Ten on Tuesday: 10 Hostess Gift Ideas

Another great Ten on Tuesday from Carole!  I love reading everyone's great ideas, so here are my ten.

It has been a while since I needed to think about Hostess Gifts, but here are some of my old favorites and new ideas to bring to parties and get-togethers.  Some of these ideas are better for some personalities than others, but I have found that over the years you will gravitate towards the people who enjoy the gift you like to give anyway. You can tell I spend a lot of time at my local Antique Mall.

1. For the localvore: Artesan cheeses.  A small selection of little locally made cheeses in a basket. I have also been known to include a vintage cheese knife and plane and vintage kitchen linens.

2. For the cook: A small set of flavored olive oils.  Most of my friends love to cook, and it is fun to give something a little luxurious that they might not buy for themselves. (Also given with vintage kitchen linens)

3. For the mom: A sugar cookie set. A mason jar with dry ingredients, pre-measured, and some vintage cookie cutters.  This is a fun hostess gift for my friends that have kids in the 4-10 age group.  Sometimes I also include a few rolls of Lifesavers candy with instructions on how to make Stained Glass cookies. Vintage kitchen linens with something fun embroidered on them - like the kitten or elf days of the week.

4. For the Guy: Nuts in the shell with a vintage nutcracker set.  Or a small bottle of good whiskey. Or a mixed pack of artisan beer. Sometimes I have girlfriends who get the Guy gift because that fits their personality really well.  Sometimes I can find them good vintage coasters as well.

5. For the animal lover: A small birdfeeder and seeds, sometimes a few ears of dried corn as well, all nicely presented in a basket. Sometimes homegrown cat-nip, or dog-biscuits if they have pets at home.

6. For the sweet tooth: Local honey on the comb. Nothing looks so inviting as a jar of honey comb. I usually present this with a honey dipper.

7. For the baker: A bread set. A mason jar with dry ingredients, recipe with the wet ingredients, a nice bread basket and VINTAGE KITCHEN LINENS.

8. For the gardener: Handmade soaps with tray and wooden nail brush and pumice stone.

9. For the beach dweller: Homemade Limoncello. Even though this is often served in ceramic cups, I like giving mismatched etched barware, especially old-fashions - you can see the beautiful color of the limoncello. Also curious to try Cherry Bounce, but I have never made it before, and I am terrified that cherry liqueur would just taste like medicine.

10. For anyone: A nice bottle of champagne.  My favorite to give is Veuve Clicquot because it is incredibly good champagne, and it has either the beautiful saffron-colored label, or comes in a saffron box. SO classy. Especially good around the holidays as the hostess can save it for New Year's! Yes, it is expensive. So only my favorite hostesses get this, and quite possibly, one of the above as well!