Seasons Greetings
The season for holiday parties and open houses has sprung my friends. Don’t believe me? Over the next two weeks, the husband and I will have hit both of our formal work holiday parties. While we aren’t expected to bring host / hostess gifts to those types of events, we have been invited to many a holiday fete in the past that requires a good host / hostess gift. I’ve talked a bit about hostess gifts before, but here are a few things to keep in mind:
1) Scale Accordingly. If you are a houseguest, or even spending the night at a friend’s place, your gift should be bigger than say, a drop-in at a pal’s open house party. If the event is a five-course meal with an in-house sommelier, your gift should be nicer than if you were visiting a friend’s place to watch the game or sip cider. Be wary of how much your personal circumstances weigh into things. If you had to drive an hour or hire a babysitter, maybe opt for something slightly less grand…but don’t forgo a gift altogether.
2) Wine is Boring. Most host gifts are in the $25 and under range (although see the note above), which makes a bottle of wine an easy choice. Honestly though, a unique choice, especially once that reflects the host’s personal interests, will help guarantee your invite for future years and curry good favour the day of the actual event. Just ask yourself: would I be excited to get this?
3) Stockpile Away. I regularly feature gift ideas that would make appropriate hostess gifts. Having a small stash of items for last-minute invites or to save you from the hustle & bustle of grabbing something en route can seriously help you destress.
4) Party Picks. If you’re buying a host gift, generally speaking it means that person likes to have people over. Consider buying them something they can use at a future event, or even that very night.
5) A Host Gift is not a Friend Gift. Be wary of bringing a hostess gift and leaving it at that. It’s entirely possible your host will have a present set aside for you (it’s best to be upfront about gift exchanges). Don’t assume that your hostess present is the only one that will be swapped that night.
Alright! Now that you’re all educated, here are some of my picks for some very cool hostess gifts this holiday season, along with some potentially appropriate events to hand them over (of course, all ideas are swappable):
Fridge Fizz Saver Soda Dispenser – $25.99 @ Factory Global
THE EVENT: Family shindig. A major plight of any hostess is having a half-dozen 2L bottles of soda out on the refreshments table and then having one person – just one – open the slightly-less-popular variety (I’m looking at you Mountain Dew). Not a huge fan yourself, it goes flat shortly after. Not so much when you invest in a few of these soda dispensers. They promise to keep your bubbling pops as fizzy as the day you open them for a much longer period than simply stashing them in the fridge would be. The handy tap also extends up and over fridge shelves so you can still store them as you usually would – just with an upside down twist. A smart pick for the soda fan (or mega host) in your life.
Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set – $35 @ Epicure Selections
THE EVENT: A cookie baking party with your gal pals. The first rule of a successful girls’ night? Have amazing munchies. And with this trio of dips from Epicure Selections, you’re pretty much guaranteed to be gravitating toward the snack table all night long. This yummy yet affordable set actually includes 3 dip mixes – Onion, Chives & Bacon, and Lemon Dilly – as well as a recipe brochure and aubergine baker, all housed in a ready-to-hand-over gift bag. Just don’t forget the crackers! And while I’ve assigned it to ladies’ night, trust me – a guys’ afternoon spent in front of the big screen would devour this just as quickly.
Cucina Pinot Grigio Limited Edition Hand Soap – $22.50 @ Fruits & Passion
THE EVENT: A sophisticated holiday cocktail party. You want to bring wine to an event? I’ll do you one better: try handing over this limited edition glass bottle inspired by vino in more ways than one. This Pinot Grigio-scented hand soap is a cheeky gift compared to what the hostess may be expecting, plus it’ll last way longer than a bottle of wine would anyway. The wine-shaped bottle and olive oil-based soap work great for the kitchen, particularly when it comes to rinsing away food smells on your hands after whipping up a feast for twenty, wouldn’t you say?
