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Oct 06, 2023

40 best host and hostess gift ideas for all occasions in 2023

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Is it just us, or is everyone in their hosting era?

Whether it's for any holiday on the calendar, a celebratory bridal shower or a spontaneous dinner party, gathering loved ones and coordinating everything — from table to decor to a delectable dinner menu — is a large feat.

So, it's important to show your appreciation to the host or hostess doing the absolute "mostest." That's why the New York Post Shopping team put together one of our most heartwarming gift guides yet: the 40 best host or hostess gift ideas for every occasion and budget in 2023. (Related: Best housewarming gifts).

Our sworn-in favorite picks are perfect for men hosts and women hostesses alike, ideal for upcoming holidays (*cough cough*, Mother's Day) and — yes — we even have sections of this roundup dedicated to both budget-conscious and last-minute shoppers alike.

Read on to pick up something special and personal for the person or family welcoming you into their home. You’re bound to make memories to last a lifetime, so adding one of these thoughtful purchases to your shopping cart will serve as a token of your appreciation.

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Add a Grecian-inspired touch to your host's home with the Anthropologie Grecian Bust Pot that comes in two size options, both of which are less than $50. Accentuating indoor and outdoor plantings alike, it’ll add some sophistication, classic style and grandeur to any space.

We’ve tried Cipriani Food's lavish offerings and we’re still impressed. For a luxury treat for the hostess in your life, shop the brand's Food Gift Box. Inside, you’ll find a collection of high-quality ingredients like Tagliarelle Egg Pasta, Taglioni Delicate Egg Pasta, Fusilli Durum Wheat Pasta, Sansovina Pasta Sauce, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Panettone, Virgin Bellini Bottles, Merengues and a Cacao Box.

For a lovely decor accent your hostess will love, you can't go wrong with an elegant vase. Shop the Grayson Lane White Stone Modern Vase, a stoneware-crafted option that's clad with a glossy eggshell finish. It makes a lovely centerpiece, too.

As one of the most luxurious options to buy for your hostess, the Jo Malone London Scented Home Candle is a treat they may not pick up themselves. Its English Pear & Freesia scent has a base note of patchouli, too, creating a luscious scent that's perfectly packaged in a bow-topped gift box upon purchase.

For more options, check out our guide to the best Nordstrom gifts.

When in doubt, you can't go wrong with an elegant serving platter for your hostess. The Juliska Jardins du Monde Hostess Tray is something she’ll cherish for years, thanks to its scalloped edge and neutral glossy finish. Not to mention, it makes a lovely presentation for less than $100.

We’ve had our eyes on the Kate Spade New York Grace Avenue 2-Piece Dessert Set for a while (*cough cough*, great wedding registry add). For a stunning gift for your hostess — especially for the hostess who loves all things bows and feminine flair — this dining room essential also services as a decor piece. Check yes, Juliet.

Tapping into the "Alice in Wonderland"-inspired checkerboard print, the Mackenzie-Childs Courtly Check Cookie Jar is too precious to pass up. Ideal for the baker and lover of all the unique trinkets, this cookie display is one of our ultimate favorite recommendations.

We’re not going to lie — we own the Uncommon Goods Pistachio Pedestal and it's a game-changer. Growing up with our families putting out mixed nuts before dessert-time, it's both chic and practical: pick up nuts off the top tray and place empty shells on the bottom. Genius!

If you’re looking to treat your hostess to something sweet, Vosges Haut-Chocolat's Dark Chocolate Truffle Collection is next-level. It's a premium-grade option she likely won't snag for herself and you’ll enjoy the freshness and decadence each flavor brings, like Tanzanian dark chocolate with pumpkin seeds to Vermont Creamery cultured butter ganache and cacao dark chocolate.

For more options, check out our guide to the best places to order chocolate online.

For months, we’ve had our eyes on the Williams Sonoma Glass Domed Cake Plate/Punch Bowl. It simply screams ‘ultimate hostess gift,’ thanks to its best-of-both-worlds nature. Hosting a holiday or dinner party? Its cake plate is the elegant display piece. How about drinks and a game night? You’ll find great use for its punch bowl. Not to mention, it's a great find for less than $75.

When it comes to ordering fresh flowers online, 1-800-Flowers is one of the best services we reviewed and consistently turn to for all events — from simple ‘just because’ gifts to Mother's Day. Brighten up your hostess’ day with any of the brand's blossoming options, one of our favorites being the Vibrant Floral Medley.

