50 Unique Host and Hostess Gifts to Commemorate Any Occasion
Show your appreciation, whether you're attending a dinner party, Christmas celebration or baby shower.
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No matter the occasion, it's never ideal to show up to someone's house empty-handed — even if your party host swears they've got everything covered. Providing your host or hostess with a small token of appreciation goes a long way (and likely ensures you'll score an invite next year, too). To help you impress your favorite host or hostess, we've compiled this roundup of the best hostess gifts you can give in 2023.
From dinner parties, game nights and housewarmings to annual holidays (think Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas breakfast), it's difficult to find an appropriate gift to say thank you. Luckily, we've included ideas for every budget and plenty of last-minute finds. Keep it simple with an inexpensive gift under $20 — think candles, coasters or recipe books, or splurge on a luxury find — hint: colorful glassware sets that elevate their tabletop.
As you scroll, shop creative finds that make cooking, decorating and cleaning much easier for them — think a cake stand, oven mitts and bread warming blanket — all of which double as brilliant housewarming gifts. Other gift ideas, like a luxury scented candle or monogrammed napkin rings (for $1!), easily add a special touch to any gathering. And if your hostess put you charge of appetizers, desserts or charcuterie, we've sprinkled in a few food gift ideas the whole party will love.
Inspired by the Parisian flea markets, this gorgeous cake stand will look beautiful on their countertop — especially when paired with one of their famous desserts. Did we mention it's dishwasher safe?
Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist
If your hostess has a knack for bartending, Tequlia Mockingbird will add a few literary-themed cocktails to their repetitore. The book includes 65 drink recipes, plus bar bites, drinking games and whimsical illustrations throughout.
Allowing them to cook with ease, this convenient stand will prop up cookbooks, tablets or magazines (like the latest issue of Good Housekeeping). It's designed to resemble a stylish cutting board, so it'll pair seamlessly with their modern kitchen aesthetic.
This minimalist candle melter — available in white, black and pink — provides all the function of a wicked candle, without the smoky smell. It includes a built-in dimmer switch to adjust the brightness and is large enough to fit most candles (even Yankee Candle's large jar).
RELATED: Best Candle Warmers for a Cozy Feel Without the Flame
Rather than bringing over a bouquet of flowers that'll die within a week, gift them a few life-like stems that'll last... most likely, forever. We love these dark mauve roses, but there's also light pink, dusty peach and lavender to consider.
Take their chef skills to the next level with this well-rated mortar and pestle — which reviewers claim is simple to use, easy to clean and feels heavy duty. It's not just for guacamole, they'll love experimenting with spices and herbs to make homemade dips, dressings and salsas.
Turn your next dinner party into a lively game night by gifting the hostess an addicting and easy-to-learn game. Up to eight players can get involved by filling in the blanks on a dry-erase slate, trying their best to match other players.
Levain Bakery Signature Cookie Assortment
Arrive with delicious treats in hand, or more specifically this set of assorted cookies from Levain Bakery. Your host will love sampling all the flavors: Chocolate Chip Walnut, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip.
If she's always got a collection of scented candles burning, this rechargeable electric lighter will make her party prep easier. The affordable tool has over 30,000 five-star reviews and is available in a variety of colors.
Rated the best overall French press by The Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, this budget-friendly pick brews a well-rounded cup of coffee. Its chrome frame looks modern and stylish, plus provides an insulation layer to keep coffee warm.
RELATED: Best French Press Coffee Makers, According to Testing
There's a lot of prep involved in hosting, but nearly just as much cleanup. Blueland's cleaning essentials are made from plant-based and plant-friendly ingredients, plus the packaging looks chic when resting on the counter. This set includes a hand soap, multi-surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner and glass + mirror cleaner.
RELATED: Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products for All Around Your House
Crafted from natural teak wood, this handmade pair of salad servers will elevate her table setting. What's more: Your investment in GlobeIn empowers artisans and the brand includes the story behind every product (this one was crafted by Teo Hernandez in Guatemala).
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When in doubt, gift her a bottle of wine — but don't settle on just any store-bought option. This light, fresh sparkling wine has a soft, delicate finish and arrives in a sophisticated bottle.
To pair with that bottle of bubbly, gift her this elegant white marble wine chiller. Advise her to stick it in the fridge a few hours before party time, and guests will never complain about room temp wine.
This oven mitt, featuring a field of flowers, makes a gorgeous addition to her kitchen, plus it's incredibly functional. Designed by French artist Nathalie Lete, this floral collection also includes an apron and dish towels in a matching print.
Prepping, cooking and cleaning for a dinner party means hours on their feet — luckily, these best-selling cloud slippers ensure feet are supportive and comfortable through it all. They're available in tons of colors, so pick up a pair in their favorite shade.
In Colonial times, lighting a bayberry-scented candle on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve was meant to ensure a happy and prosperous new year — there's even a poem that goes "A bayberry candle burnt to the socket brings food to the larder and gold to the pocket." Let the tradition continue with this set of two 9-inch tapers.
Just one of these quartz, amethyst or colored agate coasters will dress up her space. And since it'll prevent dreaded water rings and stains, they're every party host's dream.
Imagine how much your favorite host will love setting the dinner table with these personalized wooden napkin rings. While you can obviously opt to use their family name, feel free to have fun with the text you choose, too. Go with their nickname, an inside joke, a word that's appropriate for the season, you name it.
Upgrade their bar cart with this mixologist-approved set, which comes with six different cocktail mixers to make everyone's favorites, from mai tais to margaritas.
Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more.
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.
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