Mercury 3-Wick Candles – $24 each @ Indigo
I bought one of these candles last year and they are absolutely divine. They seriously, ridiculously, intensely perfume the air – so be sure to buy only if you know your giftee will really love the scent. Housed in a beautiful glass container, these pretty candles will burn for up to 30 hours, ensuring a freshly scented home all winter long. The candles highlighted above includes two fall selections – Kohdo Wood and White Pumpkin, as well as three holiday options – Bitter Orange & Myrrh, Icy Pine, and Red Currant & Vanilla, each of which has its own distinct, olfactory-tingling fragrance.
Holiday Blend Coffee – $16.95 @ Second Cup
THE EVENT: A Coworker’s open house. A bag of beans is just a little more exciting and thoughtful than a bottle of wine, don’t you think? It’s also plenty seasonally appropriate – what coffee fiend wouldn’t like to start off Christmas morning (or any chilly weekday) with a cup of festive brew? A medium dark roast that oscillates between sweet and smooth, this rich, full-bodied coffee is a must for any Second Cup fans or diehard drinkers in general. Plus, you can feel good that 50% of the beans are Rainforest Alliance Certified.
Himalaya Spice Jars – $27.99 @ Animi Causa
THE EVENT: Dinner party with your closest couple friends. Spice things up at your next foursome gathering when you bring this cute set of ‘Spice Mountains’. Not only do the snowcapped glass bottles feel festive, they’re also just the kind of thing your host will actually want to display in their kitchen. The price is a little steeper, but intimate gatherings can actually allow you to pass off a bigger hostess present as a token of your friendship (with some exceptions – see the note at the top of this post). Bonus points if you pay a visit to your local spice merchant (what, you don’t have one?) to stockpile your friends’ collection with some fresh new herbs and spices.
70s Infuser Bottle – $14.99 @ CBC Shop
THE EVENT: Spinning class pre-fun run gathering. So your gym buddy has invited you to a holiday meet-up? Between nibbles of kale chips, slip your pal this nifty infuser water bottle, emblazoned with a retro version of the CBC’s classic gem logo. Not only does it look cool, it has a particularly handy feature that allows you to infuse your favourite hydrating drink with fresh herbs or berries for a flavour punch every time you take a sip. BPA free, shatter, stain and smell-resistant, it’s a perfect pick for your active-minded friend.
Bake Shapes – $19.99 @ Quirky
THE EVENT: A weekend book club brunch. Every breakfast maven is always looking for ways to reinvent the relatively expected menu of assorted meats, quick breads, fresh fruit, and cheese. Give her something fun to work with when you hand over this set of three silicone molds that form unique designs on the top of your muffins. Aside from looking pretty, they’ll also make it a snap to dress up your muffins with fresh fruit, homemade whipped cream, or a tasty caramel filling to take your everyday breakfast spread from wow to POW!
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Brrrrr Ice Cube Tray – $20 @ black + blum
THE EVENT: Your friend’s Ugly Sweater party. Every good party host knows that one of the keys to their success is ice! Luckily for you, this super smart ice cube tray makes a wonderful gift for the regular host or hostess. Simply fill the bear-shaped cube holder like you would a water bottle, and seal it with the included ‘nose’ cap to help prevent spillage or the absorption of the foodstuff smells in your freezer. When you’re ready to break out the cubes, whack your bear a few times on the counter and presto, instant ice satisfaction. Cute and clever – what’s not to like?
