10 original hostess gift ideas to say thank you

Your hosts aren’t big drinkers or you wish to accompany a bottle of wine with a small gift to thank the person who’s having you over? These original hostess gift ideas will prevent you from arriving empty-handed and will surely please the busy hostess.

Sweet herbs

A small sweet herbs potted plant is a pretty and useful gift to offer to the foodie hostess. Opt for a decorative pot with a mix of different varieties or choose one single herb if you know which herb the person who’s receiving you loves.

Scented candle

You just need to light a few candles to create a welcoming atmosphere in an instant. However, these can be quite expensive and they are usually not a huge priority for people. It is, therefore, an ideal thank-you gift. Choose a beautiful, high-end scented candle in a neutral fragrance for a guest you know little about and get a more special fragrance if you are offering it to a loved one.

Olive oil

Does your hostess have a discerning palate and have a love for refined and sophisticated products? Get them a high-quality olive oil. You can even dare to get a special flavour and hope to discover something new. Olive oil is a product used in almost all cultures and a good quality product is always a nice gift. It is a safe and versatile idea for a guest you know little about or to please olive oil connoisseurs.

Culinary tote

The flat culinary tote will surprise your hostess by its unusual, incredibly useful and rare side. Gift it to the host who likes to cook and always comes with a dish prepared. This pretty bag makes it easy to carry pies, pots and other dishes that need to stay flat. Not sure it will be useful to your host? Instead, try a reusable cotton bag to carry loaves, baguettes or wine bottles.

Coffee table book

Are you going to dine with an artist, a cultural columnist, a passionate autodidact or a designer? Go to the corner bookstore and buy a beautiful coffee table book that acts as both a decoration and a book to browse at your leisure. Filled with rich images, it is left in full-view and at everyone’s disposal to be browsed with interest or in lost time. Choose a subject that is appealing to them, of course.

Serving dish

One can never have too many, so you can’t go wrong with a serving dish. Choose a decorative, unique or classic model according to the tastes of the person who has you over. Just try to offer a quality product. And don’t be afraid to dare with colour, patterns and particular shapes, mismatched plates on one’s table is very trendy.

Hand soap

When it comes to an original hostess gift, you can’t go wrong by combining useful with pleasant. An elegant and nice-smelling hand soap is a product you like to own but rarely think about getting for yourself. It is therefore very pleasant to get a nice soap as a gift. Choose a nice bottle or bar that has a pleasant scent. Offer it alone or include the hand cream to complete the set.

Assorted spices

You will please the hostess who loves to cook and discover new cultures and flavours by offering them an assortment of exotic spices. Choose an aesthetic pleasing box as pretty as it is varied. You can even add a few cards with recipe suggestions for them to try.

Plant

Bring some flowers that will last longer than a week by offering them the roots too! A pretty plant such as an African violet or an orchid brings colour to a corner in a house that is in need of life. Dare also the green plant, an aloe with a thousand virtues, if you think that your host will make good use of it, make sure however that this one is in a high-quality decorative pot.

Tea set

Whether your host is a tea lover or not, a nice gift box is always a good idea. The person to whom you offer it will be able to taste him/herself or take out the tea bags after the meal and offer it to his/her guests who do not wish to have coffee.

Of course, it is much easier to think of a little something to thank your host when you know him/her well. Otherwise, remain neutral or take a risk and dare to go in uncharted territories!

Cover photo: bums.by/Instagram