With Thanksgiving just around the corner and the Christmas holidays fast approaching, your calendar is probably starting to fill up with dinners, cocktail parties, and other festive holiday gatherings. In nearly every instance, it is appropriate to take a hostess gift.
A bottle of wine is always appreciated. Flowers are pretty, but they can mean more work for the host, if he or she has to arrange them. Often we will bring a bottle of wine, as well as a little gift for the hostess, who has likely made alot of efforts in hosting the event.
If you are stumped as to what to take as a hostess gift, we have some great suggestions for you!
You know how the MoS girls love some rocks! These amethyst votive holders are absolutely gorgeous! While they are $75 each at ABC Carpet & Home, the MoS girls just spotted them at Marshalls in Charlotte for $14.99! And you can find them on eBay for that price too!
For the hostess who is always entertaining, coasters are always a great idea! We love the animal print and fun colors of these Boatman Gellar coasters.
A fab MoS friend recently gave me these pineapple coasters, and they are gorgeous! They are silverplate with cork centers, and they are big enough to hold nearly any glass! They look stunning on my coffee table and would be great in any room!
Any hostess can always use a set of salad servers. We love the earthy, organic feel of these wooden "twiggy" servers from Anthro!
Twiggy Salad Serving Set
Horn servers are so beautiful too. There are so many uses for a serving set like this, from salad to pasta to fruit.
My mother in law collects little salt cellars and spoons, so now they catch my eye whenever I see a pretty one. They are such a fun detail to add to your table, and this pewter shell set is no exception!
Fancy kitchen towels are such a luxury, but they are usually an expense you cannot justify for yourself. That makes them the perfect gift!
Equally important to holiday decorations are holiday aromas, and we're sure your hostess would appreciate a jar of mulling spices. We'd package it up with cellophane and a big ribbon, and include a tea ball.
Monogrammed hand towels are such a nice touch to any powder room. We love to give these as a hostess gift, as they are usually something the hostess would not buy for herself. There are lots of tray options that will coordinate with these towels as well!
Sometimes the wrapping is almost as important as the gift within! Seda France definitely makes the cutest candle wrappings, with the fun toile packaging in vibrant colors! They smell wonderful too!
For a gift that is a little different, we are in love with these vintage calendars! We purchased a NYC one for ourselves last year, and the illustrations are just fabulous. For 2010, Anthro has come out with a vintage travel calendar and a vintage map calendar. They are oversize and make a perfect gift!
We are in love with these paperweights from John Derian. His designs are so unique and interesting- these paperweights would be so pretty on any desk!
How gorgeous are these crystal perfume bottles? We think any hostess would love to add these to her vanity- the lines are so clean and modern, yet perfume decanters are classic and feminine.
What better hostess gift for a holiday party than a fun ornament for the host's tree? This little knit octopus is adorable!
These elegant origami birds would look stunning on any tree!
A pretty travel jewelry box is an essential for every woman. These croc-embossed leather ones in bright colors would make such a fabulous hostess gift for the host who likes to travel!
You can't go wrong with a pretty picture frame. These well-priced enamel frames would look great with any decor, and we think they look so much more expensive than they really are (maybe it's the Tiffany blue...)!
These heavy crystal frames would look so gorgeous with a black-and-white photo in them. Once again, these remind us of Tiffany frames, but for a fraction of the cost!
Depending on your host's taste in home decor, a pretty throw is a perfect gift. It is probably too much to give for a dinner party, but if you stay with someone overnight or for a weekend, a throw is perfectly appropriate!
Or if bright colors don't feel like the best match for your host, how about a luxurious Sferra throw in a more muted tone?
And finally, don't forget that for small items, packaging is half the battle. We are partial to putting smaller items in festive tissue, then placing them in a cellophane bag (you can find them at any party store or florist) and finishing off with a lovely big piece of grosgrain ribbon. Sort of akin to the picture on the right, but more seasonal!
What is your standard go-to hostess gift?
