Non-food hostess gifts- suggestions?

[dreamer]

Hi BB friends,
I'm going out to pick up a hostess gift today to bring to a Christmas party next weekend, and can't quite decide what to get. Here's the situation:
It's at a friend's house. She is a great cook, baker, and hostess, and always has a luxurious spread of food, and good wine. She has said she doesn't need me to bring anything (when I asked) but I'm sure a little something would be appropriate. She has a long-established household, and is comfortable, so doesn't really need anything. I know bringing food or wine wouldn't be right, since she'll have everything there for the night, and probably a surplus for the holidays.
So my only ideas are: holiday-scented Yankee Candles (except maybe she'll already have bought a bunch for the party?) or a holiday CD (Clay Aiken?).
Ideas welcome! I'll check back before going out today. TIA, and happy holidays! -dreamer

[gertdog]

How about a poinsettia in a pretty pot, or some potted bulbs like paperwhites that she can enjoy later? My mom forces bulbs every year in pretty containers and gives them as gifts, and they always seem to be well-received. You don't have to force the bulbs yourself- you can often buy them ready to go at a nursery.

[caregiver50]

How about some really nice soap? Not everyone likes scented items and some are allergic. JMHO!

[Peggy]

I think your candle or holiday CD ideas are great! I would take something festive and seasonal. Since she is into cooking and entertaining, perhaps a one-of-a-kind holiday serving dish, colorful bar wear, potpourri or a beautiful ornament for her tree. I'd cruise through the holiday department of a department store and see what unique and lovely items they have to offer.

Peggy

[Jasmine-Rose]

Okay, this might be a little unusual but I'll throw it out there for consideration and you can tell me I'm nuts if you want to :o .

If it were me, I'd get Penzey's treats. What immediately came to my mind is perhaps three jars of different kinds of cinnamon, or a couple of kinds of cinnamon and a jar of nutmeg. Definitely in the spirit of the season and something that would likely be appreciated and used by someone who likes to cook and bake. I might even put them in a small Christmas stocking.

I'm sure that whatever you bring will be appreciated by the hostess. Have fun deciding :) .

[Lillith]

To add to the already good suggestions, I'd recommend wine glass charms, spreaders, oven mitts or dish towels (everyone can use new, fresh mitts or towels!). All of these items now have holiday themes and they're very festive looking.

[ChristyMarie]

We sound a lot like your friend and always appreciate another bottle of wine to add to the collection.

[Kathy B]

I second the suggestion of a poinsetta or a seasonal flower arrangement.

[Jessica]

I think any of these ideas are good, except candles because I personally have way too many candles.

You also could burn a CD of your favorite holiday music. I love the idea of Penzey's spices. And wine charms are great if she entertains a lot.

I've never seen a hostess disappointed with flowers or a nice potted plant, either. She can put them in her bedroom if they don't go with the party theme.

[newtricks]

Okay, this might be a little unusual but I'll throw it out there for consideration and you can tell me I'm nuts if you want to :o .

If it were me, I'd get Penzey's treats. What immediately came to my mind is perhaps three jars of different kinds of cinnamon, or a couple of kinds of cinnamon and a jar of nutmeg. Definitely in the spirit of the season and something that would likely be appreciated and used by someone who likes to cook and bake. I might even put them in a small Christmas stocking.

I'm sure that whatever you bring will be appreciated by the hostess. Have fun deciding :) .

I'm doing this for my sister who hosts X-mas. It's for her dh really. I'm giving him Aleppo pepper, smoked paprika, and vanilla (I know, they don't go together but he won't have the first two and Penzey's vanilla is just so good!)

So I don't think you're nuts. :)

[Veronica]

I might take a nice bottle of champagne/sparkling wine that they can enjoy over New Year's or whenever they like. I love Jasmine-Rose's idea of the Penzeys spices. I wish someone would get me a gift like that. :)

[dreamer]

What great ideas!
You 'guys' are brilliant. I loved so many of your ideas though, that now I have another problem :rolleyes: ...I had planned to go to a particular shopping center this afternoon to "knock this item off my to do list," and now you all have given me so many ideas that I might need more time to think (and look online) before I'm ready to buy. :rolleyes: :)

By the way, I don't actually know what wine charms are- maybe someone can enlighten me.

