One of my first food jobs was working as a cheesemonger, and the busy season that began each November and ran steadily through Valentine’s Day was the stuff of legend. A frenzy of gift basket orders and last-minute holiday party shoppers set the pace and cemented December in my mind as the time to go hard on a cheesy centerpiece. What form, exactly—whether it’s a full wheel of Stilton or an over-the-top cheese cart—is all up to you.

I’ve been smitten with the line of kitchen and dining products from Holcomb, a father-daughter design duo, since their studio launched in 2021. This year, the pair dropped a slick set of serving utensils that will thrill any cheese lover. In polished stainless steel and sage-green Tritan (a super-durable, BPA- and BPS-free copolymer), this dishwasher-safe set is beautifully packaged for gifting and built to last a lifetime of entertaining.

Living room liquor displays are a dime a dozen. This season’s most dedicated turophiles will be rolling out their cheese course in style. Get the fine dining “chariot de fromages” effect with this easy-to-clean glass and brass cart from Anthropologie. (Santa’s looking to make an entrance: Consider rolling this one under the tree topped with a selection of cheesemonger-curated wheels.)

While many of us cheese geeks pride ourselves on being able to ID our Époisses from our Emmentaler on sight, the fact remains that occasionally we entertain the uninitiated. These sweet little picks, available in your choice of nickel or brass, are an elegant way to add a bit of helpful information to any grazing board. (And, like our magazines, they’re also lovingly made in Rhode Island!)

The dainty little wheels from this woman-founded Bay Area producer are widely beloved, and I was thrilled when, earlier this year, the brand dropped this pillowy oversized birthday cake of a brie. A deluxe, triple-cream take on the French classic, Cowgirl’s three-pound beauty makes an impressive holiday centerpiece either on its own, topped with a dollop of honey or jam, or even wrapped in puff pastry and baked until molten for a lush, festive dessert. (Alternatively, slice it into wedges, package in reusable wax cheese wraps, and distribute a slice of cheesy cheer to everyone on your list.)

A family of Vermont craftsmen is behind this brand’s stunning tableware collection. Woodworker Andrew Pearce and his glass artist father Simon collaborated on this dramatic cheese-serving dome. It’s ideal for enclosing potent little wheels and wedges—think camembert, raclette, and Roquefort—while they warm to room temperature.

This iconic Manhattan cheese shop has operated an in-house affinage program for years. Mongers lovingly ripen young wheels from some of the country’s best cheesemakers in designated aging caves at the company’s Long Island City warehouse. And this season, those mongers have much to celebrate. At the 2025–2026 World Cheese Awards in Bern, Switzerland, Murray’s Cheese took home awards for Best Cheddar and Best American Cheese, and was the only U.S.-made cheese to place in the coveted top 14. Stockinghall Cheddar is produced upstate by Old Chatham Creamery in partnership with Cornell University’s Teaching Dairy Barn, and is delivered to the Murray’s team, who wrap the cow’s milk wheels in cheesecloth bindings, rub them in lard, and carefully age them for a full year. The result is an earthy and rustic cheddar with bright fruity notes and a deep umami finish. This one is easy to love and will appeal to cheese snobs and novices alike—one for the whole family!

When the SAVEUR team descended on Madison, Wisconsin, this fall to take part in the second Art of Cheese Festival, we knew we were in for a great time. Since my Midwestern culinary school days (some, ahem, 20 years ago), I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the state capital of America’s Dairyland. Strangely enough, though, I’d never crossed paths with Ken Monteleone—the founder of Capitol Square’s epic cheese emporium Fromagination—but I knew his shop well. It was the perfect venue for our natural-wine-and-artisan-cheese event, and Monteleone’s warmth and depth of knowledge were a highlight. 

This special holiday bundle, curated by Monteleone himself, showcases some of Wisconsin’s most gift-worthy cheeses, including three exceptional (and vastly different) cheddars; a cinnamon-dusted Manchego-esque wedge of Roth’s aged Canela; Uplands’ elegant, alpine-style Pleasant Ridge Reserve; Hill Valley’s sweet and nutty gouda-ish Luna; and the dramatic, blue-veined Roelli Red Rock. The award-winning selection will charm both die-hard cheese lovers and curious novices alike—and, a particular boon during gifting season, the lineup of firm, aged wheels holds up beautifully during shipping.  

World Cheese Awards judges Patrick McGuigan and Carlos Yescas set out to distill their decades of tasting experience into a list of the world’s 100 best cheeses. While of course subjective, this authoritative tome is a delightful survey of some of the most historically and agriculturally significant wheels out there. Cheese lovers who crave a deeper understanding of where their food comes from will relish tasting their way through the pair’s knowledgeable, evocative, and accessible descriptions.

Festive, lightweight—and on sale!—these pretty resin spreaders from Anthropologie lend a pop of holiday cheer to the inevitable spectrum of cheesy beige. Gift them as a set, or use a ribbon to tie each to a mini wheel of chèvre and divvy them up among four cheese-loving pals. 

I’ve long coveted the delicate, painterly tablewares from John Derian’s partnership with Parisian ceramicist Astier de Villatte. A full set of the stuff won’t quite fit into my apartment’s cluttered chaos, but I’ll occasionally treat a loved one to a perfect statement piece from the collection. This season, I might snag this darling little plate—part of a limited series designed by iconic fashion editor and stylist Grace Coddington—for myself. 

A game night gift for the nerdiest fromage fans in your life, this puzzle is loaded with niche fun facts. The box’s interior is printed with explainers on flavors, textures, milks, colors, and recipes, and even a step-by-step how-to on properly cutting different shapes and styles of cheese. The 1,000-piece puzzle itself is colorful and informative, indicating geographical and agricultural differences from region to region. It even includes a fold-out poster—an illustrated glossary of AOP cheeses. 

This electrified set is considered best-in-class when it comes to temperature control, making it versatile for use with all fondue styles, from cheese to chocolate to oil-based—and it’s dishwasher-safe, too! The no-open-flame design means it’s great for fondue fans contending with rowdy pets, children, small spaces, or dorm-room regulations. (Bonus: it can double as a hot pot!)

I may be a little bit biased toward this quince-scented candle—the heady fragrance, formulated by Imaginary Authors’ nose Josh Meyer, was inspired by our recent editorial spotlight on the ancient orchard fruit! But that doesn’t mean it’s not just the thing to tuck into a festive gift basket for cheese lovers. Pair with a block of membrillo (homemade if you like!), a wedge of Manchego or Cabrales, and a tub of Marcona almonds, and your recipient will be well on their way to falling in love with this extraordinary winter ingredient.

Both frequent entertainers and families alike will enjoy breaking out Boska’s pretty, nonelectric raclette kit. With pans and spatulas for eight (or for four double-fisters!), the lightweight, tealight-fired grill makes for a DIY, no-stove-required meal, wherever you may be—from a cozy night in to a cheesy outdoor feast.

Just a lil’ wheel of parm to hang on the tree! Made from mouth-blown glass and hand-painted in Poland, this playful bauble will delight the cheese or Italian food fanatic in your life. 

Zingerman’s is so much more than the kooky deli it began as in 1982. Now Ann Arbor, Michigan’s shining beacon of specialty food and customer service, it’s often my first stop when shopping for a great mail-order food gift. This monthly delivery service is great for couples or solo recipients who’ll enjoy extending their cheese exploration well into the new year.