A few handpicked and unexpected overnight hostess gifts that have gotten a Wirecutter gifts expert invited back to summer homes — including a fabulous dill pickle hat. Plus, the best gifts to give yourself.
A hostess gift for a dinner party is one thing: a bottle of wine, a box of cookies, plus your good company and genuine thanks is all that’s needed. If you want to ramp it up, I happen to think these bright napkins are perfect; my fellow gifts expert Mari Uyehara is all about these mini wooden bowls from Italy. But an overnight or weekend stay? That’s an entirely different proposition. In that case, your hosts have done laundry and struggled to put fitted sheets on the guest bed just for you. This deserves a little more effort (and maybe, but not necessarily, more moolah) on your part. I have a couple of general rules for great host or hostess gifts for overnight stays: It should be something that’s easy to travel with (scratch that crystal vase or Key lime pie). It should be something you can enjoy together during your visit or themed in some way to your stay. And if you don’t know your hosts well, it should be something universal enough to fit easily with most tastes and styles. For the latter one-size-fits-any-host gift, I like elevated or unexpected takes on everyday things they most likely wouldn’t buy for themselves. This spherical soap looks like a sculpture and would be a good fit in any bathroom. This splurgy hand care set from Le Labo looks like it comes from a fancy pharmacy and smells amazing. A specialty from your hometown is a no-brainer that feels personal; I bring See’s Candy from San Francisco nearly everywhere I go, and it’s always a hit. Of course, the most fun gifts (and usually the most fun stays) are for the people you do know well. For them, a gift becomes your chance to speak directly to someone’s taste, personality, or place. If I’m visiting a house I’m lucky enough to frequent, I’ll try and take note during my stay of what they are missing (too few beach towels? Board games with missing pieces?) and fill it out with something cool the next time I come. Or I’ll center it around an activity we always enjoy there. For a little more inspiration, these are the gifts that have been the biggest hits with my hosts:
27 more host and hostess gifts we love→
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I’m a widowed mother of three teens and preteens, and I rarely buy myself anything — in fact my kids often tell me this! I love to garden, read, paint, listen to music, walk in the woods, and bake. My second birthday without my husband is coming up, and I feel the absence of his love keenly. Please help me find a special gift to soothe my aching soul. — C.J From gifting expert Samantha Schoech: First, I am truly sorry for your loss. I am also the mother of teenagers and have been married for a long time, and I can only begin to imagine what you are going through. And though we all know material goods don’t bring lasting happiness, a little retail therapy can be a sort of self-care. My first thought is to get yourself a good book subscription so you have something to look forward to in the mail each month. I also recommend these watercolor paints from Japan and possibly joining Wendy McNaughton’s Draw Together Grown Up’s Table, the friendliest, least stressful art “lessons” and community out there. For music, perhaps splurge on some noise-cancelling headphones? I recently got a pair, and now I listen to audiobooks while I pull weeds or to music while I fold laundry, and I finally understand what all the headphone fuss is about. Finally, because you deserve to feel and smell beautiful just for yourself, try this luxurious body oil with a light floral scent — it makes me feel fancy and pampered even if I’m just working from home in my sweats.
Have someone who’s impossible to shop for? Submit your question here. One last gift (for you): One of our favorite totes — a luxurious open-top bag made out of Italian leather — is on sale right now. Was this email kindly forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
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