18 thoughtful hostess gifts to bring to a party that'll score you another invite
Jeaneen Russell, Reviewed
7 min read
Best host and hostess gifts
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Whether it's your best friend's birthday party or a holiday brunch, as a party guest, you may want to bring the gracious host a little gift of appreciation. Here at Reviewed, we’ve curated the best hostess gifts, because you don’t want to forget about the wonderful people who are cooking your delicious holiday meal or inviting you to their epic party.
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From a seasonal candle to a cozy throw blanket to a s’mores maker, these are the best gift ideas for a hostess (or host) that will keep you on the guest list and also give you no excuse to show up empty handed!
1. Waterfall Coupe Glasses
Best host and hostess gifts: Waterfall Coupe Glasses
The hostess with the mostess style will absolutely gush over this gorgeous set of four Waterfall Coupe Glasses. A coupe glass is an alternative to a flute (perfect for that midnight toast) and also creates a beautiful display for shaken or stirred cocktails. The sophisticated hand painted crystalline design of this set is simply stunning.
I once hosted a holiday party where three out of five families brought a s’mores maker for the gift exchange! It’s a popular hostess gift because it’s unique, fun and of course, makes delicious s’mores—with no campfire required! This S’mores Maker from Williams Sonoma features a ceramic tray, four roasting sticks, a grill top and a roasting chimney to make perfectly toasted s’mores.
Any party will be popping right away with this robust Boarderie charcuterie board that arrives fully arranged and ready to serve, no shopping or prepping required! The reusable wood board arrives chilled and includes 35 hand-selected artisan cheeses, meats, dried fruits, nuts, crackers, jams and more. The host will be so grateful that you've saved them precious party prep time and no guests are waiting around to be served.
Best host and hostess gifts: Cocktail drink bombs.
Help the party host serve up more drinks in a hurry with a variety pack of Cocktail Drink Bombs. Each bomb contains all the ingredients needed to mix a variety of beverages with flavors like margarita, mojito and peach bellini. Drop one into sparkling water for a refreshing mocktail or add alcohol for a yummy cocktail.
For the host who needs a break after putting so much time and energy into making their delicious meal for you, a Green Chef gift card will be greatly appreciated. They’ll be able to choose from a variety of healthy and organic meal kits to be delivered to their door. Dietary restrictions pose no problems as keto, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are available.
This is for the one who deserves to be pampered after cleaning up after their guests, or has dry hands after doing all those dishes. Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is the best hand cream we’ve ever tested, offering a creamy texture and moisturizing finish, so their hands feel soft and hydrated.
Not all scented candles are created equal. As someone who regularly pops into Anthropologie just to sniff their candles, I can vouch for Anthropologies’s signature Volcano scent. The fragrance is fresh and fruity and oh so inviting.
Best host and hostess gifts: ChefSofi Round Cheese Board set
The best parties start with the best bites. The ChefSofi Round Cheese Board is one of our favorite charcuterie boards and one the host or hostess will be happy to use for their spreads at any of their fabulous parties. Made of acacia wood, the set comes complete with four removable ceramic bowls and four knives that can be stored in their own compartment for ultimate convenience.
These Simple Brass Measuring Cups from Food52 will make a beautiful addition to your host's collection of baking accessories. Their minimalist, sculptural design with simple curves will look good in anyone's kitchen plus they're dishwasher safe. If you feel so inclined to add to this gift, there's also matching measuring spoons.
Best host and hostess gifts: Magnolia Bakery desserts
Bring a mouth watering dessert and you’re guaranteed to stay on the party guest list. The famous Magnolia Bakery now ships nationwide, making it easier than ever to gift their incomparable banana pudding, or any number of their mouth watering cookies, cakes and desserts.
A throw blanket is a practical gift that’s perfect all year round. One fantastic gift option is the Bliss Plush Throw that feels super soft and a great value at under $30. If you’re feeling generous or being hosted for an extended amount of time, the CozyChic Throw Blanket by Barefoot Dreams lives up to its name as it is extra cozy and incredibly chic.
13. Netany drinking glasses with bamboo lids and glass straws
Best host and hostess gifts: Bamboo Glasses
Is it just me, or does drinking out of a nice glass make whatever is in it taste better? These best selling Netany drinking glasses I found at Amazon have become a favorite within my household. My kids request their after school smoothies in them, and I have given myself a major upgrade from the plastic cup I used to drink my water out of every day. The set comes with eight can shaped glasses, eight bamboo lids, eight reusable glass straws and two cleaning brushes.
Edible gifts are always appreciated by hosts, after all, they put a lot of time, money and effort into feeding you, so why not return the favor with something flavorful? Momofuku is a culinary brand founded by Michelin star chef David Chang and now anyone can feel like they’re in one of his five-star restaurants with the Dave’s Faves Pack of pantry staples that include his famous noodles, chili crunch, Tamari and spicy seasoned salt.
For the hostess who loves to bake, this beautifully packaged Sweet Laurel Cake Kit will make the sweetest gift. This isn't your basic store bought cake mix, though, because it features better-for-you ingredients like one box of gluten free, refined sugar free chocolate cake mix, vegan caramel topping and paleo, organic vanilla extract.
Best host and hostess gifts: Platterful Charcuterie Kit.
Don’t hesitate to gift your hostess something cheesy with a Charcuterie Kit from Platterful. This all-in-one kit includes all the ingredients like meats, cheeses, crackers and spreads needed to build a delicious and gorgeous charcuterie board in a fraction of the time. An instruction sheet and even a video tutorial is available to help the host build an insta-worthy board. The best part? For each box sold, 10 meals are donated to feed hungry children across America.