philosophy The Holiday Handbook – $26 @ Hudson’s Bay and philosophy Gourmet Popcorn Toppings $33 @ Sephora
THE EVENT: Your sister’s first crack at hosting a family holiday dinner. The bonds between sisters are tough to describe to outsiders (trust me, I’ve tried). If my sis were braving the pressures of presenting our family with a scrumptious feast, I’d appear with one of these sweet treats in hand to both thank her profusely for not putting ME in the same spot, and to encourage her to make it through the day so she can enjoy a fragrant escape later. Both of these super cute gift sets from philosophy would make stellar hostess gifts, if in part because of their foodie inspiration. The Holiday Handbook includes three luscious hand creams that tackle all the spicy scents of the dessert table, while the Gourmet Popcorn Toppings set comes housed in an adorable reusable tin and features three pseudo-sugary 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel & bubble baths. While we’re talking about philosophy, I feel I should mention that after the WILD success of philosophy’s free ‘Purity Made Simple’ giveaway, they’ve actually offered up the chance to 5,000 more lucky Canucks to take home a freebie of their own. All you have to do is click here to send a sweet wish to a loved one, and you’ll receive a coupon via email to redeem at Hudson’s Bay. Hurry! These are sure to disappear just as quickly as the first batch…
Want to be the most popular party guest this season? I’m giving away a Host Gift prize package filled with all of the items you see above, for a total value of over $185. And if you aren’t the big ol’ grand prize winner – no worries. Two of you are still going to walk away with a bag of Second Cup’s scrumptious Holiday Blend coffee. Interested in winning? Here’s how to enter:
1) Tell me in the comments below by December 10th: which of these hostess gifts would you most love to receive?
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around December 11th to select the winners, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.
4) Bonus Entries: Say thanks not only to your host, but to the lovely people that put up these awesome prizes, and earn bonus entries into the draw to boot. Here’s how:
Quirky – Follow on Twitter, tag them and me (@cdngiftguide) in a Tweet about why you’d love to try Bake Shapes. Leave a link to your Tweet below.
philosophy – Follow on Twitter, tag them and me (@cdngiftguide) in a Tweet about their sweet holiday wishes freebie promo. Leave a link to your Tweet below.
Indigo – Like on Facebook, leave a comment about which of their 3-wick candles you’d most love to try. Leave a link back to your comment below (it can be done, Google it).
Second Cup – Like on Facebook, leave a comment about their Holiday Blend coffee. Leave a link back to your comment below.
Epicure Selections – Like on Facebook, leave a comment about how much you’d love to sample their cheese dip (or whatever product you’d like). Leave a link back to your comment below.
CBC – Like the CBC Shop on Facebook, leave a comment about their awesome retro collection. Leave a link back to your comment below.
Canadian Gift Guide 
I would love to get as a hostess gift the Himalaya Spice jars. They are very cool looking.
The cheese dip looks fantastic so I will go with that option. Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set – $35 @ Epicure Selections. Thank you.
I would love the CBC infuser bottle would be the gift I would like most like to receive!
The himalaya spice jars.
I would love to try the Epicure dips! I was at a craft show where there was an epicure rep. All of her spices looked yummy!
https://www.facebook.com/ChaptersIndigo
The White Pumpkin candle sounds awesome!
https://www.facebook.com/EpicureFan
Yum!
Philosophy’s Holiday Handbook would always be the perfect hostess gift.
The 70s Infuser Bottle rocks as does the Cucina Pinot Grigio Limited Edition Hand Soap . You keep blowing me away with all the awesome products you find and the GREAT giveaways. Thanks.
I’m a candle lover, so the Mercury Three Wick Candles from Indigo would please me.
I’d love to receive the mercury candles
I would be very happy to receive the Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set from Epicure Selections
I would love to receive the philosophy Gourmet Popcorn Toppings!
I’d love to receive the Cucina Pinot Grigio Limited Edition Hand Soap
I would enjoy having someone give me the Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set.
I’d love to receive the Philosophy Popcorn Toppings set. I love anything that makes me smell like food :-0
I’ve liked Indigo on FB https://www.facebook.com/ChaptersIndigo/posts/10151691159311364
I would most like to receive the philosophy Gourmet Popcorn Toppings!
I like Indigo on facebook and commented
philosophy The Holiday Handbook is what I would love to receive.
Mercury 3-Wick Candles – $24 each @ Indigo
I like the philosophy The Holiday Handbook
I would love the brrrrr Ice Cube Tray. What a great idea
like them on twitter and tweeted
I like indigo on facebook at left a comment
like second cup on facebook and left a comment
i like epicure selections on facebook and commented
like cbc on facebook and commented here
I like the Mercury 3-Wick Candles at Indigo; I wish someone would bring me that as a hostess gift!
Cheers.
