As we are officially right in the throws of holiday party season, now is as good a time as any to talk about the “host gift.” As I learned recently, the trusty bottle of wine is not so trusty after all. Bring a bottle of wine to the wrong person, and you’re guaranteed a lecture about alcoholism and someone going to rehab. (It wasn’t fun, but it did make me a lot more aware of what I give to other people.) So today, I’m here to share with a few trusty gifts that will make you the favorite guest at any shindig.
a potted Christmas Cactus
Really any indoor plant will do, but a Christmas cactus is especially festive this time of year because (most of them) bloom bright pink or red flowers just around the holidays. One of our friends actually brought us a cutting from his own plant (which he’d gotten from his aunt I believe) that has livened up our kitchen for a couple years now.
Love these organic tea towels by artgoodies’ Lisa Price
Breakfast for the Morning After
Throwing a party or hosting overnight guests can be a lot of work! One of the coolest host gifts we ever received was a basket of muffins for breakfast the next day wrapped in a beautiful tea towel. Bonus: add coffee and a bottle of Baileys. (If you know they imbibe, of course.)
Blackberry Farm Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Buttermilk Biscuit Mix, and Blackberry Blue Cheese
Local Goodies
This year, most of the gifts we are giving have either been locally made or locally purchased. Giving things from around your own hometown adds a perfect personal touch and supports local businesses. If you’re in East Tennessee, one of my favorites to give and receive are Blackberry Farm products. (Their cheeses are divine!)
Great suggestions! And now I’m rethinking that bottle of wine I brought our party hosts this weekend. I would have never thought of those implications!
What an excellent post! Thanks for the suggestions. I did not grow up in a party-going or party-throwing household and drinking is definitely still a no-go subject with the family so I feel like a newbie as I start to go to more adult parties with friends. I’m totally bookmarking this for future reference! I took a small vase of Christmassy flowers to a dinner party on Friday and felt really good about it despite the hostess seeming to care less. I’m hoping it cheered their day later as they cleaned up and the rest of the weekend. 🙂
That’s why flowers or plants are one of my favorites because even though the host may be distracted when they receive the gift, they’ll look at them later and smile thinking about the giver and the evening with friends.