arm, ready to be devoured by friends and frenemies alike. But I’m going to ask you to ignore those treats for right now and steer your eyes to the display in the back of the shop. There you’ll find Frangelli’s Italian rum cake, the one whose deliciousness and richness and rumness will soon be attached to you forever. “Is Jessica bringing the rum cake?” they’ll ask politely, but with a hint of begging on their voice. “Oh, how I miss the rum cake,” they’ll wail. You will, of course, return again and again with this rum cake, Jessica, at which point you’ll be hoisted upon the shoulders of your hosts and paraded through the party. “RUM CAKE,” they’ll scream as they lick the box clean and dream of next year’s party. — Bradford Pearson
Cardenas Oil & Vinegar Taproom
942 South 9th Street
I’ve decided to stop gifting alcohol for the holidays because (1) fewer people are drinking these days; and (2) everyone’s home bars are likely already stocked with dusty, untouched bottles. Instead, I’ve turned to Cardenas in the Italian Market for premium olive oil, which feels mature, useful, and kind of sexy all at once. You can’t go wrong with a bottle of EVOO, but the garlic chili oil and basil are also must-buys — for your giftee and yourself. — L.B.
Yay Diff’s Holiday Pop-Up
Christmas Village Shops inside the Wanamaker Building, 100 East Penn Square
One downside of shopping for a gift last-minute is that there’s no time to customize something, to make it one-of-a-kind just for your recipient. Not so fast! Yay Diff’s charm bar is your IRL cheat code, making it look like you’ve been planning your gift forever! Erika Diffendall’s pop-up is just one of the 30 shops set up around the Wanamaker Light Show for the season, and she’s got it all: Philly-inspired charms (including sports teams!), plus tiny teacups and cameras and ducks and doughnuts and pretty much anything you can dream up to celebrate your friend’s unique personality. She’ll put your selections onto a chain of your choosing to make an adorable necklace or bracelet they’ll be obsessed with. — L.S.
Charms at Yay Diff / Photograph by Laura Swartz
Bespoke
817 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood
For the plant daddies (and mommies) in your life check out Bespoke in Collingswood. It’s part plant shop, part studio, and all home decor inspiration. Every corner of this store is so stylish and homey, it’s easy to imagine yourself living there. Their collection of plants is the main attraction. They have everything that hardcore plant lovers aspire to own from exotic Tillandsia air plants to classic fiddle-leaf figs. Now, whenever the host goes to water the plant you bought them, they’ll remember how thoughtful you are and not how you scrambled to purchase a gift last-minute. — Kae Lani Palmisano
Snail
159 North 3rd Street
Expect lovingly selected vintage clothing and home goods, plus giftables the recipient will adore. If we were the host, we’d want to receive a modern cherry wood salad set by Four Leaf Wood Shop, an artichoke tea towel by Elana Gabrielle, or a textural, sculptural bread board by Timbermade. Now, who’s throwing the party? — K.S.
Le Souk
7952 Oxford Avenue
You find yourself driving north out of the city, late as usual. Your partner — whom you love and admire but in this moment is about to turn into something very far from loveable and admirable — turns to you and says “Did you bring a gift?” Of course you didn’t bring a gift — it’s their friend’s party! That’s their responsibility! The wheel grows heavy in your hands. Then you remember this very article. This one you’re reading right this instant. Confidently and not without proper smugness you steer the car to Le Souk, in Fox Chase. You remember that they make the baklawa daily, and that you should try the burma variety: rolled, not layered. Creamy Algerian deglet nour dates, smoked watermelon seeds, salted pistachios roasted in-house, all stationed around the store in huge barrels, ripe for sneaking a taste. Maybe grab a bottle of intensely fresh Palestinian olive oil and a pomegranate molasses if you’re suddenly feeling generous. You head back to the car. The wheel is light. And you’re extraordinarily late. — B.P.
Occasionette
1704 East Passyunk Avenue; 724 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood
Occasionette is always a go-to for any gifting situation: They’ve got Philly-themed everything, much of it exclusively designed for their shop, and all adorable. Our favorites range from these Gritty and Phanatic shakers to a woven blanket celebrating the Wanamaker Light Show, to their line of hometown-love jigsaw puzzles. (Check out the Miracle on South 13th Street one, below.) They’ve got locations on East Passyunk and in Collingswood, but you can also grab some of their best stuff at their Wanamaker Building pop-up through Christmas Eve. — L.S.
