Hostess/Housewarming Gift

Our super sweet friends were kind enough to host us at their home in Austin for a weekend visit.  I didn’t plan far enough in advance to bring them a gift during our stay, but I was sure to send a little thank you when we got back home.

These perfectly packaged bar soaps were $5 at World Market and I know our friends (well, especially the wife) would love them.

 

Each soap is individually wrapped in a beautiful floral paper and they smell so good.

 

Although I do believe our friends will enjoy this gift, I understand that it really is the thought, energy, and intent behind the gift that means so much.  The time to write a handwritten word of thanks is extra special in our face-paced and what can be, impersonal, world of emails and text messages.

 

I realized later that I could have been crafty and frugal and wrapped a less expensive bar of soap and labeled it myself, like I saw on Creature Comforts blog.

 

via Creature Comforts Blog

Isn’t that cute?! (By the way, Creature Comforts is a new-to-me-blog that I got happily lost in for well over an hour after popping over last night.  I think you might like it too.)

Do you have a great hostess or housewarming gift you’ve given or received?  I’d like to collect a few things and have them ready to go so I don’t show up empty-handed next time!

 

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Meet Megan

Hi! I’m Megan, mom to a thoughtful teenager and spunky young girl. We call Houston home and recently moved into our dream home. I traded my lawyer hat to become a full-time blogger in 2010. I love sharing my passion for affordable fashion, home decor, organization, & fitness to help inspire you to take care of you!

22 Comments

  1. Those are really pretty soaps. Bet they smell great too! Re little thank you gifts scented candles are always nice, fancy chocolates or unique candies, pretty kitchen towels can be good too. I think the best things to give are things like soaps and yummy foods that they wouldn`t normally splurge on that way it`s a treat and it`s not something they feel they need to display next time you visit. Oh but chic beach towels are great to give too if the people have a pool, you can never have enough fun and colourful ones.
    🙂
    mikky
    http://www.todaloos.com

  2. So so sweet. I love some of the World Market papers for wrapping things like that, too. Thanks for the intro to the new blog for me as well!

  3. Love bringing hostess gifts, and I find if someone loves to cook, a nice bottle of olive oil is a great gift, wrapped up in a cute dish towel 🙂

  4. Those are really pretty — I love WM soaps. You're such a sweet house guest!! How was your weekend in Austin? and yes, I know Creature Comforts…I've been inspired many times by that blog!

  5. Even tho you didn't have a hostess gift when you got there. sending one after is a nice suprise for the hostess. It's always nice to show your manners and gratitude for your stay. Manners have gone by the way too often these days. Your soaps are so pretty. I'd hate to open them, would keep them in paper in a pretty dish in my bathroom.

  6. What a great idea!

    Where we have lived the past couple of years, the culture is to bring flowers and chocolate. Once dinner has been served, the chocolate is set on the table with various fruits and we have tea and continue visiting. It's a great combination!

    I have purchased small jelly jars and made homemade apple butter or strawberry-rhubarb jam (can be frozen) and then tied a pretty ribbon on it for gifts- it's consumable. 🙂

  7. Clever idea! I'm always looking for go to ideas for house warming or "thanks for having us" gifts!

    xoxo
    Erin
    peacelovedecor.com

  8. I'm a big fan of hostess gifts (like soap) that are consumables. These are some of my personal favorites, and many of them are gifts that have gotten a great reaction when I've give them to someone else.

    – gourmet salt set
    http://www.atthemeadow.com/shop/Gourmet-Sea-Salt/Salt-Sets/Starter-Salt-Set-Tins?zenid=kk6n1elpu8iq8btbk05tne38m2

    – a small bottle of awesome olive oil with a bread dipping recipe attached

    – any kind of artisan chocolate

    – spice rub for meat and vegetables
    http://www.deandeluca.com/herbs-and-spices/spice-rubs/dean-and-deluca-spice-rub-triple-stack.aspx

    And of course if you come from someplace that's known for a specific delicacy (cheese in Wisconsin, marionberries in Oregon, crab and lobster in Maine, etc.) bring hometown goodies! I'm in an area with great Mexican food, so I'll sometimes bring small packages of homemade tortillas or Mexican chocolate, especially when I'm visiting a friend who lives far from the border 🙂

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