I love giving hostess gifts and lately I’ve been trying to come up with ideas for gifts with a homemade touch. When we’re invited to someone’s home for dinner we always bring the age-old standby of a bottle of good wine. But I always feel that isn’t enough considering the host and hostess have spent hours planning plus considerable effort into the dinner, not to mention the costs involved. So I like to bring something extra besides the wine. If you have friends over for dinner or a party you know how much work and expense is involved — so doesn’t it follow then that your hostess gift shows you also put a little thought into it? Here’s something I’ve been doing lately (though I hope to come up with a variety of these types of gifts).
The last dinner party we were invited to, I knew the hostess doesn’t drink wine although her husband does. So bringing a good quality wine was still a must. Instead of putting the wine in one of those store-bought bottle bags I decided to buy a pretty all-linen tea towel with a springy motif. I simply folded it over the bottle, gathering the ends at the neck, and tied it with a wide ribbon. It completely elevated what could have been an ordinary bottle of wine. To be certain the hostess also received something special, I decided to make something for her. I have to tell you that both little items I made, took a matter of minutes and not a lot of money either.
Knowing she is the type of person who writes thank you cards, I selected half a dozen of my lovely notecards/envelopes that I had made by Moo.com (here’s a post about the postcards I ordered first), put them in a larger envelope (purchased at Michael’s craft store), wrapped that with a single pink ribbon, and added a tag (the card on top is my thank you card to the hostess).
Next I made some softening bath soak (bath salts). It truly took less time to make the bath salts — all natural — than it did to make the label I used for the container (an empty tea canister tin). I never use commercial bath salts because they are so loaded with chemicals but when made at home from all natural ingredients and quality essential oils, what a divine treat!
I wasn’t entirely sure how these items would go over, since it was the first time I gave these as hostess gifts. As it turned out she was really pleased to receive the items I had made especially for her.
Tell me what types of hostess gifts you have made or what your favourite hostess gift is that you have received?
If you enjoyed this why not share it with a friend or post about it on social media. Thank you for reading and sharing your time with me. — Diane
Just lovely! It is a really nice touch to give a part of you like you have done. I love the colors you chose, too – very calming.
Hope you have a great day!
Nothing like a homemade gift and these are so lovely! What presentation! You can come to my house for dinner anytime!
I think these kind of hostess gifts are so thoughtful and gracious. I have done similar with a tea towel and note cards but have not tried bath salts…Nice. Do you have a recipe? I always look forward to your posts and photos — they have a beautiful feel to them!
Great ideas! I really like the tea towel idea. I’ve given notecards before that I made with my photos but they were ones I printed myself so I wasn’t entirely pleased with them but now that I’m into moo, too, I might have some notecards made also.