Going to a party? Tis the season for much celebration, and between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, you’re going to need a lot of host gifts. Wine can get a bit expensive and flowers are predictable, though lovely. Here are a few other ideas for homemade host gifts.
Create a handmade wreath for your hosts. If they live somewhere with an outside door, they’ll love a wreath made out of fragrant evergreen branches and topped with bows and bells.
Cookies are always a favorite. Make these for people you know well so that you know that they can eat them, or work around any allergies or special diets your hosts might have. It’s best if you set out to bake a lot of cookies at once. Then you have some for your family, some for friends, and others for host gifts all tucked away. You can also put away some freezer cookie dough. A jar of this makes a great host gift as well.
Getting into the baking scene? As a treat every year I make a recipe of my grandmother’s rather unhealthy but completely delicious home-baked buns for host gifts. These are best made the morning of the party, but what a way to tell your hosts that they are valued!
Looking for something that your hosts can tuck away for another day? How about some flavored vinegars? These vinegars are easy to make with dried or fresh herbs or make a batch of raspberry vinegar, strain it and keep it in the fridge for a special occasion. Freezer jam or regular jam is another delightful treat, and freezer jam is very easy to make: get freezer jam pectin, mash berries and sugar, and can it in freezer jars.
How about a little bit of festive cheer in the form of dipped pine cones? Dip cones into colorful paraffin or beeswax and use them as eye-popping fire starters. Or use fabric scraps to create simple homemade napkins or a fabric scrap garland. Lovely and meaningful!
What are you giving for host gifts this year?