Follow Philosophy on Twitter and tagged them and you in a Tweet:
I like the 3 Wick Mercury candles from Indigo, thanks
Mercury 3-Wick Candles
i would love to recieve the fridge fizz saver , its such a cool gadget!
I would loooove the
Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set!!
rebthecatsitter at gmail dot com
I follow @lovephilosphy on twitter and tweeted
@rebthecatsitter
I like Indigo on Facebook and commented https://www.facebook.com/ChaptersIndigo/posts/10151692142981364
(Rebecca Roberts)
I like Second Cup on Facebook and commented
@rebthecatsitter
The hostess gift that I’d most like to receive is the Himalaya Spice Jars
I’m torn between the brrr ice cube tray and the bake shapes. But think overall, the ice cube tray would be so much more useful!
Would love the 3 wick Indigo candles!
I think that ice dispenser is cute, and I always end up with yucky tasting ice cubes when I use trays. I would enjoy receiving that!
I would love to receive the Epicure dips the most!
I’d like to receive the Cucina Pinot Grigio Limited Edition Hand Soap
I love all of the Epicure products so I would love to receive the three Epicure dip mixes. I use the three-onion dip almost daily as it is delicious sprinkled over potatoesand other vegetables.
I’d love to have the infuser bottle!
I’d ,most like to receive the Bake Shapes!
I am sorry wine is so boring because generally that is what I have on hand.
Love the CBC bottle!
I would like the Mercury 3-Wick Candles
I would love the Dip mixes from Epicure, they look great!
Holiday Blend Coffee – $16.95 @ Second Cup
I would most like to receive the Himalaya Spice Jars.
Who wouldn’t like to get the Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set from Epicure? It’s appetizers ready to go!! Excellent hostess gift ideas! 🙂
I am a huge fan of Philosophy products but I would be happy with any of the gifts mentioned here
Any Philosophy product is always is always a winner with me! thanks so much for running the contest
Love Philosophy…what a great prize!!
I would love the Holiday Blend coffee.
Love the Philosophy products!
I like the Bake Shapes
I’d love to try that Second Cup holiday blend
I would love the Brrrrr Ice Cube Tray. It looks like a cow!
I’LL BE YOUR HOSTESS, BRING ME ONE OF EACH!!!!!
I would most like to receive the Himalaya Spice Jars. I am always on the lookout for unique containers to put homemade spice mixes in so that I can give away to my friends and family.
Extra ordinary cheese dip mix! It is my absolute favourite for sitting around watching movies. I always run out around this time every year.
I would love, love, love the Brrr Ice Cube Tray. So cute and functional.
holiday blend coffee
This is a tough one! I’m leaning towards the cheese dip set, as my husband and I simply love cheese, and we like to entertain, so it’d be perfect to try with our pals. The spice jars would be a very close second! I’d just want to display them on the table or something. So cute!
Those Himalaya Spice jars are to cute, I love them.
following philosophy :https://twitter.com/anniebalanie/status/404974886424039424
Liked Indigo and commented :https://www.facebook.com/ChaptersIndigo/posts/10151694686776364
Liked Second Cup and commented :https://www.facebook.com/SecondCup/posts/10151857394584081
Liked Epicure Selections & commented :https://www.facebook.com/EpicureFan/posts/10152053234168685
liked CBC and commented :https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1419865358244415&comment_id=131368&offset=0&total_comments=6
I would love the Himalaya spice jars, they look beautiful and who doesn’t use spices?
the pop dispenses looks like fun!
I would love Brrrrr Ice Cube Tray !
I would love to get the Ice Cube Tray; that’s a great idea!
i want the Brrrrr Ice Cube Tray. Its quite genuine.
The Cucina Pinot Grigio Limited Edition Hand Soap would be the perfect host(ess) gift to receive. Thank you.
i like the Holiday Blend coffee by Second Cup they have good coffee
Would LOVE to receive the fridge fizz saver, since my family wastes too many big pop bottles of pop due to the fizz fizzling out!
I would love to receive Philosophy’s The Holiday Handbook gift.
