Here’s a creative spin on your traditional Thanksgiving gift ideas for the hostess, to make your gifts more meaningful! Peggy Williams shares a theme-based list of 10 gift ideas, ranging from local Thanksgiving offerings to fanciful holiday gifts.

10 Thanksgiving Gift Ideas for the Hostess

The Simply Charmed – Set of 6 Shoe Boutique Magnetic Wine Charms is a new gift idea on Amazon, and it’s perfect for any holiday dinner.

This is a fun and whimsical gift idea at Thanksgiving because it fits stemless wine glasses, champagne flutes, martini glasses, solo cups and even beer mugs. This is a perfect Thanksgiving gift idea for hostesses because it’s small and interesting (it uses the power of rare earth magnets to attach through the glass or goblet).

These Shoe Boutique magnetic wine charms are the updated version of the wine glass charms I featured in my Hostess Gift Ideas for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Here’s Peggy’s list of gift ideas for the hostess at Thanksgiving – and I sprinkled some of my most popular gift articles throughout, in case you want to add some adventure to your online shopping excursion…

10 Gift Ideas for the Hostess at Thanksgiving

by Peggy Williams

Taking along a hostess gift when invited for Thanksgiving dinner or an overnight stay is always a good idea. But it is an especially important and meaningful way to show appreciation during the Thanksgiving holiday.  And considering the planning, preparation, and work that goes into putting on a Thanksgiving spread, a hostess gift at this time will be especially appreciated by the recipient.

So…what to give to show your thanks?  To make this gift more personal and meaningful, think in terms of themes.

1. Make a homemade gift at Thanksgiving

Do you have a culinary or crafty expertise?  Gifting something you have made yourself  is a time-tested way to show your appreciation. It could be as simple as a plate of cookies or as elaborate as a quilted wall-hanging.  Do you hand-craft notecards? Tree ornaments? Jellies and jams? The possibilities for homemade Thanksgiving gift ideas for the hostess are endless.

Note from Laurie – related to the homemade Thanksgiving gift idea – if your hostess needs help planning an after-dinner activity at Thanksgiving or even for an upcoming Christmas party, ask if you can organize a White Elephant Gift Exchange. Not all Thanksgiving dinners revolve around turkeys and football!

2. Give your hostess a gift that is local

Local to you might well be exotic for your hostess.  Do you live in an area that specializes in edible products such as cheese, fine chocolates, or craft beer?  Do you have access to shops known for local crafts, jewelry, woodworking, or other artisan-made gifts? How about a signed copy of book by a local author? It doesn’t really matter if your hostess lives in the same locale you do. Local artisan-made gifts are valued by everyone, everywhere.

3. Find a Thanksgiving gift idea that relaxes the hostess

Your hostess will be putting in a lot of time and effort to make your Thanksgiving experience yummy and enjoyable. Depending on the other things going on in her life, this may actually be a stressful time for her. A Best of the Best Aromatherapy Gift Set – 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils is a beautiful and exotic gift that pampers a hostess at Thanksgiving, and will remind her of you whenever she inhales the beautiful scents of Cinnamon Leaf, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Lavender, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rosemary or Sweet Orange.

You might also consider aromatherapy candles, scented soaps or bath oil beans, even a bit of the bubbly as Thanksgiving gift ideas for the hostess. She will appreciate the thoughtfulness of a little something to support her emotional state.

4. Give a gift for her family

A guest who focuses attention on the kids is a delight to hostesses who are also young mothers. Consider giving Thanksgiving that allows the kiddies to engage in creativity and perhaps keeps them busy for a few precious moments while the hostess mingles with guests or takes care of last minute touches to the turkey dinner. Lego kits, however small are always a good bet. A pad of paper and scented markers will keep a child engaged for hours. Playdo comes in multi-colored multi-packs. An age-appropriate jigsaw puzzle or craft kit is always a fun option.

Speaking of family – you might also think about what the hostess will do with the leftovers after Thanksgiving dinner. In What to Do With Turkey Leftovers, Janet shares a cookbook that could easily be a silly – and yet practical – Thanksgiving gift for the hostess: Love Your Leftovers: Through Savvy Meal Planning Turn Classic Main Dishes Into More Than 100 Delicious Recipes by Nick Evans. After all, what Thanksgiving dinner does NOT have leftovers?

5. Give a Thanksgiving gift made especially for the hostess by your kids

For an older host or a family member, a thank you gift made by your own child can be a delight. Holiday ornaments, homemade placemats, a photo of the child with the hostess in a hand-made frame, even baked items (that you, of course, helped with) make thoughtful gifts.

