Holiday Gift Guide: Best Gifts For The Host

Are you going anyplace where you need gifts for the host? People who make the effort to host a dinner, party, holiday or open their home to traveling guests deserve more than a polite thank-you, they deserve a gift. (A good gift, not a re-gift.) Here are our gift ideas for the best gifts for the host or hostess:

Foodie fan gift baskets filled with tasty treats and interesting nibbles, savory or sweet, fun food stuffs are always a welcome. Discover our exquisite selection of foodie fan gift baskets, curated to delight even the most discerning palates, featuring gourmet treats and culinary delights, perfect for those who appreciate the finer flavors in life, like gift hampers. Put together your own or order online from one of the many fine food purveyors. 

• American Spoon
• Dean and Deluca
• Zingerman’s

We like to select those we have a connection to. American Spoon and Zingerman’s are from Michigan where we grew up. I used to work in NYC and I still shop at D&D for spices and specialty items.  Connections are what make for great gifts.

For the wine lover, a fine bottle of an interesting or special vintage makes a perfect gift when you are just attending a dinner party.  Consider what the host is hosting. If this is a weekend visit, bringing a measly bottle wine makes you look, well, not so thankful.  If they are washing your sheets, preparing meals and cleaning up after you, be equally generous. Gift a really nice bottle (or more than one) and a set of glasses, monogramed wine glasses from Wine Enthusiast.

People who love to entertain at home, deserve gifts which fuel their fire. If they are hosting you in their home, help them put on a show. Serving items makes a fine gift and right now the trend is about marble.  Some call it a cake stand or cake plate but we know it has infinite uses for entertaining beyond cake. Williams-Sonoma has some great options.

When in doubt, great locally (USA) sourced flowers do the trick. You’ll be amazed at the bountiful blooms you can find going farm-to-vase. Forgo the same old boring arrangements. If you really want to make a great impression, it is worth doing some digging to find a source local to your host. (Hint: this is not FTD.) Farmgirl Flowers in San Francisco is leading the way and has recently gone national.  Save yourself the hassle of forgetting, send the arrangement before you arrive.

What makes a good gift for the host? Almost anything which indicates you put some effort into it. A gift need not be expensive, only thoughtful and heartfelt. The best gifts are imaginative and creative. Today our lives are so busy when someone takes the time and makes the effort to host you, show your thanks with a great gift for the host.