Thoughtful Gifts to the Host That Are Neither Wine nor Candles
If you are not spending Thanksgiving, you will most likely be attending, which means that some very nice person opened his house and invited a lot of people inside. This person deserves gifts.
Wine is the answer to this gift question (often at the last minute), but if you don’t understand wine – and what kind of wine your host likes – it might seem a little impersonal. Candles are another standard here, but I found the scent to be too personal to impose on anyone else. (Even expensive scented candles can cause headaches.) However, you should still bring a gift, and it shouldn’t be expensive. Here are some wonderful things that I – the owner of things – would like to receive:
- Fancy Salt: Maldona’s gorgeous flaked salt makes every table more sophisticated and ripe , and it’s very likely that eating this giant meal has drained your many of your most basic pantries. A good box of good salt, perhaps paired with a wooden salt shaker , is equally practical and useful.
- Holiday kitchen towels (or napkins): Kitchen towels and napkins for specific events can really lift the spirits in the kitchen, but they seem too frivolous to buy for yourself. Kitchen towels are never enough, however, and some very pretty ones will make your host attack this pile of dishes. (Just kidding, you have to offer your help.)
- Really good hand lotion: People who cook a lot wash their hands a lot, and frequent hand washing dries them out. Advanced Repair Hand Creme ( unscented ), Weleda Skin Food and Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve do wonderful things for dry skin. If things are really dire, a can of bag balm can be a little humorous but life-saving gift.
- Really good oil or olive oil: Your host likely has neither, and will welcome restocking. Buy a large, impressive Amish-style oil or a bottle of good olive oil meant to be cooked rather than tasted (or you can get both).
- Coffee: Your host will be tired, and tired people love coffee. Buy them a bag of locally roasted good beans and give them with this mug that will tell you exactly what you think of them and their ability to host.
- Breakfast the next day : The owner is tired of cooking and the owner doesn’t want to eat turkey for breakfast (probably). There are many ways to gift your morning lunch – donuts, homemade scones, bagels – but my favorite breakfast is Cracker Barrel’s syrup and bacon pancake mix. (Bonus: if you are on the road to your Thanksgiving destination, you can pick it up en route.)
If you really want to donate a drink, no one will be angry with the wine, but you might consider grabbing a bottle of a stronger drink. A bottle of wine is enough for an evening, and a bottle of good whiskey is enough for at least two.