On the receiving end

Ah the “hostess gift”. It is a wonderful tradition but the term is so damn archaic, so Neanderthal (“Here’s a lovely pink spike for your club, Noomby.”) that it does a great disservice to the act and to the article given. Historically, the gift is presented to the hostess by a female guest. Therefore single men get off the hook and hosts get screwed. It was meant as an advance “thank you” for all the hard work she put into the event. Guys, you get squat.

I really hope that times have changed enough that we can all, boys and girls alike, lose the “ess” in “host” and give a gift to the person(s) having the party without the act being a chick thing. Ok? Ok.

That said, there is an incredible range of useful and fun gifts you can bring. In this climate, I especially emphasize useful. There are a number of things to keep in mind when considering what to bring. Always best is to consider the hosts. Do they like car wax? How about light bulbs?
Please keep in mind the relative clutter in the person’s home. Do they really need more stuff? If not, stick to perishables such as good olive oil or items that will deplete in time. Be sure, if you choose items like soap or candles, that they are of fairly good quality. Irish Spring is probably not the best choice. Santa Maria Novella has really great stuff for both men and women.


I know I can always use paper cocktail napkins (hmmmmm what does that say about me? Shut Up!)



Now let’s get down to some fun (and useful) stuff.




This $35 juicer from the MOMA Design Store is one of my absolute favs. In addition to all the wonderful qualities that I ranted about in an earlier post, it is the perfect size gift for those whose kitchens are spatially challenged.






If they have room, a 2-cup Saki set is nice or this set of 3 brilliant lamp shades ($15 MOMA DS) I recommend going to Crate and Barrel and buying 3 very inexpensive wine glasses with a broad bowl base which can comfortably house the tea lights. While you are there you can also pick up a bag of tea lights so that the gift is complete.





The Rabbit wine cooler is wonderful because it folds flat and will store well in the freezer.



And finally who doesn’t need one of these?




Fantastico!