With Christmas just around the corner, holiday festivities are in full swing!  This past weekend we attended 3 holiday parties.  Friday evening I went to a white elephant gift exchange with girlfriends.  Then, Saturday morning my husband and I went to an ugly Christmas sweater brunch/birthday celebration.  Last, on Sunday we spent time with my coworkers.  I know how stressful it can be to host parties, so I always like to bring a host/hostess gift.  Every one of those parties we attended had a different vibe and group of friends, so I cater my gift based on how well I know the person hosting the event. 

Host/Hostess Gift Ideas

My 3 go-to host/hostess gift ideas are:

1. Flowers
2. Wine
3. Candle

Those 3 gifts ideas are not rocket science, but people often forget, or don’t think about bringing a gift to a party. Throwing a party takes time, effort and can be expensive. Therefore, showing up with a small item as a gesture of thanks and appreciation goes a long way.  If you want to go the extra mile you could even write a thank you card after attending the event.

Flowers

Since it’s the middle of December, my go-to flowers are Poinsettias.  Poinsettias are extremely festive and last a while. Plus, they are extremely affordable and you can find them in almost any grocery store. So you don’t need to spend a fortune on getting flowers delivered from 1-800 Flowers.  Just go to Whole Foods and pick up Poinsettias.  In addition, most stores have their own holiday bouquet – which is a great idea too.

Wine

I’m definitely a red wine girl.  I love a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon.  So, if you ever come over to one of my parties I’d love a good Cab!  I typically try to figure out if the host/hostess prefers red or white wine.  Then, I stick to about $15 a bottle.  Again, you don’t need to go overboard.  It’s the thought that counts.  Same as the flowers, just grab a bottle at any grocery/convenience store.  Or, if you want to get fancy check out a wine shop for recommendations.  A great local place in Atlanta is the Ansley Wine Shop, a family owned wine store.

Candle

Candles can be a great gift, but stick to very neutral smells!  Just because you like the smell of Bath and Body Work’s Cucumber Melon fragrance, doesn’t mean everyone else does.  Or, anyone for that matter (since maybe middle school).  I just got a headache thinking about that scent. My tried and true brand is Voluspa.  Another local favorite is Candlefish.  I love the smell of my Candlefish candle and the candle itself is really pretty.  It’s very simple and elegant.  I love displaying it in our home. Candlefish’s original store is in Charleston, but they recently opened their second store in Atlanta at Ponce City Market.  Candlefish offers a fragrance library of handmade candles with over 100 fragrances, a BYOB candle making workshop and an amazing selection of candles including favorites and unique finds. I think it would be really cool to make my own candle.

Well I hope these ideas help some!  I cannot believe Christmas is on Sunday!  I’m so excited to fly home to Virginia to see family and friends on Thursday!

xx,

Lauren