Every family or friend group has that one member who always seems to be the host. Maybe it’s your most extroverted friend, your family matriarch, or your cousin with the biggest house. Maybe it’s you! It’s tough to find a great gift for a host that you see often, so try these new ideas for the best gifts to treat the person who’s always treating you to a great event.
(And if you’re the host in question? Well, we won’t tell anyone if you retweet a link to this post or drop a copy into your next e-vite…)
The best gifts for traditional hosts
The Best Buy writers and editors are split on traditional host gifts. I love them: I can never get enough flowers, candles, or bottles of interesting wine. (Interesting being key here!) If you come to my home with a run-of-the-mill gift, I will be pleased as punch time and time again. You can even come to my home with the same gift year after year and I’ll probably love it!
But Christine, one of our editors who recently wrote this great post on gifts that every cook wants in their kitchen, is of another opinion. She hosts a lot, and if you’re throwing large gatherings, “regular” host gifts can stack up quickly. It’s beyond sweet and generous for guests to show up with something for the home or the party, but once your first 10 guests show up with shortbread, I can totally understand starting to panic about the integrity of your dessert table. I mean… It says it can hold 150 lbs, but does that still apply if it’s all in cookie form?
No matter what, showing up with a small gift is a great way to show your appreciation and affection for your host(s). Select your traditional gifts based on your friends’ and family’s preferences to make them the best holiday gifts ever—for a traditional host. But if you want to mix things up, keep reading this post for some unique gift ideas.
Great gift ideas for hosts with families
A good host gift is something that shows your host how much you appreciate them. But a great host gift? A great host gift is something your host can enjoy both at the party and on their own. It should be something that’s just for them—not just for sharing.
For hosts with families, I love fun host gifts that can be used during family time, too. Board games are an awesome place to start. Look for games that can be enjoyed by 2-6 people: I find that this is the sweet spot. A low minimum player number means that just the parents can play on date night, or that families without kids can enjoy the game without inviting guests. But that upper group number means they can pull it out with a larger group (or during a party), too.
Another great option is something cozy for the home. Consider gifts like seasonal pillows, quirky towels, or plush blankets. During the winter, gifts like heated throws are awesome and can be used by the whole household.
The best gifts for hosts with ever-expanding kitchens and home bars
Instead of opting for something consumable, look for the best gifts in items that your recipient can use over and over again. If they’re not the board game type, what do they love? Are they really passionate about their home bar; their plant collection; their seasonal placemats? Everyone—even your most proper, perfectionist friend—has their one weird thing that they love receiving time and time again.
My one weird thing is dinnerware. I have an ever-expanding collection of handmade plates, bowls, and mugs that I refuse to pare down. There’s always a perfectly-sized dish on hand when you’re in my home, but whether or not that dish will have a matching partner is always a question.
(And the answer to that question is usually no.)
Another great gift can be barware, which stretches a wonderfully wide range. Look for interesting decanters for the wine and whiskey aficionados in your life; find cool bar accessories like flute brushes; or explore interesting bottle openers for your clumsy friends.
Whatever your host’s passion is, do your best to match their energy and find a gift that’ll speak to them. After all, hosting is hard work. They deserve the treat!
Shop home gifts online at Best Buy today.
