Unique Hostess Gift Ideas
Giving a hostess gift is always fun, but picking out the gift isn’t always easy. Sure, you can give the traditional bottle of wine, some fresh flowers, or a scented candle. And those are great gifts that any hostess would be happy to receive! But, if you are looking for some more unique gift ideas, I’ve got you covered.
Let’s take the stress out of gift giving. Although this post is written to cater to hostess gifts, these gifts can really apply to any occasion. Birthdays, housewarmings, holidays, you name it.
Before I begin listing out the gift ideas, here are a few tips to make your gift-giving process easier and less intimidating.
Keep Gifts & Supplies on Hand
It’s always a good idea to have a few gifts on hand. Besides not knowing what to get, the main stressor for gift giving is not allowing ourselves enough time. So, be on the lookout for small gifts anytime you’re out shopping. This way you can have a little stash handy when the occasion arises.
I keep a collection of gifts in our hall closet, just in case. Be sure to also keep wrapping supplies in your house. Things like small boxes, gift bags, baskets, tissue paper, ribbon, twine, and gift tags. I like to use neutral brown, white, or black wrapping items because they are simple and match any gift.
Budget Friendly Gifting
You don’t need to spend a lot on a hostess gift. It is meant to be a small yet thoughtful gift to say “thank you”. There are so many fun and unique little gifts that your host will love and your wallet will appreciate.
Gifting by Season
This method adds a nice layer to gifting by embracing the seasons and the unique things that they offer.
Spring & Summer
- Gifts from farmer’s market
- Cheese from a dairy farm
- Plants
- Seed Packets & Garden Gloves
- Picnic Supplies
- Bakery sweets
- fresh bread or pastries
Fresh produce, bread, honey, sweets, and flowers are just a few of the many potential hostess gifts you can find at the farmer’s market and farm produce stands in the summer. I also enjoy getting a variety of cheeses at the local creamery. The one we love has great prices and they taste so much better than what you get from the grocery store. Add some crackers to these and they’re a great gift or appetizer addition to any party!
If your hostess has a green thumb, consider gifting a plant. A houseplant, flower, or herb for the garden would all be fun options. You could also pick out a few varieties of seed packets and a cute pair of decorative garden gloves. Stuff the gloves with the seed packets, tie them together with some twine, and you have a simple but thoughtful gardening gift!
Any summer gift that encourages enjoying the outdoors is a great choice. Consider purchasing something that could be used for a picnic. Just a simple basket with some sparkling flavored lemonade (Sprouts and World Market have some good ones that come in pretty reusable glass carafes), or a picnic blanket and a bottle of sangria would do just fine.
Fall
- Gifts from an Orchard, Ranch, or Farm
- Apples/apple cider/apple cider donuts
- Fall flavored jams and jellies
- Pumpkins
- Potted Mums
- Scarves or Wraps
- Picnic Items
Anything that gives me that cozy autumn feeling is something I would happily give as a gift!
You won’t find any better fall gifts than what you will get at the local orchards, ranches, and farms. Especially during their fall festivals! An added bonus, it gets you out for an autumn activity.
For example, each fall we stock up on gallons of delicious fresh-pressed cider and apple cider donuts. These would make great gifts and are uniquely fitting for the season.
Many farms and ranches have a large variety of fresh and canned goods. Kettle corn, pies, or fudge for the party happening in a few days. Jars filled with just about anything you can think of. Jams, dips, salsas, and more. All are complete with a cute country label that you can store until an occasion arises.
Pumpkins come in so many pretty colors and textures, making the perfect porch decoration. Mums are great accents for the porch as well, and both make for a festive gift that is sure to be displayed all season long!
I love gifting picnic items for fall even more than I do during the warmer months. A cute fall patterned blanket and a thermos wrapped with some twine make for a cozy and inviting gift or grab a little woven basket and place a hand-made (or bakery-bought) pie inside accompanied by your beverage of choice.
Winter
- Ornaments
- Wreaths
- Hand-made Gifts
- Christmas Cards
- Flavored Cocoa, Teas, or Coffee
- Baked goods
- Gloves, Beanies, Scarves
- Stocking filled with Candy
- Slippers or Cozy Socks
Ok, so winter in my mind pretty much translates to Christmastime. I know, I know, I just love all things Christmas! I like all of the joy that this season brings with the food, the lights, the snow, and the music.
Winter is the perfect time to bring your host something extra thoughtful or even homemade. Think cozy like fall, but with a more personal note for that heartwarming winter feeling.
