Gift Ideas for the Holiday Host
There's nothing worse than showing up empty-handed to a party or event, but showing with a run-of-the-mill host or hostess gift isn't fun either. We put together a list of creative gift ideas for the holiday host that are sure to earn you a reputation as the best gift-giver, ever.
Gift Experiences and Memories
For a gift idea that's totally unique, send them on a fun experience with a Go City Card. You save, they have fun. It's like pre-paid memories, just waiting to be created. Choose an All-Inclusive Pass, which lets you choose the number of days the Pass is valid and the gift recipient can visit as many attractions of their choice as they want to visit The Explorer Pass, which lets you choose how many attractions are included on the Pass and the recipient chooses which attractions they want to visit. Or, a Build Your Own Pass, which lets you choose the attractions that will be included on the Pass.
Personalized "Gift Baskets"
Whether it's a traditional "gift basket" geared towards an activity or hobby they enjoy or a "gift basket" you cobble together with a fun theme, gift baskets are an easy item to create on your own and align with their interests. For example, if they're an avid book reader, you could put together a book bag filled with fun bookmarks, a book light for traveling, a back-up battery pack for their e-reader, one of the latest best-sellers, and a pocket dictionary. Or, if they really like baking you could look to food bloggers for the latest baking trends and put together some things such as a new apron, doughnut baking sheet, icing and dyes, a cook book from their favorite TV chef, and more in a large mixing bowl.
A Houseplant
[caption id="attachment_32128" align="aligncenter" width="560"]
"Sedum rubrotinctum" by JJ Harrison ([email protected]) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] Fresh flowers are always a nice gesture but a potted houseplant will last longer and is a great idea for anyone with a knack for gardening or nature-lovers. Just be sure to consider how much sunlight their home gets when picking out a plant, it's never bad to err on the side of caution and go for a no-fuss cactus or succulent.
A Hobby-Based Subscription
Give the gift that keeps on giving (for a few months, at least) with a subscription to something related to an interest of your host. Think beyond the magazine, there are lots of great services that now offer monthly subscriptions such as cheese clubs, wine discovery clubs, meal ingredients that just require assembly, seasonal flower arrangements, music, and more. There are even subscription-based companies that cater to pets, too!
A Homemade Treat
[caption id="attachment_32130" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
By Lvova Anastasiya (Львова Анастасия, Lvova) (Own work)
A homemade treat to contribute to the meal at-hand is always appropriate. Go one step further and print out a copy of the recipe for the host, too. Think beyond the ordinary dessert dish and consider whipping up a seasonal sangria, hors d'oeuvres with a local twist, or a small treat you can individually package for guests to bring home and enjoy later.