Holiday parties: to top it off

Tis the season for holiday parties at home and with that comes the inevitable drink/snack/mingle-but-I-only-have-two-hands issue. Retailers have finally wised up to the question of "how do I eat brie and drink cab while shaking hands with neighbor Fred?" by introducing all kinds of plate and wine glass combos.

While I find these plates from Pottery Barn (home of perennial party favorites) kind of on the odd side:

(not sure what it is, these just seem weird to me),

...I adore these smaller alternatives from Catching Fireflies:


I love that they daintily fit on top of a wine glass - they're so much cuter than latching your glass into that hulking white plate - and that they're made of Acacia wood. They're also the perfect size for a small bit of nosh: if you're a guest, they make you look less piggish when you're chowing down and if you're the host, they make the food last longer!

I'm thinking this new find will be a perfect hostess gift for the next holiday party I attend. For 17 bucks I won't be breaking the bank and they'll last a lot longer than flowers, so bring on the parties!