Zazzle.com Holiday Gift Ideas

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Zazzle.com but all opinions expressed here are mine.

It’s coming. In the very near future as the weather starts to shift and the leaves start to turn your mailbox will start to fill itself with glittering envelopes inviting you and yours to celebrate the season! Grab a cup of eggnog and log into Zazzle.com to find a holiday gift that will let them know how thankful you are to be included in their celebrations.

First things first: Let me be clear that in my household etiquette is nonnegotiable. As soon as you receive the invitation you should check your schedule and RSVP promptly. Not only does taking immediate action help ensure that you will not forget to RSVP, but it is one of the most effective ways to let the host know that you appreciate the invitation.

It should go without saying that any time you are invited to a party you should bring a gift as a thank you. Whether it is a holiday party, a birthday party, or a wedding- if you are a guest it is appropriate to show your appreciation somehow. Unfortunately the art of giftgiving has not been clearly communicated and learned. So I would like to highlight some wonderful gift ideas that you could give a party host that I found on the site Zazzle.com.

There are three classic gifts to give a host once invited to a party. These three types of gifts can also be exactly what you DO NOT want to give as a thank you. It all depends on the way that the gifts are given as to whether or not you are giving them the correct way. That may sound confusing but let me explain…

Three perfect host gifts when invited to a party: Flowers, Food and Wine.

Seems pretty straightforward right? Each of these items can be given in a right and wrong way. Let me break it down.

Flowers. You’ve seen it a million times and movies and TV shows where someone arrives at a dinner party and they walk in and hand flowers to the person who’s home they’ve entered. This seems like a nice enough gesture, right? Except now you’ve put the host in an awkward position. The host is now forced to make a decision as to whether or not to take time away from their guests to prepare and arrange the flowers or to set them to the side and risk offending the person who was generous enough to give them in the first place. Can you see where that might be giving a gift that is not truly thanking the host? So maybe you send an arrangement the day before? The issue then would be that you are putting the host in the position of having to display the flowers at the gathering whether they want to or not. There is a solution and it truly works on many levels. If you were giving flowers always send them the day after a party. This lets the host know that you enjoyed yourself and that you appreciated their efforts. It does not put any pressure on the host to display them or make any sort of overture thanks in response to your overture of thanks. A gift more like this beautiful serving tray would be something that can be appreciated and enjoyed with very little attention taken away from the party by the host.

Food. I am from the south and I was always led to believe that home-baked goods were appreciated as a gift at any event. I am not sure where that comes from, but largely it is considered an inappropriate thank you gift. I am sure that you make the best chocolate chip cookies around and that most hosts would love to have a dozen warm cookies baked fresh just for them. The problem is that when you are invited to a party where food is being served you should never bring your own. And in the case of food not being served the hostess made a clear decision on that subject and it should be honored. The pressure that is put on a host to then share the food that you have brought with their guests is unnecessary. If you would like to gift food to host as a thank you gesture then it should be given to them quietly and made very clear that it is a gift that is just for them to enjoy after the festivities are over. Wouldn’t it be a much more lovely gesture to give a plate of cookies to a host and tell them that these are for them to enjoy once they’ve kicked their shoes off and are able to relax when the party is over? Better yet, this lovely recipe book would make a great gift.

Or perhaps a nice box of chocolates?

Wine. This is a hard one because in most party situations this is the easiest gift to bring. It is an adult offering that is classy and shows a great amount of respect. But just like the other two categories above it is something that is not a welcomed menu addition or party add on that the host did not plan for. If you would like to give a bottle of wine, it is a lovely gift but must be given correctly. It would always be better to send a bottle of wine over after a party as a thank you for a wonderful time. But if you would like to give it during the party you should think of it the same way as the cookies. It is a gift to be enjoyed for a party that was well done. Also, unless you know their favorite bottle it is usually best to send your favorite bottle of wine as a gift with a note that says that you would like to share with them your favorite bottle as a thank you and that you hope they enjoy it as much as you enjoyed your evening with them. There are several ways to “dress up” the gift of wine. Perhaps one of these two things would take your gift to the next level?

Luckily though these gifts are generic in nature but they can be given with a lot of style. I found many great gifts on Zazzle.com that will definitely let your friends know that you appreciate them.