Thanks again for all the great ideas. :)
-dreamer

[Lillith]

What great ideas!
By the way, I don't actually know what wine charms are- maybe someone can enlighten me. dreamer

Wine glass charms are small wire circles that you fit around the stem of the wine glass. Each one has a small charm on it.....could be different kinds of fruit, or colored beads.....to distinguish one person's glass from anothers. The ones I recently saw had different colored Christmas ornaments on them. They're usually sold 6 to a pkg. I love mine!

Edited to add that I've seen wine glass charms for gardners (the charms were things like spades, gardening gloves, watering can), card players, hair dressers (comb, brush, hair blower,etc.). They make them with tons of different themes.

[donleyk]

If it were me, I'd get Penzey's treats. What immediately came to my mind is perhaps three jars of different kinds of cinnamon, or a couple of kinds of cinnamon and a jar of nutmeg. Definitely in the spirit of the season and something that would likely be appreciated and used by someone who likes to cook and bake. I might even put them in a small Christmas stocking.

I'm sure that whatever you bring will be appreciated by the hostess. Have fun deciding :) .

This would be my vote also. It's something she'll be able to appreciate for a good while after the party.

[Terri_A]

I host a 'Twas the Night Before the Night Before Christmas Party on the 23rd every year...and last year, I got a Rosemary tree as a host gift from a friend and it was the BEST gift!!! Everyone seems to bring a bottle of wine or champagne (which are always appreciated ;) ) and I loved that it was shaped like a Christmas tree and she thought about the fact that I garden and cook - it was great!!!

[MISSINDI]

Probably too late ... but one suggestion I like, originally from Cynthia Rowley, is a Polaroid camera with film. You give it to her, and then you take pictures throughout the evening, so she not only gets a camera (which are fairly cheap these days), but great memories of the night.

[Kathy B]

I host a 'Twas the Night Before the Night Before Christmas Party on the 23rd every year...and last year, I got a Rosemary tree as a host gift from a friend and it was the BEST gift!!! Everyone seems to bring a bottle of wine or champagne (which are always appreciated ;) ) and I loved that it was shaped like a Christmas tree and she thought about the fact that I garden and cook - it was great!!!

I just saw some of those at Sam's Club last week. How long did yours last? I was interested until I read the label and it indicated it would live about 3 weeks indoors. Seemed a little high priced for that, but I wondered if they wouldn't really last longer.

[dreamer]

Wine glass charms are small wire circles that you fit around the stem of the wine glass. Each one has a small charm on it.....could be different kinds of fruit, or colored beads.....to distinguish one person's glass from anothers. The ones I recently saw had different colored Christmas ornaments on them. They're usually sold 6 to a pkg. I love mine!

Edited to add that I've seen wine glass charms for gardners (the charms were things like spades, gardening gloves, watering can), card players, hair dressers (comb, brush, hair blower,etc.). They make them with tons of different themes.
Lilith thanks for explaining- they sound really cool.
And thanks to everyone for all the great ideas!
I actually did end up getting something I had thought of early on- I went with the scented candle thing, as I really liked the giant Yankee candle "Housewarming Candle" in mistletoe scent that I saw when I went to Linens 'n Things yesterday----- but I don't want you all to think you wasted your brainpower on me... I thought your ideas were so great that I have already started my plan for gift-giving for next year with them. I loved the Penzey's idea- unfortunately it looked like shipping wouldn't get it here in time to use for this party. But I'll be ready next year! Also loved the wine charms and many of the others. What a resource you all are! -dreamer

[Terri_A]

I just saw some of those at Sam's Club last week. How long did yours last? I was interested until I read the label and it indicated it would live about 3 weeks indoors. Seemed a little high priced for that, but I wondered if they wouldn't really last longer.


I'm in Houston, so we only go down to freezing about 5 - 10 nights a year and I kept it inside for a week or two, then moved it outside...and mine is still alive!!!! A year later, it's still kicking, but I would say it is the exception, not the rule!

[fci5767]

I'm in Houston, so we only go down to freezing about 5 - 10 nights a year and I kept it inside for a week or two, then moved it outside...and mine is still alive!!!! A year later, it's still kicking, but I would say it is the exception, not the rule!