Miracle on South 13th Street puzzle at Occasionette / Photograph by Laura Swartz
Manzanita
4206 Baltimore Avenue
This vintage boutique is a treasure trove for great retro attire plus presents that span the gamut from quirky to thoughtful. Does your party host love art but also have a sense of humor? Give them the Museum Bums book, a cheeky tome focusing on all the, well, butts portrayed in artistic institutions around the globe. (Folks are sure to crack it open — see what we did there? — when they spot it on a coffee table.) Perhaps your host prefers the finer things or is a jet-setter? Try the velvet travel jewelry box, a round dusty-blue zip case with divided compartments perfect for holding all their baubles while on the go. And if neither of those are your speed, there’s plenty more to (quickly) shop for — plus Best of Philly-winning owner Dorit Avganim will certainly help you find a killer gift. —K.S.
Sweet Mabel
235 Haverford Ave, Narberth
Whether you need a last-minute White Elephant gift for the office holiday party, stocking stuffers for the kids, or thoughtful mementos for anyone else on your list (don’t forget the teachers!), Sweet Mabel has the most delightful mix. Locally made earrings, Philly-themed tea towels and serving trays, cheeky ornaments (think: a tub of cheeseballs, pickleball paddles), Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty, soft cotton onesies for babies … you can’t go wrong. Bonus: The staff wraps everything gorgeously, making even the smallest tokens feel like holiday treasure. – Jessica Blatt Press
Civil Stock General Store
1912 East Passyunk Avenue
As its name might suggest, Civil Stock has all the essentials you need in your life (deodorant, soaps, toothpaste, greeting cards) plus some items that are guaranteed hits on the party front. Consider the best-selling Kava Haven N/A Spirit – which can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in an alcohol-free cocktail — or Alice Mushroom Chocolates, for a beneficial boost. — K.S.
Red Gravy Goods
1335 East Passyunk Avenue
This brand-new gift shop on East Passyunk was always going to be great — it’s by Safran Turney Hospitality, the team behind another favorite gift shop, Open House in Midtown Village. And while they’ve got plenty of cute kitchenware, Philly-fan apparel, and fun food-themed items, we’re especially drawn to their “hat patch bar.” Pick from over 100 different custom-designed (and Philly-centric) patches to have stuck on a hat while you wait, and — boom! — you’ve got an instant customized gift. — L.S.
Binding Agents
908 Christian Street
So this one’s a bit of a two-hander, but I promise it’s worth it. First stop will be Binding Agents in the Italian Market, where you’ll pick up In Session: Low-Proof Cocktails for High-Quality Occasions, the new book from Philly Mag contributor Adam Erace and spirits entrepreneur Steven Grasse. A warning: You will be distracted by the many, many other cookbooks you’d also like to purchase. But tonight’s not about you — it’s about impressing your host, no matter much badly you’d rather be at home on your couch. Allow yourself …three minutes to peruse.
Time’s up! Now turn to page 28, to the Cousin Greg cocktail. You will briefly be distracted thinking of Succession memes but once again — focus! We have a party to get to and we still have another stop to make before we ever cross the threshold of your boss’s Arthaus condo or wife’s college roommate’s rowhouse. (So tacky, what has she DONE with this place?)
The “Cousin Greg” cocktail from In Session: Low-Proof Cocktails for High-Quality Occasions / Photograph courtesy of Running Press
Okay, you’re on page 28, right? So you know you need a bottle of Fernet, a bottle of Heering cherry liqueur, some of those little cans of Coke, and a jar of fancy cherries. Walk north to the state store on South Street to collect, then hop in a car and head to the party.
Your host will open the door, expecting little. You will instead hand them the book — “Just saw it and thought of you” — and head straight to the kitchen. Five minutes later you’ll be passing out the first round of Cousin Gregs to an unsuspecting crowd, a crowd so entranced, so bedazzled by this brazen show of hospitality that they’re second-guessing the $14 bottle of pinot they mindlessly grabbed off the rack.
Give it a try:
Fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1 oz. Heering cherry liqueur, ¼ oz. Fernet Branca, and 4 oz. Coke. Stir to combine and top with a cherry (plus some mint if you’re feeling fancy). — B.P.
