I think it’s a nice gesture to bring a small token of your appreciation when invited to dinner at someone’s house. A hostess gift doesn’t have to be expensive, just something you think your host would like or could use. It can of course be a bottle of wine or flowers but there’s nothing stopping you from getting a bit creative. Even if you don’t have one of these stores in your area, chances are you can find similar items at other places. On a personal note – I don’t “expect” hostess gifts when I entertain but I do appreciate them! But when I ask guests to bring a food item, I really don’t expect anything else. If you know your host well, you’ll have an idea of what they like, their hobbies, if they collect things, etc., which makes it easier to come up with a fun little gift. Thrift stores are great places to shop for hostess gifts too.
For those who like to bake, either of these cookie cutter sets would be appreciated. Just tie a ribbon around them and present it to your host with, “Here’s a little something I thought you could use.” Both of these are from Wal-Mart.
I think these salt and pepper shakers are adorable! These are perfect for your pet-loving friends who have a sense of humor…available at Pier 1.
Chocolate lovers will enjoy these Ferrero Rocher wafers with chocolate and hazelnuts…and it’s already wrapped. These are from Walgreens but you can find chocolate gifts at other drugstores and grocery stores too, which makes it very convenient.
I like wine charms and if you’ve ever been to a gathering where everyone’s drinking wine, you’ve probably laid your glass down at some point and then wondered, “Which glass is mine?” These wine charms, from Target, come in a set of 6 for $5.99 and would make a perfect hostess gift any time of the year.
I don’t know anyone who can’t use another kitchen towel or two…a pack of 5 for only $9.99 and your hostess can use these year after year. These are from Bed Bath & Beyond (if you get their coupons, you can use a 20% off one and save a bit of money.)
If you do want to bring a bottle of wine, sparkling wine is always a good choice, especially if you don’t know if your host prefers red or white. This is one of our personal favorites and we can find it at our local liquor store for anywhere from $7.99 to $9.99, depending on sales.
The holiday season can be stressful and hands can take a beating with the dry weather and more hand washing (due to more kitchen duty.) This hand cream from Bath & Body Works will help ease a bit of stress for your hostess and the smell is invigorating. ($10)
A fun bit of turkey day decor and practical too…this turkey bottle stopper is from World Market.
I personally have given these as hostess gifts many times (in September/October/November.) And I’m always happy to see them out on display year after year at my friend’s homes. Each leaf candle holder is a dollar from the Dollar Tree and they come in several colors and shapes. You can pick up votive or tealight candles there too.
And how simple is this? You can get a wicker basket at your local dollar store or thrift store and pour in a bag of unshelled nuts. Add a nutcracker if you want (in case they don’t have one!) I also bought this at the Dollar Tree. Tie a colorful ribbon around it if you want. You can usually find bags of nuts at the grocery store for around $5.99.