I follow Philosophy on Twitter @glogirl3 and tweeted~ http://twitter.com/glogirl3/status/405015159938105344
The Epicure Selections cheese dip collection – the extraordinary cheese is delicious, and the mixes can be used for so many other things too!
any of these great ideas would love to win
philosophy The Holiday Handbook – $26
holiday handbook please
The Himalaya Spice Jars are brilliant and I would love to receive them!
Girl’s night – Would love the Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set.
Himalaya Spice Jar – I think they are so cute!
I would love the Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set…
I would love to bring the Himalaya Spice Jars – $27.99 @ Animi Causa over for the perfect house party gift!
Love the Himalayan spice jars! Awesome prize/contest. Thanks!
philosophy Gourmet Popcorn Toppings
I would love to receive the Holiday Blend coffee.
The Spice Jars look awesome
The Extraordinary Cheese Dip set would be invaluable during the holiday season when company comes a calling..
Although the Pinot soap looks really cool, I still want the Second Cup coffee more 🙂
White Pumpkin candle. Pick me, pick me! Your next winner!!! Show me the money!!!
i really would love to get the Brrr Ice Cube Tray- funky design!
I would like the Holiday Blend Coffee from Second Cup.
SPICE JARS
I would definitely love the 70s Infuser Bottle!
I’d like the cheese dip
I am crazy about baking shaped goodies,so I would love the bake shapes, but I also like the Himalayan spice jars.
I think the Brrrrr Ice Cube Tray is such a great idea
I would most like to receive the Extraordinary Cheese Dip Aubergine Set. Great for holiday entertaining.
I have absolutely fallen in love with the candles! You can never have too many.
I would like to have the Extraordinary Cheese Dip
The Bake Shapes 😀
Fridge Fizz Saver is cool.
The Mercury 3-wick candles
I liked Indigo Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ChaptersIndigo?hc_location=timeline
I would love the Mercury 3-Wick Candles – $24 each @ Indigo
I liked and commented on Second Cup Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/SecondCup?hc_location=timeline
I liked and commented on Epicure Facebook page.https://www.facebook.com/EpicureFan?hc_location=timeline
I liked and commented on CBC shop https://www.facebook.com/pages/CBC-Shop/36181390248
like the spice jars – very cute
The holiday coffee and the cucina hand soap would be lovely gifts.
Love the retro cbc infuser!
I’d like the Bake Shapes. Shaped muffins would be fun!
The coffee would be great!
Obviously I’m into shapes since the two most interesting items to me were the Baked Shapes and the Brrr Ice Cube Tray.
I would really like to receive the Himalaya Spice Jars. So cute! I also like the Brrrrr Ice Cube tray!
Those Himalaya Spice Jars are AWESOME!!
I would most like to win the Mercury 3 Wick candles.
I would Love to receive the Cucina Pinot Grigio Limited Edition Hand Soap – @ Fruits & Passion. Such a great hostess gift idea!
I would love to get (and gift) the Holiday Blend Coffee from Second Cup.
I love the snow capped mountain spice jars!!
I love the snow-capped spice jars!!
I’d love to get the Philosophy!
they are all so nice! i want them all haha
i really like the philosophy Gourmet Popcorn Toppings
the ice cube tray it too cute and i do love the infuser!
Himalaya Spice Jars – $27.99 @ Animi Causa
I love the Himalaya Spice Jars!! So cute!
I followed quirky and philosophy and tweeted:
https://twitter.com/leahmukai/status/405449343018082304
https://twitter.com/leahmukai/status/405451424365948928
I really like the mercury candles from Indigo – would be lovely on the coffee table.
The Philosophy gourmet popcorn toppings look amazing
I would love the Philosophy gift!
This is nice: 70s Infuser Bottle – $14.99 @ CBC Shop
brrr ice cube tray
I am loving that infuser bottle. The Philosophy set is awesome too, but I reaaaally like that infuser.
Candles are always a fav! Mercury 3-Wick Candles!
I would most like to receive the Mercury 3-Wick Candles!
