Hostess Gift Ideas for Every Kind of Host, From Jennie's Table

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and some pieces Jennie has shared came from brand partnerships, including gifted products or paid collaborations. This post includes paid partnerships with Wayfair and Cariloha. Our full disclosure.

My favorite hostess gifts are things the host will use at the next gathering: a serving board, pretty glassware, a wine cooler, or candles and candlesticks for the table. These are pieces I've picked for hosts or set on our own fall and holiday tables, grouped by the kind of host you're shopping for.

From personalized cheese boards and chic wine chillers to elegant glassware and candles, these picks show your appreciation in style (my original hostess gift guide). For throws, candles and wreaths, see my gifts for the one who loves a cozy home.

For the host who loves a cheese board

A board is the easiest host gift to get right: it's useful the night you hand it over and comes out at every party after. My two favorites are from Crate & Barrel.

The monogrammed board is the personal one. The initial makes it feel chosen for that host, not picked up on the way over, and marble beside wood gives cheese, fruit and bread a natural split.

The oval platter is for the host who cooks. It goes oven to table on its own wood trivet. Tuck in a favorite recipe card to make it personal.

The large wood board with cheese knives from my original guide is unavailable right now, so it isn't linked.

For the one who mixes the drinks

For the host with a bar cart always set up, glassware and one good bar piece go further than another bottle.

White marble looks right on a bar cart, island or dining table, and it gives a bottle a prettier place to sit than an ice bucket. Bring it with a bottle tucked inside and the gift is wrapped.

Coupes are the glass for a toast, and this paneled set from Wayfair reads a little vintage. The Claro wine glasses from our holiday bar are the everyday pair, with a fluted, textured finish that makes a simple glass of wine look set.

For the host who has everything, the Barsys 360 is the splurge. You load in your mixers and spirits, pick a cocktail, tap a button, and it blends it perfectly every time. No measuring, no guessing, no shaker needed. If you love hosting or want a wow gift, this one sits at the top of the list (on my LTK). More Amazon finds are on its brand page.

The shaker, jigger, ice tongs and Chelsea ice bucket from my original guide are unavailable right now, so they're left out.

For the one who sets a pretty table

This is the host who sets the table the night before, so small pieces that add up are perfect: a glass, a vase, a few candles, a stack of napkins. Our fall table is an affordable tablescape made almost entirely from pieces I can use again and again. For the dining room around it, see how to make a builder-grade house feel like home.

Three pieces from that table make easy gifts from Target. The brown coupes are the warm, smoky glasses at each place setting above. The pleated ceramic vase in Sour Cream holds the centerpiece, and it has its own product page with the other rooms where I've styled it. The brown tapers match the candles on the table.

Tapers always get used, and brown looks richer than plain white on fall and winter tables. The gold holders on our table are unavailable right now, so pair these with the candlesticks below.

For a gift that stays out all year, go with candlesticks. These sculptural brass Langer candlesticks from Wayfair are one of my favorite little statement pieces, and I've linked them across so many of our holiday rooms (on my LTK). More pieces like this are in affordable decor that looks expensive.

Napkins finish the gift set. On our holiday table I used the Alvia linen square napkins from Wayfair with crisp white linens, metallic flatware and evergreen accents. A stack tied with ribbon is an easy gift the host will reach for every holiday. The bow napkin rings are unavailable, so they aren't linked.

For the guest bath

The guest bath is the room most hosts forget, which makes good towels such a thoughtful gift. Cariloha's bamboo towels are one of my go-to gifts for family because everyone loves a good upgrade in their bathroom (my paid partnership post with Cariloha). I keep ours folded on a wood stool by the vanity, an easy way to set them out for guests.

How to choose a host gift

Choose something they will use at the next gathering, and match it to how they host. A few simple rules:

• The cook: a serving platter or board that goes straight to the table.
• The bar-cart host: glassware, a wine cooler or one statement bar piece.
• The table setter: tapers, candlesticks, a vase or linen napkins.
• The one with a full house of guests: towels for the guest bath.
• When in doubt: pick a neutral finish, like cream, brown, brass or white marble, so it works with what they already own.

Frequently asked questions

What's a good hostess gift that isn't wine?

Something for the table or the bar, like a board, coupes, candlesticks with tapers or linen napkins. If you still want to bring wine, bring it in the marble cooler so the gift outlasts the bottle.

How much should you spend on a hostess gift?

There is no set amount. A small, useful piece is always appropriate, and a thoughtful choice matters more than the price. Tapers, napkins or a single vase are easy; a cocktail machine or monogrammed board is a bigger thank-you.

For more gift ideas, see the holiday gift guide for the home, browse our rooms on Shop the Look, or see everything I link in the Shop.