Test out your baking skills and get creative. Try out that winter craft you’ve had pinned since last year. Make an ornament, a garland of cinnamon and dried oranges, or whip a batch of your famous cookies. A simple mason jar with pot simmer ingredients keeps things simple.
Not the creative type? Then cozy accessories and pre-made drink or baking mixes are your friend. Even taking a boxed gingerbread house or pre-made cookies and re-wrapping it for nicer presentation is a fun way to avoid baking.
A note on the wreaths, some grocery stores sell fresh evergreen wreaths for less than $15 around Christmas!
Gifting by Theme
Pamper & Relaxation
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t appreciate a gift that encourages relaxation and taking some time for themselves! Anything with a pleasant aroma that can engage your senses is always a win. Here are a few ideas for aromatherapy and self-care-related gifts. You can always combine a few in a small box or basket.
- Books
- Masks
- Lotion
- Body scrub
- Scented soap
- Bubble bath
- Bath or shower bombs
- Bath salts
There are so many masks to specifically target an area of the body. Hair masks, eye masks, face masks, hand masks, foot masks… and even butt masks! Yes, those exist. I got one as a bridal shower gift and it made for a good laugh and a smooth booty.
Books are a great way to encourage relaxation. If you know your hostess’ book preferences this is a thoughtful gift idea. A book about the history of where they live, a cookbook, a novel, a home décor book or magazine, or something completely random.
A personal favorite of mine in that random category is Catana Comics. Perfect for that cute and sappy couple! I also received a magazine gifted from a friend years ago that was all cupcake recipes. I loved it and still use it to this day.
Food & Kitchen
- Baking mixes
- Meal ingredients
- Flavored syrup
- Flavored olive oil
- Chocolates
- Kitchen towels
- Aprons
- Cutting boards
Kitchen gifts are great especially when you mix and match a few ideas such as an apron and some spatulas, a cutting board and a set of tea towels, or some ingredients for an easy throw-together meal!
HomeGoods always has cute packages for either scones, bread mix, or pancake and waffle mix. They even have uniquely flavored syrups on occasion. I think this is a great spot to shop for fun hostess gifts. You can often find bags of colorful pasta, and flavored sauces or olive oils for a quick weeknight meal.
Presenting a Hostess Gift
Just a few presentation tips here. I personally prefer to keep it simple when it comes to hostess gifts, rather than going all out. Here are some reasons why.
Keeping it Simple
I often only add a small pop that shows that my gift is, well, actually a gift. For starters, more unique gifts often look good without much wrapping at all (especially if something is in a cute container or has a nice label). By keeping the wrapping simple, you are making the gift itself what catches your eye, not what the gift is hidden in.
This way of gifting also has that “oh, it’s nothing” feel to it. You obviously picked out a unique and thoughtful gift, but you’re not making a big deal out of gifting it. You’re not trying to show up the other guests or make them feel bad if they didn’t bring something. You’re just presenting a simple “thank you” to your host; making your gift low-key, yet special, all at once.
Making It Showy
Of course, this simple method isn’t the best technique for all gifts. Certain celebrations, like birthdays and Christmas, should, by all means, be showier when it comes to presentation. I myself take great joy in making all of our Christmas gifts specially wrapped; taking the time to add extra little decorations to each individual package.
Choosing What's Best
I am by no means trying to steer anyone away from a gift wrapped in that pretty paper we all love. I am only suggesting that you consider the type of celebration you are going to attend and think about some different ways you can present your gift to fit that occasion. I find the minimal wrapping technique to work well for most everyday gatherings and events like housewarmings.
Minimal Wrapping
If you are looking to use this simple no-wrapping technique, it is easy to achieve. It could be a simple gift tag around a bottle where you handwrite a thank you message to your host. Some twine around a cute jar of local honey creates that perfect extra touch. Brown or white craft boxes wrapped with colorful ribbon provide a home for transporting baked goods.
As mentioned at the beginning of this post, I often keep the colors neutral. I especially like the homey feel and simplicity of a brown paper gift tag with a bit of string or twine wrapped around a compilation of smaller gifts.
Know that sometimes a gift looks best not covered up by a bag. On occasion, a small accent is all it needs to be the perfect, simple present.
Make It Thoughtful
I hope that these lists have helped to strike your creativity for gift giving! The ideas I have provided are meant to inspire you to think of thoughtful gifts without the stress. Gift-giving is meant to be fun! So, get outside, explore somewhere new, and let gifting come naturally. You never know what perfect item you might stumble across!