Making a stunning last-minute gift, keep in mind that 1-800-Flowers can typically deliver your bouquet on the same day that you ordered from Monday through Friday, so long as you order by 2:00 p.m. in the recipient's time zone. It doesn't get much better than that!

For the hostess who loves to show off the mostest with cocktails, present to them "The Art of Mixology: Classic Cocktails & Curious Concoctions." Serving as a bar cart decor piece and an inspiration flip-through, it also pairs well with one of the best cocktail shaker sets we rounded up.

Yes, Amazon delivers fresh plants right to your door — and we couldn't be more thrilled. Specifically, the Costa Farms Flowering Bromeliad Live Indoor Plant is just $20 and looks great within any space. It's 12 inches tall, comes with a planter and even have natural purifying benefits that add beauty and cleanliness to your space.

Plus, this gift is Prime-eligible, shipping within two days, on average.

For the hostess who loves trying new sweet treats, try the top-rated Chocolate Dipped Macaroons from Danny Macaroons, a NYC-based shop that's available to order on Goldbelly. Choose from a six-pack to 24-pack and, while a lovely last-minute option, be sure to place your order at least one week before your next dinner party or event.

For more made-to-order options, check out our guide to the best cake and cupcake delivery services.

Grab an easy-to-order Amazon hostess gift — and one that's super on trend, too — with the D’Eco Wine Tasting Flight Sampler Set. We’ve been seeing flights everywhere, from brunch spots in Scottsdale to wineries in New Jersey — and this affordable option even comes with a chalkboard section (with chalk sold separately) for your hostess to use at her dinner party for a unique addition to the day.

We’re not huge wine drinkers but we trust Firstleaf the most out of many other ready-to-order wine delivery services on the market. Why? After taking a quiz (if you know your hostess well, you can take the quiz for them), you’ll be presented with options that suit your style, along with cards describing each wine and what they pair well with in each box.

However, the brand also offers a 3-Bottle Mixed Bundle for $60 to order ASAP that includes a 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Lodi, California; a 2020 Pinot Gris from Columbia Valley, Washington; and a 2020 Vino Rosso from Terre Siciliane, Italy. It's a wonderful way to try wines hailing from different regions, too.

The Ghirardelli Pick & Mix Premium Chocolate Gift Box is perfectly packaged, comes with 75 chocolate squares and is less than $75 — what's not to love? What's great about this hostess gift is the ability to select which flavors you’d like in your box. It's like trick-or-treating, but better.

As one of the best places to order gift baskets online, Harry & David has a Rolodex of well-bundled options to present to your hostess on your next occasion together. Fitting for any celebration, the brand's "So Very Thankful" Gift Basket is a wonderful way to show your appreciation for less than $100.

Inside, you’ll find Moose Munch Premium Popcorn, Three-seed crackers, Pepper & Onion Relish, sesame sticks, a Chocolate Decadence Cake, raspberry galettes, a double chocolate chunk cookies and Paradise dried fruit mix [raisins, golden raisins, apricots, cranberries, pineapple, papaya and banana chips].

Present your hostess with gorgeous, match-all serving bowls that will ship in two days’ time, thanks to Amazon. For less than $60, the Le Tauci Ceramic Bowls is a supreme four-pack that will seamlessly blend with any tablescape and will last for years.

For the hostess who's a lover of all things cheese, we recommend ordering the Murray's Cheese Cheddar Lover's Collection. This bold palette is sure to make your taste buds happy, as it includes Murray's Aged English Cheddar, Cellars at Jasper Hill Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Ellsworth Creamery Cheddar Cheese Curds, Red Bear Holy Cow Beef Salami and Virginia Chutney Company Mango Chutney.

Top the charts with your next host gift by ordering the BEY-BERK Wine Caddy. When in doubt, this is one of our favorite gifts to recommend (and one we’ve given to a loved one last Christmas), allowing a safe haven for your favorite wine to live when on the go.

We reviewed the Instagram-famous olive oil brand, Brightland, and yes — it's absolutely worth the hype. Not only are its bottles wonderful to display in the kitchen, but it's an elevated cooking essential that’ll make your host feel like a million bucks. What's more, its best-selling duo adds much flavor to any meal.

For more options, check out our expert-backed guide to the best olive oil brands.

We love chips, we love dips and we love The Cellar Chip ‘N Dip Bowl that simply makes us want to entertain a houseful of guests. On a wonderful discount right now, we love its wide capacity and ergonomic tray handles that makes it easy to transport to and from the kitchen.

Upgrade your host's wine game with the Cuisinart Cordless Wine Opener. It also doubles as a vacuum sealer, is clad with nearly 3,000 rave reviews on Amazon and uncorks 80 bottles on one charge. Even better, its vacuum sealer component will preserve the freshness and flavor of unfinished wines.

