Deciding on the right host or hostess gift can be tricky. In Emily Post’s Etiquette, the massive book on etiquette in America, it says: A gift for your host or hostess is a lovely way to thank them for their hospitality and is always appreciated. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive…wine, flowers, specialty food items, and small items for the house all make good hostess gifts. Now that we’ve lived in NYC for six years, we’ve figured out a hostess gift that’s a big hit every time…
Bagels!
This tradition started a few years ago at our friends’ holiday party in Providence, Rhode Island. Every December, they throw a party where guests can get all dressed up, if they want — there are usually a few ball gowns and tuxedos in the crowd! And they go all out with entertainment, appetizers, dinner, second dinner (for the late-night crowd), and signature cocktails.
Our friends insist that no one brings anything, but Dan and I stay overnight at their house. So, we like to bring something to show how much we appreciate their hospitality, and also, no one wants to come off as an ungrateful houseguest.
Here’s how it works: Before we head out of the city, we swing through our local bagel shop, which is conveniently two blocks from our apartment. We buy two dozen bagels. This actually turns out to be like 27 or 28 bagels, because our bagel guy always throws in a few extra when we buy this many. We get a mix of flavors: cinnamon raisin, everything, poppy seed, sesame seed, egg, onion, plain, and wheat.
Then we move over to the cream cheese counter, where we also get a few flavors. Plain and scallion cream cheese (my favorite) are must-haves. We also grab a couple smaller containers of adventurous flavors like strawberry, vegetable, jalapeno, or olive.
To keep the bagels fresh, we double bag them; they come in a brown paper bag from the shop, and then we put the paper bag inside a plastic bag. We store everything in a cooler so it survives the drive from NYC to Providence and makes it overnight.
The morning after the party, we all wake up (and friends who live nearby or anyone who stayed at a hotel, makes their way back to our friends’ house), make coffee, toast our bagels, nurse our hangovers, and chat about how much fun we had at the party.
Now, whenever there’s an out-of-town holiday party or any occasion that calls for a hostess gift, we bring bagels and cream cheese.
Thoughts? Would you bring bagels as a hostess gift? What do you usually give for a hostess gift?
PS. This vanilla and fig candle would also make a great hostess gift.