Learn the guidelines and tips by reading the full post at DC Ladies Blog!

Should you opt for bringing wine (a perfectly lovely hostess gift) to one or more of the holiday parties you attend this year, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

1) Don’t expect them to serve it.

A host is not required to open a bottle that a guest brings as a gift to a party — especially if they have already gone to great lengths to pair wine to their menu. A guest should never be upset if the wine is not served right away.

I did get a chuckle out of  Lettie Teague’s column in the December issue of Food & Wine (her columns are always so fun to read), in which she says she is generally disappointed when hosts don’t open the bottles she brings. (Note: If Lettie Teague ever brought a bottle of wine to my house, you can be darn sure I’d open it on the spot!)

Ms. Teague came up a with a few clever wine-giving strategies, some of which she specifically designed to help ensure the hosts opens the bottle:

• Bring champagne — it’s such a celebratory beverage and its easy for a host to re-gift (not a horrible thing!)
• Select a wine with broad appeal — like Pinot Noir from California, Oregon, France or Argentina
• Tell them in advance – let your guests know if you plan to bring a very special bottle and always ask what they are serving to make sure the wine will complement the menu
• Present the wine ready to serve — chill the champagne or a white in advance if that is what you are bringing
• Bring a magnum — a large bottle “demands to be shared,” says Lettie. And what host would be so greedy as to not open such a generous bottle!

2) Transport it carefully

Keep the wine at the proper temperature and protect it from breaking when you transport it by carrying it in an insulated wine tote. I like this one:

Built NY Double Wine Bottle Carrier, available from WineStuff.com

3) Presentation is key

It’s a gift right? So why not make it pretty?!

There are so many fabulous wine gift bags out there these days, you may just want to stock up on a few and keep them on hand for gift giving.

"Cheers" wine gift bag, available from The Craft Pantry on Etsy

Solo Felt Wine Bag, available at www.bambeco.com

organza wine bags from Gumps

Built NY Fishnet One-Bottle Wine Tote available from Ecobags

Modern Red Dot Wine Bag from Etsy's Space Moderne

In her tome, Etiquette, Emily Post declares that, “plenty of coasters are a necessity if you wish to preserve the finish on your tables. Disposable paper ones are fine — just be sure they are in view at every conceivable resting place for a glass.”

I couldn’t agree more, Mrs Post, except I would also encourage using reusable coasters — just another small way to be eco-chic when entertaining.

Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite coasters this season:

"Red Flourish" coasters from Williams-Sonoma Home

Recycled Cardboard Coasters from Bambeco

Glass coasters from Geary's

Silver Lake Map Coaster from A+R Store

Reclaimed Slate Coasters from Uncommon Goods

Beaded Zebra Coasters from Z Gallerie

While these aren’t reusable, they are 100% recyclable — and they were too cute to leave off of the list!

"Hello My Name Is..." Recyclable Placecard Coasters from Perpetual Kid

All this talk about health care is certainly a reminder of how fragile our health can be and how important it is to care for it. Maybe that is one of the reasons the traditional toast, “Let’s drink to our health” emerged? My curiosity about this expression led me to a few references, including one of my all-time favorites, The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware by Suzanne Von Drachenfels, to learn more about where the phrase came from.

Here’s what Ms Von Drachenfels has to say:

“The custom of raising the first glass of wine to one’s health is attributed to ancient Greece, when a sip was taken to demonstrate that the drink was not poisoned. In Homer’s Iliad, Ulysses drank to the health of Achilles.”

Both The Encyclopaedia Britannica by Hugh Chisholm and An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language by Walter William Skeat suggests the origin of the expression came from the custom of putting toasted bread in liquor to make it taste better. The former also discusses how the expression most assuredly refers to women, in particular soldiers or warriors who would toast to “their ladies.”

The expression evolved over time and is now common in countries around the world and is suitable when raising one’s glass almost anywhere.

For those called upon to make toasts in social settings, the following online resources may be helpful as you prepare:

• Emily Post has a wonderful reference guide for the etiquette of toasting which also provides sample toasts. There is also a great online reference with respect to wedding toasts exclusively.
• The Knot’s list of 30 Inspiring Quotes for wedding toasts is also a great resource.
• Toasts for Every Occasion by Jennifer Rahel Conover and available through Google Books.

Above all, I think the most important thing about a good toast is that it is heartfelt. I coordinated a wedding recently where the Best Man’s toast was in-term-in-a-bly  long (something I NEVER recommend!). While some of the guests did fade, most were willing to sit through it and listen because his message was so truthful and sincere.

Cheers! To Your Health!