I wrote a post recently on things to remember when hosting a dinner party, and a comment from a reader prompted me to think of the guest’s perspective! Bringing a hostess gift is a wonderful way to show your appreciation for your hostess, but I always struggle to find something that works well and is personal but doesn’t necessarily require a great deal of knowledge of the hostess’s personal preferences–scents, food allergies, etc. With that in mind, here are my five go-to hostess gifts!

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Cocktail napkins

One of my favorite gifts to give are beautiful or amusing cocktail napkins–you can never have enough, and they are both practical and pleasing gifts! Some of my favorite places to find cocktail napkins are The Pink House Design, August Morgan, and Porthault.

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Flowers in a vase

I love bringing a bouquet of flowers (already in a vase–don’t make more work for your hostess!) to dinner. It’s such a treat to have fresh flowers in the house, and bringing a beautiful arrangement will bring a smile to your hostess’s face long after dinner!

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A local delicacy or something different for the kitchen

While I think gifts of wine are wonderful if you know your hosts’ preference, I find it to be tricky otherwise. Try bringing something local from a farmstand instead–I love giving jars of local honey or jam. If you live in an urban area, try a nice salt (I love Maldon salt) and a bottle of olive oil.

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Something for the bar

Instead of a bottle of wine, try bringing an aperitif instead, like Lillet or a bottle of sloe gin! They are welcome additions to a bar, and something that you host might not already have.

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Something they collect

If you know your hostess well, and know what she collects, see if you can track down an addition to their collection!

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What are your go-to hostess gifts?