The start of November feels like the official start of the holiday season! That means it’s time for baking pies and cookies, seeing family, making gift lists for your loved ones, and lots of holiday parties. With Friendsgiving celebrations coming up, you’ll want to be prepared with a host gift. It’s an easy and simple way to say thank you for having me into your home, and for going out of your way to prepare food and your space!
Obviously, you know the vibe of your group and your friends best – go with a gift that feels natural for the group. It’s really the thought of the gift that goes such a long way! When shopping for a Friendsgiving host gift, it’s really easy to make it as simple as you want — most of these gifts you can pick up at a specific store, a local boutique, grab on your weekly grocery store run, or order online. Here are 13 gift ideas for your Friendsgiving host this year!
- Plants
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If your host has a green thumb (or even if they don’t), a plant is always a great hosting gift. Try to get something relatively small — you don’t want them to have to move everything around in their home to make room. If it’s in your budget, plant it in a pretty pot, too! Trader Joe’s sells great plants already in the pot for very reasonable prices. Throw a bow around it and you’re set! I would also check out some local plant stores and home boutiques in your area. They always have really fun pot selections.
- Candles
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Generally, there are mixed opinions on gifting candles because people have such different — and sometimes very specific — scent preferences. For me, I love getting or gifting a candle. If you’re looking for a universal scent, Anthropologie sells Capri Blue’s Volcano scent in what feels like 50 different vessels. This scent is extremely popular and is a good basic, especially if you don’t feel like you know the host’s preferences quite well. If you’re looking for something different, Voluspa makes beautiful coconut wax candles. Baltic Amber is my fave scent — the vessel is perfect for fall time, but the scent isn’t so hyper-specific that it can’t be burned year-round!
- Games
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If you’re looking for an activity to gift your host, there are SO many games to choose from. Smartass is one of my favorite games to play with family and friends — it’s trivia and a board game! If you’re looking for something a little less involved, Taco-Cat-Goat-Cheese-Pizza is shockingly fun! The rules are super simple, so if you wanted to play the night of your Friendsgiving, you could easily do that. There’s also a holiday version. If you know the vibes of your Friendsgiving lean toward drinking (and you’re all 21+, of course), get a drinking game! Buzzed is a lot of fun, and For the Girls is great if you and your best girlfriends are having Friendsgiving together this year.
- Mugs
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You can, quite literally, never go wrong with a mug. They are inexpensive, versatile, and so fun to pick out. I’m a believer that you can never have too many. Anthropologie has really cute options; Homegoods, T.J. Maxx, and Marshalls are all always stocked with a wide variety; and local businesses tend to have locally-made pottery mugs, which are such a cute vibe! One is of course enough, but you could always give your host two matching mugs to make a little more out of your gift. Throw some chocolates in the middle and you’ve got the perfect host gift.
- Beverage Set
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You can pair this with a mug, or just gift it by itself. Either are a lovely treat to receive. If you can, base this gift on your host. For me, I love hot chocolate, especially in the wintertime. A set of flavored hot chocolate powders is a nice treat most people don’t think to buy themselves. For a tea-lover, a set of tea bags or a holiday package of tea leaves accompanied with a steeper is a cute set. And for all the coffee drinkers, a fresh bag of coffee grounds or their fave K-cups goes a long way — and smells delicious.
- Pasta Cooking Set
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I think I can confidently say most people love pasta. Gift the pasta-lover in your life a little pasta cooking set. Grab a fun shaped pasta (Trader Joe’s has some cute ones), a jar of marinara (maybe one from your local Italian shop), and a little basil plant. It’s quick and easy, and you can put as much effort into it as you want. It’s also a really easy way to go local if you want to support some small businesses near you!
- Wine & A Dish Towel
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Alcohol is always a go-to hostess gift, whether it be beer or wine (hard liquor isn’t normally the vibe, but if that’s your group, go for it)! I think an easy way to step up this gift is to pair it with another small add-on. If you are gifting wine, pair it with some delicious dark chocolate, or a dish towel if the person has their own kitchen. I saw this really cute way to wrap the wine you are gifting in the dish towel and just tie it up with some ribbon at the top! If you’re going the beer or seltzer route, add on a drink koozie. I love this one from Yeti, and that they have size options for a seltzer can.
- Chocolate
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Getting a hostess gift doesn’t have to mean breaking your bank! If you’re looking for an easy, inexpensive gift, a chocolate bar is a good go-to. I mean, you technically could break the bank with some gourmet chocolate options, but it’s totally not necessary. If you can find the brand Tony’s Chocolonely, it’s perfect for this — check your local Whole Foods or Target. Grab one bar or a few. The packaging is so bright and fun, and they have delicious combos. Milk caramel sea salt is my favorite!
- Warmie
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OK, OK, here me out. I just got a Warmie for my birthday, and now he permanently sleeps in my bed. Call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure you will be doing the same thing the second you have one. I mean come on, it’s a microwaveable stuffed animal! I have the dino and I love him, but there are so many options to choose from. Perfect for cramps, a cold night, or just to snuggle up to.
- Advent Calendar
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Since your Friendsgiving probably falls toward the end of the month, it’s the perfect time to gift an advent calendar if your host celebrates Christmas. (Or even if they don’t!) They won’t have to wait too long to start it, which is perfect, because having one and not being able to open it yet is so tempting! You could combine two ideas here and do a chocolate or tea advent calendar!
- Book & A Bookmark
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If you feel like you know your host really well (maybe they are your BFF of 20 years), you can really get more personal with your Friendsgiving host gift. Pick out a book in a genre you know they love, or give them one that you love and think they would enjoy reading because of that! I’d gift this with a cute bookmark as well.
- Cake Stand & Cupcakes
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This is a perfect example of a gift that can be as much or as little work as you want it to be. If you’re feeling it, make some cupcakes (or any dessert) for your host. Then you can simply place them on the cake stand you plan on gifting them and tie a bow on top! You may want to wrap it in some cellophane to make sure you don’t lose your dessert on the way over. It’s a great way to bump up a food gift! If you aren’t into making your own cupcakes or simply don’t have the time, you can always buy some already made as well.
- Slippers
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I believe you should gift the host something they will use and love. If that falls into the home/kitchen category like many other hosting gifts, great! If it bleeds into comfort items like slippers, great! I mean, how many cutting boards and cheese knives can one give and receive?! I think slippers are a super easy gift because there tend to only be a few sizes to choose from, and I would always just size up (nobody wants a slipper that’s too small). I just got these strawberry ones and they are super cozy! This style is sold everywhere online with lots of different designs. These Harry’s House slippers for Harry Styles fans?! Perfect!