It's that time of the month again to share some of my life and join in with the other Share Our Lives bloggers. This month the prompt is: Hostess Gift Ideas!
If you’re anything like me over here in England, the whole idea of a "hostess gift" feels a little bit strange. I always think that people in the US make it seem effortless, swooping into a party carrying fancy candles, home-made treats or even cute little potted plants. I find it fascinating but here if you turn up on someone's doorstep with anything other than a trusty bottle of wine, there's a strong chance the host might look at you like you have two heads. Still, I've been doing some thinking and researching about what a hostess gift really is. It isn't about trying to impress anyone or showing off , it’s just a little nod of appreciation and a simple thank you!
Here is what I have came up with for the perfect hostess gift:
A bottle of something!
I know, I know! I just said wine is the default but hear me out. You don’t have to grab the exact same supermarket bottle every single time! Mix it up and think about something just a little bit different. You could go for something different from what you would usually drink or hunt down a bottle with a lovely story behind it. If you want to step away from wine entirely, a gorgeous flavoured liqueur is something a bit different. A zesty Italian Limoncello, a winter sloe gin or a cream liqueur. Most people don’t tend to buy these for themselves in a normal weekly shop, which makes it feel like a proper treat.
Chocolate but make it special!
A box of chocolates is the ultimate safety net. We’ve all done a mad dash around the supermarket on the way to someone's house, looking for the fanciest box of chocolates that we can find. No one is ever going to turn down chocolate but if you want to make it feel like you actually planned ahead and put a tiny bit of thought in, try matching the flavours to the time of year. Grab some gingerbread truffles for Christmas, go for fruity ones in the spring and summer months and in the autumn a box of rich, dark chocolates are perfect and feel cosy!
Flowers that aren’t overwhelming!
Flowers are a classic gift but sometimes a massive bouquet is just a pain in the behind, especially for the host. Nobody wants to spend the first twenty minutes of their own get together scrambling around trying to find a vase big enough, trimming stems or rearranging the living room just to find a safe spot for them on a table! Instead, a sweet little jam jar filled with flowers from your garden, a bunch of dried flowers that need no looking after or even a pretty potted plant can be just as lovely. They are also way less hassle for the host.
Something for the home!
A scented candle is playing it safe but how about a small potted herb like rosemary or basil? It looks cute sitting on a kitchen windowsill and it's useful too, especially for someone who likes to cook. They can chop it up and cook with it later! We all know that fresh herbs always taste better than dried ones. A cute tea towel, a pretty mug or some nice coasters are good ideas too. The gift doesn’t need to be expensive or fancy, it just needs to say I saw this and thought of you!
A treat for the host!
This one is probably my favourite because it feels the most personal. Instead of choosing something for the house, pick something that the host can enjoy by themselves once all the guests have gone home. A nice box of biscuits, a pretty notebook, a fancy bath bomb, a bag of really good coffee or something that they wouldn't usually buy for themselves.
Something fun!
If you know your host well enough to know they love a laugh, you can skip the polite, sensible gifts altogether. Some of the best gifts are the ones that don’t take themselves too seriously. A mug with a slogan that actually makes them snort their tea or even a silly little mini cocktail-making kit. It breaks the ice the second you hand it over and while everyone else is turning up with standard flowers, you're the one bringing a giggle. Those are the type of gifts that will be talked about years later.
What do you typically take as a gift when you're heading to someone's house?
I am linking up with:
Adrienne from Mom Life with Adrienne.
Dara from Not In Jersey.
Jen from Show me & Sweet tea.
Joanne from Slices of Life.
This is such an interesting topic! Over here in the Netherlands I think most people offer a bouquet of flowers for the hostess. I don't think offering a 'real' gift is the norm, but then again, I might be wrong since I don't get out much ; ))
ReplyDeleteA "fun" gift is a good idea especially if you're pretty good friends with the hosts. For someone I didn't know well, I'd probably stick to flowers or chocolate. Seasonal chocolates are a good idea. Lots of good ideas in here!
ReplyDeleteLove all of these ideas Kim and I am nodding and saying- yup those are go-tos for me!
ReplyDeleteYou have some wonderful thoughtful ideas. We make our own limoncello and often take that as a hostess gift. I love flowers and appreciate if the giver brings them to my house in a vase. I like the idea of a Baileys or something similar, especially as the holidays approach, and I don't think about that so thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! The treat for the host is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI love taking something when I go visit, but ironically feel embarrassed when presented with a gift. Silly me, if I enjoy giving, they probably do as well. (sorry to be late getting around, came back home and caught a cold....)
ReplyDeleteThose are fun ideas! In our area we don't often do hostess gifts. People are told - don't bring anything but yourself! But sometimes it's things you mentioned like a treat, a candle or flowers!
ReplyDelete