When it comes to hostess gifts, wine is the default for a reason: it is easy. It is also the thing your host already has six of by the end of the night. A good host gift is small, a little more personal, and something they will actually open, whether that is tomorrow morning or the next time they have people over.
These 25 hostess gifts are sorted by the kind of visit, because what works for a dinner party is not what works after three nights in someone’s guest room. If you are still deciding whether to bring something at all, or how much to spend, our host gift etiquette guide covers the unwritten rules.
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Dinner Parties
For the host who has already been handed four bottles of wine tonight. These hostess gifts are small, giftable things they will open at the table or use the next time they have people over, which is the whole idea.
THE CONVERSATION STARTER
Fishwife Tinned Fish Gift Set, 5-Pack
Five tins in one box: anchovies, sardines, tuna, mackerel and trout, all from certified sustainable fisheries. Tinned fish has quietly become the thing food people get excited about, and a box like this goes straight onto a cracker board or into the pantry for a lazy dinner later. It reads as more thoughtful than flowers, and it will not be the fifth one of its kind on the counter that night.
ICOSA Living 6-Piece Cheese Knife Set
Six stainless steel knives for every kind of cheese, packed gift-ready with a card of recipes.
Momofuku Hot Honey Chili Crunch
Chili crunch made with wildflower honey, garlic and shallots, for pizza, eggs or roasted vegetables.
Linen Cocktail Napkins, Set of 12
Twelve small pure linen napkins with an embroidered dot, washable and sized for drinks.
Rabbit Wine Pourer Stoppers, Set of 2
Two stainless pourers that stop drips and seal the bottle, so the open wine keeps for later.
Dried Flower Bouquet Set
A bundle of dried roses and stems that arrives ready to arrange and never needs water.
Small Glass Bud Vases
Small glass vases for a few stems, so the flowers never send them hunting through cupboards.
Weekend Stays
Staying over raises the bar. The best gifts here look after the morning after you leave, or give everyone something to do on the second night.
FOR THE MORNING AFTER
Tokyo Coffee Organic Signature Blend
A 12-ounce bag of organic whole-bean coffee, a medium-dark roast described as sweet and smooth, roasted in Japan. Good coffee is the most useful thing you can leave behind after a weekend on someone’s couch, because it gets used the very next morning. Check whether they grind their own beans before you buy; most coffee people do.
Smugglers’ Notch Pure Vermont Maple Syrup
Wood-fired Vermont maple syrup for pancakes and waffles, or a splash in a cocktail.
Sweet Diane’s Organic Granola
Organic, low-sugar granola, so breakfast is handled for at least a few mornings.
Turkish Cotton Hand Towels, Set of 2
Two striped cotton hand towels that make a guest bathroom feel a little nicer.
This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray
A lavender, chamomile and vetiver pillow mist for the guest room, or for them.
Hues and Cues Color Guessing Game
A color-guessing party game for three to ten players, played on a board of 480 color squares.
Anillo Amber Bath Salt Soak
An amber-scented Korean bath soak with green tea, for after the guests finally leave.
Holiday Gatherings
A holiday host is cooking for twelve and refereeing two branches of the family. Bring something that adds to the table without adding to their to-do list.
BIG ENOUGH TO SHARE
Matilde Vicenzi Roma Italian Cookie Tin
More than two pounds of Italian pastries and cookies in individually wrapped trays, packed in a tin pretty enough to keep. It goes straight onto the dessert table without anyone having to plate it, and whatever is left over keeps for the week. The tin tends to outlive the cookies, which is a good sign in a host gift.
FOR THE HOST WHO SERVES
Acacia Live Edge Charcuterie Board
An extra-large acacia board, about 24 by 10 inches, with a natural live edge and a handle. It is big enough for a full holiday spread of cheese, meat and fruit, and it looks good enough to serve on directly rather than hide in a cupboard. A plain board with no engraving, so it fits any kitchen, and the handle makes it easy to carry from counter to table. It is the one gift on this list they will reach for every time they host.
Gourmet Hot Chocolate Gift Set of 9
Nine cocoa mixes in one box, made for cold nights and movies after the dishes are done.
Spices Village Mulling Spices
A cinnamon, allspice, clove and nutmeg blend for hot cider or mulled wine.
Mini Gingerbread House Kit, Set of 4
Four small gingerbread houses with icing and candy, a ready activity if the host has kids.
First Visits
Meeting the in-laws or visiting a new colleague for the first time? Stick to things almost anyone will like and nobody has to work to enjoy.
LoLite Succulent and Cactus Trio
Three low-light succulents in two-tone ceramic pots, about as easy as a living gift gets.
Calathea Ornata Live Plant
A pet-safe plant with striking striped leaves. Fussier than a succulent, so best for plant people.
C.O. Bigelow Rosemary Mint Hand Care Duo
A rosemary mint hand wash and lotion pair, the kind that ends up beside the kitchen sink.
Tate’s Bake Shop Chocolate Chip Cookies
The thin, crispy chocolate chip cookies that almost everyone already likes.
MILAVERA Glass Match Cloche
A glass jar of long safety matches with a striker, nicer to leave out by the candles.
Good Dog: A Collection of Portraits
A coffee-table book of dog portraits, an easy pick for any household with a dog.
Before You Hand Over Your Hostess Gift
Whatever you bring, hand it over at the door rather than digging it out of a bag later, and let it go: if they save it for another night, that is the point. For more on timing, budget and the follow-up note, see our host gift etiquette guide.