For the host who loves music (but also gets down with a good charcuterie board), there's nothing better than the Dolly Parton Acacia Wood Guitar Serving Tray. Mostly, we love how its center is reminiscent of a classic guitar and made perfectly for any dip to snuggle neatly inside.

Perfect for the host who loves "Mad Men," classic pieces and unique home accents, the Frontgate Absinthe French Match Strike is one of the most unique gifts to present to them and even more handsome when placed on a furniture piece, like a top-rated dresser. Just shy of $40, it's both useful and sophisticated.

Elegant and designed with a modern flair, the Godinger Wine Decanter Carafe is just $25 right now and ideal to buy for your host — perhaps even with a bottle of wine. Its simplistic yet useful make is applauded by nearly 3,000 satisfied reviewers, too.

Looking for a personalized host gift that's of the finest quality and ultra-practical for entertaining? The Mark & Graham Wood & Marble Beveled Cheese Board checks all of our boxes: it's made of marble, looks chic, is great for appetizers and desserts alike, flaunts your host's initial and is fairly priced.

For the plant dad you know, the Rejuvenation Watering Can will surely match his aesthetic and make caring for Monsteras and Philodendrons even more fun. We love its touch of modernity and brass-coated design, too.

If the host you’re seeing is obsessed with hot sauce, look no further than TRUFF. The brand's top-rated Hot Sauce Bundle Pack is just shy of $35 and contains its signature flavor of the brand's original black truffle formula paired with its hotter offering designed for those who enjoy kicking things up a notch. It's a must-try brand, for sure.

One of our favorite candle brands, hands-down, is Anecdote Candles. Its rich scents all come personalized to a particular recipient or vibe, like this Rooftop Soirée option that's ideal for your next alfresco dinner moment. After all, it "smells like night air and brut rosé, peony and suede."

For another favorite, we recommend its Adulting candle (well, because hosting is for the adults in the room, anyway). It's described as smelling "like early nights and steady paychecks" (ha!), with scent notes of fig and cashmere.

For less than $50, treat your host or hostess to the Baked by Melissa Thank You Gift Box 25-Pack to take your appreciation to tasty heights. We can't get enough of these bite-sized delicacies that comes with a unique flavor selection — from tie-dye and cookies and cream to cookie dough and red velvet (our personal favorite), among others.

For both indoor and outdoor use alike, the Ellen Merchant Melamine Serving Bowl is a less-than-$30 host or hostess gift that's sure to make sunny days even brighter. Perfect for refreshing salads, fresh pasta, grilled veggies and more, it's a lovely option that’ll make them smile.

Don't want to pick up a serving tray or food option? For less than $15, we’re enchanted by the Games Room After Dinner Trivia. It's the perfect post-meal bonding activity that's sure to spark meaningful and humorous conversations around the table.

For more options, check out our guide to the best adult party games.

Add a natural-looking element to your host or hostess’ home with the JABIHOME 4-Pack Wooden Spoons & Forks Set. We love the botanical-inspired, wooden design they encapsulate and were carefully carved by skilled artisans before being available on the market. Oh, and they’re less than $30 (#score!)

We can't believe this Lenox platter is just $25 on Amazon (and, with a lovely springtime option that we’re all about using year-round). For a sweet touch your host or hostess will enjoy, we recommend picking it up ASAP before it's gone.

Yes, we’re recommending hand wash. But not any hand wash — the Moroccanoil Hand Wash. Just like its shampoo and conditioners, the brand specially curates each scent with a nod toward ultimate R&R (as you would expect from a top-rated spa). For just $20, select the scent of your choosing. Our favorite is Italian Bergamot, Peppermint and Lemon Oil.

Whenever someone personally asks for a unique gift idea, we always turn to the Personalization Mall Personalized Beverage Tub. Whether you inscribe their last name or write something meaningful ("good times, good friends"), it's one of the best gifts we’ve given that's used for many parties and entertaining-filled weekends.

Add a touch of feminine flair to your hostess’ home with the Seliem Anemone Flower Hummingbird Kitchen Dish Towel Set. Who wouldn't love something as lovely as this two-pack hanging from their wall oven? Even better, it's a bundle that's less than $20.

Coasters make a useful and sophisticated gift, with plenty of styles on the market. Above all else, we can't stop glossing over the West Elm Clouded Agate Coasters — a perfect set of four that's less than $50. Not to mention, their durable design will last for years of entertaining.

Check out the New York Post Shopping section for more content.