Gifts for a Thanksgiving Dinner Host or Hostess

If you are fortunate enough this holiday season to have a friend or family member play host or hostess and serve you a stellar Thanksgiving dinner, the least you can do in return is provide a meaningful and well-thought out gift as a gesture of appreciation. Here are two suggestions:

Thanksgiving Hostess Gift #1

Since preparing a meal and hosting a Thanksgiving dinner can be a somewhat stressful task, give your hostess the gift of relaxation. If you can't afford a luxury item like a spa gift card, then do the next best thing. Put together a basket of relaxation products to help your host wind down when the Thanksgiving company is gone.

Your Thanksgiving gift basket can include some soothing bath beads or bath salts, a luxurious blanket, a CD of peaceful ocean wave sounds, and a selection of delicious hot beverages. Everything a person would need to enjoy a nice hot bath and the evening afterward should be included.

If you and your hostess both have children, consider offering to host a slumber party post Thanksgiving. Then not only can your host and hostess relax with the gifts you provide, but they will have an opportunity to fully unwind with no concerns.

Thanksgiving Hostess Gift #2

An additional thought is to offer your Thanksgiving host or hostess a free dinner. Two obvious ways to do this are to either offer to cook dinner at your own home someday soon or to provide a restaurant gift certificate for your hostess.

However, a more thoughtful and creative way to "prepare" dinner as a thank you is to put together a box of pre-mixed products. Make your favorite homemade spaghetti sauce and put it in a jar and be sure to include a box of whole grain pasta on the side.

Pre-mix the dry ingredients to a family cookie or pie recipe and include small packages of additional needed ingredients (like a pint of milk and half a dozen eggs). Then your hostess will have all of the necessities for a homemade meal with the lack of muss and fuss usually reserved for bland frozen dinners or the fast food window.

When Thanksgiving rolls around, enjoy a good time with your friends and family. If you are celebrating at a friend's home, be thoughtful and provide your host or hostess with a gift package to help them unwind after the party and after Thanksgiving day.