Local Red and White Wines
BLACK BIRCH VINEYARD, SOUTHAMPTON
Black Birch Vineyard has made award-winning wines since 2012, including Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. We’re off-season for a tour, but the vineyard sells bottles throughout the Valley, including at State Street Fruit Store and Provisions in Northampton. The availability of these small batches changes from week to week, so be sure to check the vineyard’s website to stay up-to-date. Price varies; typically $17-24
Currier & Ives Deerfield Sampler
RICHARDSON’S CANDY KITCHEN, DEERFIELD
The iconic chocolate lover’s destination along routes 5 and 10 wants to cover the fudge factor as you plan your next holiday gathering. This sampler of 33 assorted handmade chocolates is done up with a bit of Christmas flair and comes in a special Currier & Ives package. Buyers can customize their box by choosing ratios of milk and dark chocolate or hard and soft centers. Stop in at the store or order online. $24.99
Bananagrams
A2Z SCIENCE AND LEARNING STORE, NORTHAMPTON
We sing praise for Bananagrams year-round, whether we’re in the thick of a house party or snowed in on a silent winter’s night. We love this game — which is basically board-less Scrabble — for its flexibility and all-ages fun. Sometimes it’s a race. Sometimes it’s a meditation. Or maybe, this time, it’s just to keep your kids quiet in the other room while you catch up with friends. No matter what, this little sack of letter chips is worth the investment. $15.99
Maple-Smoked Cheddar
GRAFTON VILLAGE CHEESE, BRATTLEBORO
Vermont’s state flag might as well feature a campfire, a hunk of Cheddar cheese and a gallon jug of maple syrup. We’d like to go one simpler: a block of deliciously smooth raw-milk Cheddar cold-smoked for hours over maplewood chips and aged for three to six months. Available for online order and at select stores throughout the Valley. $11
Cheese Platter
HOME DECOR, AMHERST
Good cheese deserves a handsome platter, and we found one at B.Home in Amherst that will prompt conversation even after le fromage est consommé. Great gifts abound at B.Home, from furniture to jewelry to baby gifts, but this whimsical and cleanly-designed platter is our takeaway this time. It’s microwave and dishwasher safe. Online or in-store. $44
Audio Technica Turntable
YOUR LOCAL BEST BUY
Now for the splurge section. If you have a little extra money to burn, and your party animal is also a music maven, get them into vinyl, and watch them find a whole new level of fun perfecting the soundtrack to their next get-together. Audio Technica’s LP60 turntable is a great place to start — Best Buy in Holyoke has price-matched it at a hundred dollars, and the equipment, which includes a USB port for computer connection, is high-quality. 33 ⅓ rpm and 45 rpm; PC and Mac compatible. Online or in-store. $100
Classes at Northampton Cooking School
NORTHAMPTON COOKING SCHOOL, NORTHAMPTON
Different Drummer’s Kitchen may be primarily a kitchen supply store, but it’s also home to the Northampton Cooking School, which offers classes year-round on a three-semester schedule. Whether you’re brand-new to cooking or have years of experience, these classes — which typically last two and a half hours — come chock-full of culinary tips and practice. Plus, students get to sample everything on the featured menu at the end of class. Sign up in-person at the store, by phone, or online. $55-$69 per person per class.
Ale Aboard Brewery Bus Tours
NORTHAMPTON AND EASTHAMPTON
If your party serves beer nuts, maybe entice them to follow you to Ale Aboard Brewery Tours, the first craft beer tour bus in Western Mass. The group leaves from Brew Practitioners in Florence and visits Fort Hill Brewery, Abandoned Building Brewery, and New City Brewery in Easthampton. A ride comes with a guided historical tour, complimentary refreshments, and free one- or two-ounce tasting samples at all locations. Each bus holds 14 people, so book in advance. $35 per person
