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Three holiday essentials every host(ess) should have on hand

Cocktail plate set, $7.99 at Marshalls.

‘Tis the season of holiday parties and gatherings, and that means it’s time to bust out the fancy dishes, silverware and other hosting goodies.

L.A.-based celebrity gifting expert Cynde Cassel, who curated this year’s holiday collection for Winners, HomeSense and Marshalls, recently shared her holiday hosting must-haves with us.

Here are three items every host(ess) should have on hand to take their party to the next level.

Great Dishes

Having a wide variety of serving dishes and platters can help to add a touch of class and glamour to your holiday event, says Cassel.

“You can totally mix and match – different patterns, sizes, colours – there are no rules here.”

A Little Something Special

Having a little something special or gourmet-inspired can really help to kick your party up a notch, Cassel says. Think herbed butters or flavoured sea salts in small bowls with fancy spoons.

“It just adds that wow-factor. I mean, how pretty does that look?!”

Candles

It might seem cliché, but no holiday party is complete without the right ambience, and burning some candles is one way to achieve this.

Cassel says hosts should feel free to mix it up when it comes to styles, sizes and colours of candles but they should be mindful of any scents if serving food – though you’ll always want to have something fragrant burning in the bathroom.

“Something my mother always told me is that you should never have an unburnt candle in your house,” she says. “It has something to do with the energy. So make sure you always light them at least once.”