Holiday, Home & Garden
7 Hostess Gifts to Bring to Holiday Gatherings
It’s the most wonderful time of the year — and the most hectic! Between family gatherings, work parties and holiday get-togethers with friends, your social calendar is probably filling up fast. You never want to show up to someone’s home empty-handed, but shopping for a hostess gift can be tricky and time-consuming during an already busy season. We’re here to help with some of our favorite gifts that will have you on the hostess with the mostest’s Nice List.
Diptyque Ambre Scented Candle
You can never go wrong with a high-quality candle for your host. This luxurious candle from Diptyque (available at Neiman Marcus) blends patchouli, tonka bean, anise and other spices for a warm and cozy scent that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser from the moment it’s lit. With a burn time of up to 60 hours, your host will be able to use this gift throughout the holiday season.
Harry & David Deluxe Meat-and-Cheese Gift Box
A gift box filled with specialty meats and cheeses is a delicious option to bring to your next holiday event. The host can either set it out for guests or save it for later when their hosting duties are over and they’re not in the mood to do any more cooking. This box from Harry & David has all the essentials, including two sausages, three artisan cheeses, a jar of honey hot mustard and olive oil and sea salt water crackers. Yum!
Sugarfina Sweet & Sparkling Candy Bento Box
If you prefer to go the sweet-treat route, add this adorable box from Sugarfina to your shopping cart. The set comes with eight candies, including Champagne bears, peach Bellini gummies and chocolate sparkle pops. Best of all, it comes beautifully packaged. Just throw a ribbon on the box and you’re good to go! If you’re the hostess for any holiday events in the future, Sugarfina candies also make for fun and festive party favors.
Anthropologie Tapestry Dish Towel
This tea towel from Anthropologie would be a fantastic gift if you’re heading to someone’s house for Thanksgiving, but its bright colors and beautiful floral motifs also make it work well beyond the holidays. It can stay by your host’s stove for many years to come. Pro tip: Anthropologie has dozens more tea towels to choose from if you prefer one that’s more holiday-specific. Two of my favorites are the Dog Carolers and Winter Cabin towels.
Brightland Chili-Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A fancy olive oil is an unexpected gift, but it’s just as useful as some of the other items on this list. This olive oil from Brightland, available at Food52, kicks the spice level up a notch by blending California olives with red chili peppers, jalapeño peppers, chipotle peppers and paprika. It would make a delicious addition to any dips or spreads your host is preparing, and it comes in a gorgeous bottle that looks beautiful on any countertop.
Acorn Lane Bouquet
When in doubt, you can never go wrong with a gorgeous floral arrangement. We are big-time fans of The Bouqs Co., which partners with sustainable farms to bring their customers beautiful, fresh flowers. There are countless options to choose from on the brand’s site, but we’re particularly drawn to the Acorn Lane arrangement, which exudes autumnal energy. With a mixture of roses, lilies, aster, bronze chrysanthemum, yellow solidago and baby blue eucalyptus, the bouquet will make the perfect centerpiece at your host’s table.
Harney & Sons Best Sellers Tea Set
If you want to forgo the traditional bottle(s) of wine, this set of four teas from Harney & Sons is a charming and cozy alternative. The included blends — English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Paris (a fruity black tea) and Hot Cinnamon Spice — are total delights to the taste buds. Each blend comes in a beautiful tin that can be restocked with more teas or repurposed to store other treasures. Two gifts for the price of one. Cha-ching!
Just because you’re shopping for your host doesn’t mean you can’t get a little something for yourself too. Shop the gifts above through Rakuten to score some Cash Back for your wallet. Happy holidays and happy shopping!
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