Until very recently, all of my shot glasses were of the knick-knack, novelty variety, acquired over the years mostly as mementos from college graduations, weddings, and the odd book fair. But after working on a story about an idyllic Midsummer party in Sweden where the author's friends toasted one another throughout the meal with aquavit, I started fantasizing about throwing such a party of my own…and realized that my trashy glassware would totally kill the mood. So I put in an order for a few sets of these hand-blown aquavit glasses from Sweden, whose jewel-like bases add a beautiful wash of color to the table. Each glass holds 40 milliliters (about a shot) and the bases are solid and stable—sturdy enough, even, for a long afternoon of toasting, Swedish-style. Skål!