6. Find a Thanksgiving gift idea for the hostess that just a bit silly

Thanksgiving Gift Ideas for the Hostess

Does your hostess have a sense of humor that speaks to you? Would she get a kick out of an Eggy whisk or spatula? How about the New Glarus Brewing Company’s Totally Naked beer? Reusable yellow submarine or Mickey Mouse ice cubes create the potential for a polite chuckle. And who can resist a Yoga Frogs Wine Bottle Stopper Set? Gifts to garner a giggle are limited only by your own funny bone.

7. Give a gift that is fanciful

If your hostess is the type who appreciates flights of fancy, consider a bauble to hang, a Nutcracker doll, or a stuffed animal.  Jelly Bellies come in cocktail flavors. Who can resist a bottle of Arrogant Frog wine? And how beautiful is a single orchid that can be nurtured indoors in any climate, any time of the year?

In 40th Birthday Gift Ideas for Women, you’ll find a mixture of 20 classy and fanciful ideas for hostesses who are turning forty at Thanksgiving – or any time of the year.

8. Give a Thanksgiving gift the hostess can share

For the hostess who has everything, something to share with the other or future guests is the perfect option. A Teavana Tea Sampler Gift Set will be an instant hit. (Note from Laurie: this is my favorite Thanksgiving gift idea for hostesses because it’s the one I’d most appreciate getting! I love sharing new and interesting teas with my guests, after any type of dinner).

Gourmet popcorn – such as the Popcornopolis 12 Flavors Popcorn Snack Pack – or a dried fruit tray can be set out for immediate snacking. Whoppers malted milk balls in a holiday carton will never be refused, especially at Thanksgiving.

9. Give a gift that is unique and personal

Of course, any of the Thanksgiving gift ideas above can fall into this category. But your intimate knowledge of your hostess will guide you here. Perhaps something as simple as a Thanksgiving gift card with an invitation to a dinner out at a specific restaurant (with you, of course) will hit the spot for a hostess who will be ready to let someone else do the cooking and cleanup when the Thanksgiving holiday is over.

If you know your hostess is a light sleeper – or has problems sleeping – read 10 Gifts for Insomniacs and People Who Can’t Sleep.

A framed photo of your hostess and yourself at a special event cements bonds of friendship. An edible delicacy that only you know the hostess pines after could really hit the spot.  Or perhaps a book, CD, or video that she’s been talking about but would never buy for herself.

For more unique Thanksgiving gift ideas for the hostess, read Your Complete Holiday Gift Guide.

10. Put the Thanksgiving gift in a pretty basket

Regardless of what you choose for a hostess gift, a basket can add a certain elegance to your token of appreciation. And of course, baskets are useful in and of themselves. You can’t go wrong by putting your Thanksgiving hostess gift(s) into something wicker.

If a ready-made Thanksgiving gift basket is easier for you, check out the Art of Appreciation Gift Baskets Coffee Lovers Gift Box. It’s one of the most popular gift baskets on Amazon, and is a lovely way to say thank you to a hostess for making a Thanksgiving dinner.

Giving thanks for hospitality is appropriate and warranted any time of year. But Thanksgiving provides unique challenges for any hostess or host, and just as often choosing the perfect thank you gift is just as challenging. Thinking about Thanksgiving gift ideas terms of themes might just make that gift-giving challenge a bit more manageable — and maybe even a bit more fun!

Quick Thanksgiving Gift Ideas from Amazon

1. Easy quilt kit
2. Aromatherapy candles, scented soap, bath oil beans
3. Legos, Mr. Sketch scented markers, Playdo, craft kits, children’s jigsaw puzzles
4. Jelly Bellies
5. Jo!e Lil Flip Nylon Egg Spatula, MSC International Whiskie Egg Whisk, yellow submarine ice cubes,  Mickey Mouse ice cubes, Yoga Frog wine bottle stopper
6. Teavana Tea sampler set, Whoppers Holiday Malted Milk Balls
7. Books, CDs, DVDs
8. Thanksgiving gift baskets

Peggy Williams

If you don’t have time to wait for an online holiday shopping order, read Last Minute Thanksgiving Gifts – Quick and Easy.

Peggy Williams is a teacher, freelance writer, screenwriter, and novelist. Check out her blog Musings of a MadCityWriter in which she provides perspectives on books, culture, and life in general. She is also co-writer of the On the Road Mystery series. Peggy lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Your thoughts on these Thanksgiving gift ideas for the hostess are welcome below…