Frugal Yet Thoughtful Host or Hostess Gift Ideas

The holiday season means lots of parties and traveling to visit friends and relatives. Presenting your host or hostess with a gift that shows you have put much thought into it is a courteous way to say thank you for their gracious accommodation. However, what if you have no idea what to give as a host or hostess gift? Or perhaps your budget is modest, to say the least. Following are some ideas to help you choose a gift within your budget that your host or hostess will be sure to appreciate.

The first thing to consider when choosing a host or hostess gift is the event. A gift for the host of a dinner party wouldn't need to be as big or elaborate as a gift for your hostess for a weekend. Other things to consider are your host's or hostesses taste, décor, and space. While it might be a nice gesture to arrive with an armful of fresh flowers, your thoughtfulness is diminished if your hostess is busy trying to prepare the meal and has to stop what she's doing to find a vase.

Many people bring a bottle of wine to a dinner party as a host or hostess gift. If you decide to do so, make sure to say to the host "Thank you so much for having me! Please enjoy this in the future and think of me." If you do not mention that they may enjoy it later, your host or hostess may feel pressured to serve it that night.

While in some cases this might not pose a problem, it is quite possible they have already chosen wine to serve with the meal. It is also possible that some of the guests would be offended by the hosts serving alcohol and therefore they did not intend to do so. A thoughtful and frugal option is to present a host or hostess gift of attractive wine charms that guests can slip around the stem of their glasses to identify them.

If you are visiting your host or hostess for a weekend, food items can be thrifty but considerate gift ideas. Create a breakfast basket with a small package of gourmet coffee, homemade scones, and small jars of marmalade and jelly. Do your hosts love to stay up and watch late movies? Give a movie-watching basket by filling a popcorn bucket with microwave popcorn and movie theater style candies (usually plentiful at dollar stores).

Another enjoyable host or hostess gift ideal for those longer stays is a new board or card game. This gift is sure to be appreciated by the host and hostess with kids who tend to get bored during the holiday break from school. If possible, grill the kiddos about what games the family already has. Or, if you have a certain game in mind, mention it to your host during a pre-visit phone call and ask if they've heard anything about it.

If you are attending a holiday party or gathering, you might present your host or hostess with a beautiful ornament for their tree. For a gift-worthy homemade ornament, purchase clear glass ornaments, open one, and squirt two or three coordinating colors of acrylic paint into the bulb. Swirl the paint around inside the ornament and allow it to dry for a beautiful bulb that resembles a glossy marble! Another option is to shop the post-Christmas sales for beautiful ornaments at deep discounts, and then stash them away as hostess gifts for next year's occasions.

Once you have put some thought into what your host or hostess would appreciate in a gift, be creative and find a way to make it personal as well as frugal.