SS Hostess Gifts

[Iggy aka IG]

Hello my fellow SSers!  I am looking for frugal hostess gift ideas for the upcoming party season.  One in particular has me stumped:  A fellow business woman invited me to a cookie exchange at her home.  The things I know about her:  She is a mom, doesn't have any pets, has at least 2 home based businesses, and helps a fellow insurance agency with their marketing.  We are to BYOB.

Do you have any ideas? I thought about FB messaging her and asking what she likes to drink, but that doesn't sound too fun or creative.

TYIA. 

[cronewitch]

A great vanilla extract. She bakes she probably would love a quality extract. Holidays are coming so maybe a gift basket with some peppermint extract and other holiday flavors.

[NancysSummerSip]

Small, cocktail-size napkins. Perfect for parties and can be found everywhere right now, so prices are good. You can get plain ones, but you can be original and get some with funny sayings on them.

We gift several packages each year to the gal who hosts us at Christmas dinner, along with a small ornament for her tree.

[Iggy aka IG]

Thank you, Crone and Nancy!  These are two excellent ideas. 

[Blonde Granny]

I bought a cute tin of peppermint hot chocolate and a jar of cookie mix for a friend we are visiting.

[Deleted]

Dec 3, 2014 15:06:00 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Small, cocktail-size napkins. Perfect for parties and can be found everywhere right now, so prices are good. You can get plain ones, but you can be original and get some with funny sayings on them.

We gift several packages each year to the gal who hosts us at Christmas dinner, along with a small ornament for her tree.

are you talking paper cocktail napkins? 

[Deleted]

bottle of wine....some cool cooking thing from williams sonoma....drink mixes...

[NancysSummerSip]

Dec 3, 2014 15:46:21 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Dec 3, 2014 15:06:00 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Small, cocktail-size napkins. Perfect for parties and can be found everywhere right now, so prices are good. You can get plain ones, but you can be original and get some with funny sayings on them.

We gift several packages each year to the gal who hosts us at Christmas dinner, along with a small ornament for her tree.

are you talking paper cocktail napkins? 

Yes. My friend has a small home, and really not much storage. So something she can use quickly and not have to store is something she appreciates.

[Deleted]

Dec 3, 2014 16:03:26 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Dec 3, 2014 15:46:21 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

are you talking paper cocktail napkins? 

Yes. My friend has a small home, and really not much storage. So something she can use quickly and not have to store is something she appreciates.

interesting...I always have tons of napkins left over from parties and just stick them out to use every day.

[NancysSummerSip]

Dec 3, 2014 16:05:30 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Dec 3, 2014 16:03:26 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Yes. My friend has a small home, and really not much storage. So something she can use quickly and not have to store is something she appreciates.

interesting...I always have tons of napkins left over from parties and just stick them out to use every day.

She's single, no kids, so paper goods in general don't come into play much. She was working full time until recently, now retired, and so two meals a day were eaten away from home.

And I try to get napkins that have funny sayings on them. She's a wine lover, so wine-related sayings are always good. She's from England, so British witticisms work well, too.

[Iggy aka IG]

Dec 3, 2014 16:05:30 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Dec 3, 2014 16:03:26 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Yes. My friend has a small home, and really not much storage. So something she can use quickly and not have to store is something she appreciates.

interesting...I always have tons of napkins left over from parties and just stick them out to use every day.

Same here.  It's an interesting color and theme variety:  Camouflage for DH's BD party last year, 80's zebra stripes from mine last year, 70's disco from this year, holiday, etc. 

[kittensaver]

She's British? Red Rose Tea! (Google it) Hopefully you can find it at a local tea shop, British shop or Cost Plus. Or get it online.

Both Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table have *great* selections of hostess/cocktail napkins, everything from seasonal (holidays) to pretty to urbane/witty.

[Tennesseer]

Dec 3, 2014 14:42:19 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

A great vanilla extract. She bakes she probably would love a quality extract. Holidays are coming so maybe a gift basket with some peppermint extract and other holiday flavors.

I have heard pure Mexican vanilla extract is far superior to any pure vanilla extract we can buy in our grocery stores. Have you ever heard that? I was in Tijuana one time for a couple of hours look around and a friend asked me to buy her some pure Mexican vanilla extract while I was there. My reward for buying it for her was an exceptional chocolate pie using the Mexican vanilla extract.

[Happy prose]

I always like to bring a bag of good coffee. Whole beans if you know she has a grinder.

[cronewitch]

Dec 3, 2014 18:28:50 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Dec 3, 2014 14:42:19 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

A great vanilla extract. She bakes she probably would love a quality extract. Holidays are coming so maybe a gift basket with some peppermint extract and other holiday flavors.

I have heard pure Mexican vanilla extract is far superior to any pure vanilla extract we can buy in our grocery stores. Have you ever heard that? I was in Tijuana one time for a couple of hours look around and a friend asked me to buy her some pure Mexican vanilla extract while I was there. My reward for buying it for her was an exceptional chocolate pie using the Mexican vanilla extract.

I brought some back from Mexico for my SIL, I don't know how good it was but at least it wasn't artificial vanilla flavoring.

[Iggy aka IG]

Checking back in.  I gave myself a $5 budget and went to Family Dollar last night to buy the cookie exchange hostess gift.  I bought a snowman coffee mug, two kinds of brand named chocolate, and a little stuffed penguin carrying a bag of peppermint candies.  Oh, and I found 2 dimes and 5 pennies in the parking lot, which just about covered the tax.    I'll put everything into the mug, and finish off with curling ribbon and two jingle bells.

Oh and after perusing the store for quite some time, I plan on going back for more purchases.  It's amazing how far our $$ stretches in dollar stores!