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Tis the season…those invitations start to arrive, visits to relatives for holiday dinners and parties.
Being one to never want to arrive any where empty handed I like to take a hostess gift – a small token of my appreciation to the hostess for all the work and effort I KNOW goes into a party.
Several weeks ago my friend Linda emailed me. Her son who is off at his first year of college is not coming home for Thanksgiving. She has dealt with the disappointment and would really like to send a small gift to the family with whom her son will be spending the holiday.
She asked me if I had any great ideas. This gift will need to be mailed. So I decided to ask you – my wonderful readers to chime in on this one and give some suggestions.
Here are a few links I found with some darling hostess gift ideas:
Check out this cute way to decorate tins of hot chocolate.
How about some darling magnets.
Or a darling candle idea
Please share with us some of your favorite hostess gifts – ones you have given or received. Something fun and unique? Homemade or store bought? What is a hostess gift you would appreciate receiving?
Be sure to click through to the blog to leave your comment if you are reading this in an email update or rss reader.
Thanks for your help!
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
A few weeks ago I received a gift bag of: shower gel, bubble bath, powder and lotion. I put the first two in the kids’ bath and don’t know what to do with the second two b/c I never use those products.
I don’t think my generation does hostess gifts a whole lot. I haven’t received that many, nor have I given that many. If any. I’m really trying to think and I can’t remember any. If that was impolite of me, well, the people still seem to like me!
One of my friends makes jewelry and she made me a pair of freshwater pearl earrings for hosting a baby shower for her. They are my favorite pair of earrings. The style of them makes it so they can be worn casually or dressed up.
Hostess gifts are so easy for me in the winter time. I always get a really cute large coffee cup and a bag of cocoa with ribbons. It may be small, but it’s frugal and still appreciated.
Fresh flowers are always appreciated. Most people don’t buy flowers for themselves. I have had great success with http://www.proflowers.com. Once I had a problem, and they replaced the flowers the next day. Or have her son buy a poinsetta or fresh fruit basket to take.
I am a huge fan of food gifts. My favorites are the little soup/dip, cookie/muffin mixes. One cookie mix I received was packaged with a dishtowel printed with the recipe, and a cookie cutter. An assortment of dips always comes in handy during the holidays. These kind of gifts can be purchased at craft fairs, or can be homemade. To make your own, package the dry ingredients, with printed instructions to add the other ingredients. Designing your own labels can be fun, as you can personalize them. Imagine a hostess’s surprise to see her own name on a label, as if she has a brand all her own! My own label is Mic’s Mixes, which my kids laugh at, since it sounds like mix mixes.
A pretty apron? It’s been years since I’ve done it, but I used to make them with holday paper napkins and 2″ ribbon. That, however, takes planning. But I think a lovely holiday themed apron makes a great hostess gift.
My favorite all-time gift is The Red Plate. It says “You are Special Today” and it’s an awesome item to give to a family to help them celebrate special days. These days I see that it’s available at http://www.redplatestore.com for $32.95. That doesn’t seem too much if your friend’s son is staying the whole weekend. But they also sell a matching mug for $10.
Some things I’ve received:
-Fannie Mae Pixies
-Holiday Dish Towels
-Soup Mugs with some good homemade soup (with a nice little bow around the top of the jar)
-A bottle of wine with 2 handblown wine glasses
You should whip up one of your great aprons!
The other hostess gift that I think is always nice is a platter or serving dish (you can never have too many) and you can find some great deals at Marshall’s or TJMaxx. Perhaps you should include a few dozen of your favorite cookies in the package with the platter?!
Ladies,
These are some great ideas – especially like the apron idea being the apron collector I am. Our family has a red plate that we love to use and that would be a great tradition to help a family start! The mix idea is a great one too as that is something that can save to use later if they want to!
Thanks for sharing and keep those ideas coming!! I am sure Linda will find a great one amongst all this ideas.
Bringing a gift to your host is a dying ettiquite worth reviving. I will never forget the first hostess gift I ever received. It was from an older woman/friend of the family. She brought a simple potted violet with a bow. It made me feel incredibly special as a new homemaker and hostess.
Thank you for linking to my Clip Art and Candles blog post!
Cathe Holden
Just Something I Made
I always try to take a hostess gift, and it varies depending on how much I planned ahead. If I know the hostess is not a baker, I take homemade cookies. Often I take notecards, tied in a clear cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon. I also like to take a jar of pepper relish like Harry & David sweet pepper relish and tie a seasonal spreader to the bag with a pretty ribbon.
Another easy gift is a gift card to a video or movie place with a bag of popcorn and a couple movie size candy bars with a note to the recipient to relax and watch a good movie. I try not to take flowers since it’s hard for a hostess to stop and find a vase. If a hostess is a coffee drinker, a pound of gourmet coffee is always welcomed.
Dawn »
Oh girl – I just knew you would have lots of great ideas!! Now I just need to have a party at my house and invite you!!!
Thanks for sharing!!
Wow, thanks so much for all of the great ideas! Now I have my thinking cap on, and will have to confer with my son to see what he feels ‘comfortable’ taking! LOL
As my family lives on the East Coast, I’ve been mailing gifts for years. Here are some thoughts:
A unique dish/spreader combo (they’re at all the craft boutiques)
A Willow Tree angel (there’s one with a “welcome” theme holding a pine-
apple; there’s another holding a house that’s a “mi casa es su casa”).
Although the angels are not handmade, I love giving and receiving them,
as each one has a special meaning.
Unique holiday decoration (handmade by you or a crafter at a boutique.)
A tree ornnament, or a small folk-arty figure; something that would
easily blend into anyone’s decor.
I stay away from candles, as most people have so many – although I love
them, myself!
I love your blog – I’ve tried many recipes and gotten great ideas – thanks
for sharing!
I know this is late, but I would like to add my two cents worth. When our daughter got married I had a good friend of mine make her wedding cake. For her i made a Home Made Doily. She loved it and still has to this day. I do give a little thank you for someone helping me. Also at our daughter reception I had two ladies helping in the kitchen to make sure there was punch on the table and to keep the food coming. I had brought some special coaster that matched her wedding announcement. They all loved them.