‘Tis the season for holiday parties galore. Whether it’s the annual Friendsgiving bash, the grand Thanksgiving dinner, or one of the many joyous Christmas and New Year’s celebrations on your calendar this season, there’s one item to bring to every holiday get-together other than your festive spirit: the perfect hostess gift. These small presents are a thoughtful way of thanking a loved one for opening their home to you. And, with these tips, finding the perfect hostess gift doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive:

Make sure the gift doesn’t require immediate attention

When hosting any party at your home, the last thing you have time to do when guests are arriving is drop everything to attend to a gift. While fresh floral arrangements make a beautiful gift for someone’s home, your hostess likely doesn’t have time to track down a vase and put the flowers in water. With this in mind, find a unique vase or container to present your fresh bouquet in that is already filled with a small amount of water. The vase doubles as a second gift that will remind your friend of you long after the flowers are gone. Another option? Give your hostess a potted plant instead of cut flowers! Our adorable succulent cupcakes are an exciting, unexpected gift that doesn’t require immediate attention.

Splurge on the everyday items

Many times, holidays gifts end up being extravagant or extremely impractical items that never get used. Your hostess likely doesn’t need (or want) that magnetic dartboard for their refrigerator. Instead of something that will likely wind up stuffed in a closet or dropped off at Goodwill, go for a gift that’s got an everyday use. Perhaps it’s a luxury hand-soap for their kitchen sink, a super soft throw blanket for their couch, or fancy, imported olive oil to cook with. Think of items that have day to day uses, and then go for the more unique or upper-end versions that someone might not typically splurge on for themselves. If you want to give a gift that’s more short-term or has a one-time use, go for gourmet chocolates or candies that the hostess can indulge in after the party ends.

Don’t make it a big deal

No matter what gift you’re giving the holiday hostess, it’s important to make sure the actual presentation doesn’t overshadow part of the party or get-together. Even if you don’t intend to make a scene, giving the hostess a gift when you walk in the door often serves to inconvenience them and possibly make other guests who didn’t bring a gift feel bad. Instead, consider leaving the gift on an entryway table for the hostess to find later that evening. While we have plenty of cute ideas for wrapping gifts, sometimes gift wrap can be a hassle to deal with when you’re simultaneously trying to greet guests and prepare a large dinner. As with any gift, remember that the purpose is not the draw attention to the gift-giver, but to show kindness or appreciation to the gift-receiver.

No matter what the party occasion, Charleston Flower Market has a variety of unique and exciting gifts for any hostess. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see what we’ve got in the shop right now!