I would most like to receive the Fridge Fizz Saver Soda Dispenser 🙂
The Mercury 3 Wick Candles look lovely to win.
The hostess gift I would most love to receive is the Mercury 3-Wick Candles in either Bitter Orange & Myrrh, or Red Currant & Vanilla.
Well, I’m going to buy myself the Brrrr Ice Cube tray so I would love to receive the Philosophy Gourmet Popcorn Toppings gift set as a hostess gift!
the holiday blend coffee!
I’d most like the philosophy Gourmet Popcorn Toppings!
I’d most love to received the mercury 3-wick candles! 😛
I’d most like to receive the Himalaya Spice Jars!
philosophy The Holiday Handbook from Hudson’s Bay 🙂
The Popcorn Topping Set from Philosophy. It makes me hungry!
I would love to give the philosophy set to my mom 🙂
I’m a candle addict..i’dhave to go with the candles
I don’t think there is any I wouldn’t like to receive! Top of my list would be the Epicure set.
I love mercury glass so it would have to be the Mercury 3 wick candles for me!
I would love to receive the philosophy set I think!
The Mercury candle in Red Currant and Vanilla!
the mercury 3-wick candle in icy pine. really pining for a wood fireplace
I’d most like to win the Mercury 3-wick candles!
I would like to receive the Holiday Blend Coffee – $16.95 from Second cup. I think it would be a great gift for me, a coffee addict.
I’d love the snow capped spice holders. So cute.
I would like the Mercury 3-wick candle.
Indigo facebook post:
Second Cup facebook post.
CBC facebook post:
I would have fun with the bake shapes
I’d love to receive the epicure dips! They’re so delicious!
Quirky bonus entry:
https://twitter.com/jessellarma/status/407524078258356226
philosphy’s bonus entry:
https://twitter.com/jessellarma/status/407525534252294144
Indigo’s bonus entry:
^ This is my Second Cup bonus entry!
Epicure bonus entry:
CBC bonus entry:
Wow I would love the Philosophy gift pack – the scents are so yummy!
I would most like to win the holiday blend coffee
Kevin.linkie@hotmail.com
The HOliday Blend Coffee!
I love the Himalayan Spice Jars!
I would love the silicone bake shapes 🙂
I think the bake shapes would be really fun to use.
the Himalaya Spice jars
i would love to receive the ‘holiday handbook’ i just love Philosophy products
I love Philosophy products! Would be glad to get any of them…
I’d love the 70’s Infuser Bottle.
I so love body washes and shampoos so it’s definitely the Philosophy hostess gift for me.
Following Philosophy on Twitter
I love to bake so I think the bake shapes are pretty cool.
Love the Brrrrr Ice Cube Tray, very cute & clever.
I like the Brrrrr Ice Cube Tray.
Would love to receive the philosophy set!
I’d love to receive the Brrrrr ice cube tray.
this is my correct email address
The Himalaya spice jars please!
I love the philosophy set!!!
Fizz Fridge Saver soda dispenser
We like the Fridge Fizz Saver Soda Dispenser.
I would most love the Philosophy gift set.
love the popcorn toppings
The retro CBC bottle looks great! Love the design, and I love to drink tea!
I would most like to receive the philosophy Gourmet Popcorn Toppings!
I like Indigo on facebook … Doreen lamoureux and left a comment. Here is the link
Like the CBD shop on facebook .. Doreen lamoureux and left comment .. link
I would love the Brrrr ice cube maker. How great is that?
Philosophy popcorn toppings!
the philosophy The Holiday Handbook – the smell is amazing!
Oh and : https://twitter.com/Jen__Rebecca/status/410382909678174209
Extraordinary Cheese Dip is great.
I’d love to find the Philosophy Holiday Handbook hand-creams set under my tree!
bonus
bonus
I love the Brrrrrr Ice Tray
thanks for the chance
I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this giveaway, awesome prizes… thanks for the chance
https://twitter.com/dikorory/status/410638262198235136
Want to try the bakeware looks awesome