A school near here has tons of them planted on their school playground (they have herbs everywhere) and they are doing great.


Beth

[jmarie]

I have a friend who planted a Rosemary Bush under an overhang on her house, it is pretty much protected from frost there, and it has done splendidly. I would be careful not to plant it in the wide open spaces. Also when the temps are extremely cold, she protects it with a sheet. It is close to her front door, so it's close enough for her to easily take care of it. Such a useful bush. We are always cooking with it...or just bringing some of it's fragrant brances in the house.

Anyway, I GOOGLED AND DUG UP THIS INFORMATION:

I started noticing these plants in the garden centers last year around the holidays. They are so festive looking with their Christmas tree shape. Rosemary is definitely one of my favorite herbs because I love its fragrance and many uses. It is also pest and disease free.

Rosemary is a fantastic plant for Brevard because it is drought tolerant and fairly cold tolerant. We have had a rosemary bush in our back yard for the past four or five years now and it is one of the most drought tolerant plants around. Last winter we had both a frost and a light freeze and the rosemary did wonderfully. Rosemary can also handle the sandy soils that we naturally find in our yards.

Rosemary also has many uses. Its culinary uses are well known as it can be used for pork or lamb as well as in biscuits and anywhere else you want to use it! It is also a wonderful strewing herb which is where you strip the leaves off of the stems and throw them around on the carpet and then vacuum them up. For all of the stems and branches that you have left over, after you are done cooking with them or strewing the leaves, there are a couple of great uses you can choose from. You can throw the stems on the hot charcoals in the grill to flavor your meat and vegetables or, you can throw them into your fire to give your room a little rosemary aromatherapy.

The fact that rosemary is drought tolerant can be either a positive or negative characteristic. The reason it can be negative is that rosemary doesn’t give any indication when it is drying out until it is so dry that it is dead. This is the reason that so many of the rosemary Christmas trees that are purchased end up dying fairly soon. I have even seen plants in the garden center where an entire side has died out and they are put on sale as early as Thanksgiving. Rosemary plants actually put out tiny, shallow, hair-like roots which insist on good drainage. On the flip side though, the plant can not tolerate being permitted to dry out because of a lack of water. Many plants have leaves that wilt so that you know you need to water them but the leaves of rosemary don’t ever wilt so you don’t get that very important warning.

When a rosemary Christmas tree is purchased it is usually a large plant in a small, it looks like less than a one gallon pot, container. That means that there is probably a pretty good size root mass with not much soil to hold onto the water. The more soil a container holds the longer the plant can go between watering.

For anyone who purchases or receives a rosemary Christmas tree this holiday here are some hints to help your plant survive for years.

Replant your tree into a larger, preferably, clay pot. Add a lightweight, fast-draining potting mix and plant your new plant so that the top of the root ball is at the same level as the surrounding potting mix. Water the plant every week or two and make sure that a clay tray is below to catch the water that drains out. Keep the container near a bright window or outside in full sun.

If you want to keep it in the original pot, for awhile, put a plate or clear tray underneath it and give it about a half of cup of water every few days but only let it sit in the tray of excess water for a couple of hours. Then pour out the excess water. Keep it near a sunny window or outside in full sun.

A third option would be to plant your rosemary Christmas tree outside in full sun either immediately after you receive it or after the holidays. Before planting, place the container in a bowl and water it well so that the plant is sitting in the bowl of water for a half an hour or so. This will make sure that the root ball is totally saturated before being planted into the sandy soil. Next, just plant it in a sunny location and place mulch around the base of the plant. Water in the newly planted rosemary. If it is planted in sandy, well-draining soil and you have an irrigation system, the rosemary should do fine.

Rosemary is a wonderful shrub and culinary herb that makes a fantastic gift for the holidays. It’s easy to grow and has no insect or disease problems so, if you like the little rosemary Christmas trees keep this article handy so that you can keep your rosemary growing for years of enjoyment.





Sally Scalera

Horticulture Agent

December 2003

[greatcook]

I love all the ideas in this thread...now I'm totally set for holiday party gift ideas!

[Kathy B]

Thanks for posting that info on the rosemary trees, Joyce. I may need to give them another look.