Hostess gifts don’t have to be expensive or elaborate, just a small token of your appreciation to your host/hostess for an enjoyable evening. Wine, flowers or a plant are always nice gifts to bring but a hostess gift can be anything your think your host might enjoy. And these ideas can be used for anytime a small gift is in order.
For your foodie hostess….these elephant-shaped shortbread cookies from Queen City Cookies come in four yummy sounding flavors like Blueberry Maple, Shortbread Bliss, Chocolate Chipotle and my favorite, a savory Rosemary Sesame (perfect with cheese and a glass of wine.) They are $7.00 for a bag of 25 or you can order more and get a discount.
I just discovered this site, fredflare.com, which has lots of kitschy under $10 items, along with practical things too. I grew up reading Nancy Drew books and thought this mini Nancy Drew’s Guide to Life would be fun for any of my hostess friends. Packed with retro illustrations, practical tips and sound advice, it’s $5.95 (144 pages). One tip….”When shopping with your friends, take into consideration their personal tastes when they comment on the outfit you are trying on. If your friend calls a dress “fussy”, it may be because she always wears casual togs. Consider the source and if possible, shop with a friend whose style you admire” – The Clue of the Black Keys.
Another fun item from fredflare.com for a male/female host is this ampersand bottle opener.…just because it’s fun and different and only $10….and practical.
April showers….bring May flowers. This umbrella offers protection and is pretty with its bold blue flower print. Only $10 from Old Navy. Your hostess will look stylish while staying dry. Or buy it for yourself!
I’m one of “those” people who has a refrigerator covered with stuff…pictures, reminders, notes, etc. These cute mini magnets can help any hostess like me, at least keep it looking stylish. You get 6 for $7.95.
These Soap & Paper Factory Shea Butter Bar Soaps are a skin softening extravaganza….all natural ingredients and shea butter. Among the choices are green tea, lavender and gardenia. Eight dollars for a 4 oz bar. Pretty and practical with a luxurious feel and sensual fragrance, the Jasmine is my favorite.
LOVE this grocery tote (and all the bags & totes on this site)! Only $3.99 for this stylish and durable grocery tote that has an inside snap pocket, is machine-washable, comes in lots of styles and sizes, and folds for easy storage. This is perfect for grocery shopping, farmers market, or anywhere else you need to tote things around. And it’s made from partially recycled fabric.
My girlfriend Michaela came back to Colorado Springs for a short visit and invited the girls to lunch (at The Cliff House at Pikes Peak and it was fabulous as always). Anyway, Michaela is so crafty and always has little goodies for everyone. During lunch she gave each of us a Texas “goody bag” (she was visiting from Texas), filled with Texas seeds, seasoning and of course an Amarillo. So cute! If you’re going out of state and staying with someone, this would make a perfect hostess gift. Just fill it up with something you love from your area and it’s sure to be a hit and show your appreciation (love how Michaela chose the red and blue colors of Texas with her tissue paper.) *I’m sure you’ve seen similar packets of seasonings like the one in this gift bag, that you can mix with mayo or sour cream for dips. We used ours to coat shrimp and it was delicious! I just drizzled olive oil over the shrimp, sprinkled the seasonings over the shrimp and baked for about 10 minutes. (Something you might want to try.)
My friend Cindy was over for dinner and she brought me this much-needed teakettle that she found at a thrift store. (We’re thrift store shopping buddies.) First of all, I love how she decorated it. Second, this is a great brand and in perfect condition (I’m sure she cleaned it up a bit), and she knew we needed one. But what was really creative is, she filled it up with homemade cookies! Love this!
Our daughter-in-law Sarah is as creative as her mom (my friend Cindy mentioned above). She volunteered to bring fruit and dip for a family gathering and served it in these super cute dishes (which she found at a thrift store) and let me keep as a hostess gift. I so love we all like to shop thrift!
Some inexpensive gift ideas and some cool sites I discovered this month. Hope this gives you some ideas! And I love the three gifts my friends created!!