For the stressed-out hostess of a kids' holiday party
The gift: A healthy frozen meal
After corralling a group of children all hopped up on sugar cookies and candy canes, the last thing this hostess wants to do is cook. So help her out with a ready-to-serve meal. You can make almost anything as long as it's easy to freeze and reheat, but we especially like this Turkey-Spinach Lasagna recipe from "Cooking Light." Lasagna is ideal for freezing and reheating, plus the turkey is a healthier option than beef and the spinach gives you fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin A, which helps promote moisture retention for healthy skin. To make it as a gift, just assemble the lasagna but instead of baking it, freeze it. Then give it to your busy-mom friend with a fresh baguette and baking instructions.
If you're lucky enough to have a friend that invites you to stay at her cabin for some snow-day fun, repay the favor with a gift set perfectly tailored to her needs. This outdoor collection has an SPF 30 lip balm, SPF 30 sunscreen, an SPF 15 moisturizer, an SPF 50 sports spray, and shower and bath gel to relax sore, tight muscles.
This toilet bowl deodorizer (think Febreeze for the can) is one of those things that no one would buy for themselves, but everyone secretly wants. Plus, it's the perfect thing for your funny pal to set out for future guests. Of course, Poo-Pourri is not something you can give to just any hostess. You'll want to save it for a friend you know well and one who will get that this is a joke gift (but a useful one nonetheless).
She let you crash at her place, take over her bathroom with your giant makeup bag, and didn't even flinch when your roller bag scratched her wood floors. You can begin to thank her with this massive gift set. It comes in a beautiful hatbox and is filled with Lush favorites like Creamed Almond and Coconut Shower Smoothie, Smitten Hand Cream, and Charity Pot. Plus, you can let her know that $8.50 of the price goes to Lush's Charity Pot fund, which donates to charities that fight for animal rights and environmental causes.
If you want to be an over-achieving guest, give your hostess one of these gifts before her party. She'll be hugging people and shaking hands, so a gorgeous manicure is a must. If she needs some basic TLC for her hands, the SpaRitual kit will help. It has two cuticle products, one to treat damaged cuticles and the other to hydrate dry cuticles, a nail growth product, and a sanitizable eco-friendly nail file. If her hands are already in decent shape, the Urban Decay kit will give her fun polish options like gold, emerald, and fuchsia -- the perfect finishing touch for any party.
Were you taught to never go to someone's house empty handed? While Miss Manners says this isn't a rule per se (she's more of a thank-you-note-after kind of gal), a hostess gift is still a nice gesture. Especially after you've taken over someone's couch for a weekend, raided her fridge, and accidentally spilled wine on her formerly pristine sofa.
Now, your first thought may be to go the traditional (read: boring) route with your gift. You could buy a houseplant, but she'll feel guilty when it inevitably dies. Or a scented candle, but her bathroom's already full of them. Or perhaps a bottle of wine, but really, her couch can't take any more stains. A better option? One of these unique gift ideas.
We've scoured the Internet to find the best, most creative hostess gifts. There's something here for every occasion, from a co-worker's cousin's party where you barely know the hostess, to a weeklong stay at your best friend's house.
Of course, giving a stellar hostess gift is only one part of being a good guest. Miss Manners has a few other tips:
1. Offer to help clean any messes you make while there, but if the hostess insists on doing it herself, stay out of her way. 2. Don't overstay your welcome. If you simply dropped by, keep the visit to 20 minutes. If you came over for a meal, head out about a half hour after the meal. 3. On a longer visit, entertain yourself from time to time. Don't expect your hosts to constantly provide you with things to do; they would likely love a little peace and quiet while you visit a museum on your own.
To show your hostess with the mostest appreciation, stock up on these unique gift ideas -- then watch the invites to more parties start pouring in.
