Thanksgiving Hostess Gift Ideas – Simple & Thoughtful
Admit it, this Thanksgiving you got off lucky. AKA you got invited to attend a party at someone else’s home. At most, you’re going to have to bring a side dish and maybe bus a few plates at the end of the meal. That means you get to spend the day concentrating on football, friends, family, and food. And that’s a gift you can’t possibly repay. But you sure can try.
Don’t show up this Thanksgiving with just a smile on your face. Let your host or hostess know how much it means that you were invited and that you don’t have to work too hard this holiday. Here are a few hostess gift ideas.
Seasonal Soap for the Bathroom
Guests are going to be in and out of the bathroom all evening, so providing festive, smell-good soap is an inexpensive way to set the mood and prevent your hostess from being without soap the following day. Body washes and candles are of course welcome too. When all the guests are gone, the dishes have been scrubbed, and the kids are in bed, most hosts or hostesses will want to take some time for themselves.
The Body Shop or Bath & Body Works are always our go-to shops for seasonal soaps. Some of their current offerings include Vanilla Bean Noel, Snow Kissed Citrus, and Gingerbread Latte. Yum.
A Beautiful Bouquet
Your local flower shop or any big flower retailer (like 1-800-FLOWERS) has incredible assortments of bouquets designed to please even the most discerning critic. Show your host or hostess that you’re excited to attend their party by having some flowers delivered a day or two in advance. Not only will this convey how much their invite means, it will also help your hostess spruce up her home prior to receiving guests.
Hors d’oeuvres
Thanksgiving is notorious for taking way longer than originally planned. Don’t leave your host feeling stressed to cook the turkey faster. Bring along cheese and crackers, local jams, roasted nuts, or fruit. Having a simple snack before the big meal is the perfect gift.
A Good Gift Certificate
Some people will warn you against gift certificates because they seem a little impersonal. Though, if you’re just getting to know your hosts, a gift certificate to a great shop could be the perfect level of personal. Consider getting them a gift certificate to Whole Foods or other grocery store so their Christmas celebration is mostly taken care of.
Chocolate
Host or hostess, you’d have a hard time going wrong with a collection of chocolates. Our favorite include Terry’s chocolate oranges, truffles from Harry and David, or chocolate covered fruit from Shari’s Berries. There’s nothing wrong with providing a little sugar (especially during the holiday season). Bring a lot and share with the rest of the guests, ensuring that you are a hit with all the attendees.
Liquor & Wine
A nice bottle of wine or a brand name bottle of liquor may be just the thing to get things going at an adult-themed party. Your gift can either contribute to the festivities or they can help your host or hostess unwind one everything has calmed down.
Coffee or Espresso
After you’ve stuffed your face at your friend’s Thanksgiving, it’s time to wake back up. Bring some quality coffee or Espresso to the party and keep everyone awake just a little longer. Plus, coffee is a great digestive aid for those of us that ate too much.
A Massage
Few things are more hectic and more stressful than wrangling your family and friends into a Thanksgiving meal. There’s planning, cooking, cleaning, and then you have to rev up your engine to be nice to everyone you’ve invited. Let your hostess know that you’ve got her mental health in mind with a gift for a massage. It’s something everyone loves, but few will buy for themselves.
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