There’s a happy spirit in the air in my house right now. I’m thinking about all the fabulous things Christmas and the holidays bring about. The music, the chilly weather, the window displays, the hot cocoa and seasonal dishes. While thinking about all the entertaining we’ll be doing, I particularly get excited contemplating the gifts I’ll buy for my family, especially my parents.

See, they’re the most important on my list, but far from the easiest to gift. I have a lot to thank them for. So that special and unique gift is paramount to even my own desires. My dad is complacent with opening a new tie every year. My mom on the other hand, while also happy to just have all 7 of us gathering circa the tree, is a bit more complicated. She won’t say, but she does thoroughly enjoy a beautifully wrapped, delicious treat (even better if it’s chocolate) and bucolic perfumes.

After some lovely tastings, here are my first top 5 items that’ll make you a better person for gifting those on your list. Each one guarantees happy taste buds and a genuine smile of gratitude on their cheeky face.

See the fabulous {and über delicious} 5 items here in my weekly Dean & DeLuca ‘Gourmet Blog’ column.