These hostess gift ideas will make them feel so appreciated
Whether you’re heading to a holiday party or invited for a weekend visit, you’ll want to make sure you don’t show up empty-handed. Hostess gifts may be a little old-fashioned, but that’s because they really are a classic move that will never go out of style. Thanking your hostess (or host, of course) for their hospitality and any work they’ve put into making you, their guest, feel welcome, is always considerate. Although the sentiment has never gotten old, the gift itself changes from decade to decade. So, you’ll need some hostess gift ideas, especially with the upcoming holiday season.
These carefully curated gifts will please any hosts, even your hard-to-shop-for-sister-in-law. They’ll be welcome additions to their home, pantry, and every day, plus many of them actually make their next event that much easier to put together. Scroll down for our favorite hostess gift ideas for 2023.
TBH Vineyards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
A bottle of wine is always a good idea when it comes to a hostess gift. This wonderful Pinot Noir is made from 100% estate-grown organic grapes from Small Vines on the Sonoma Coast and is a full-bodied wine with hints of cherries, a floral scent, and a lovely lingering flavor.
Goat milk is known for its moisturizing qualities. We love gifting this soap and lotion set especially since its fragrance-free and includes a counter caddy.
Glassware with a city map in 22-carat gold leaf is sure to endear your host to you even when your kid locks themselves in the bathroom in the middle of the party. Choose from 22 popular cities.
San Francisco mom Samira Khoshnood created Superstitchous while on maternity leave after the birth of her first child. We love gifting these cozy blankets to pretty much anyone. Especially with a variety of charming prints and sizes, you can't go wrong.
Made of long-lasting soy wax and hand-poured in California, these are a chic-meets-cheeky offering. There are a bunch of different single and bundle options to fit your favorite hostess's personality.
The perfect gift wrap for that bouquet of flowers you can grab on your way over; use a recycled jar, a can or a simple vase and make it dressy. Coated paper stock in lots of different color choices.
A perfect trio of cheese from one of the country's best cheesemakers. Includes a decadent triple cream Mt Tam, funky and buttery Red Hawk, and versatile aged Wagon Wheel.
Filter out sulfites with this simple wine filter and say goodbye to wine headaches. Simply add one to each glass you pour and in 3 minutes, you'll have a clean-tasting filtered glass of your favorite grapes.
—Kate Loweth, Amber Guetebier, Gabby Cullen, & Kate Cartia
All the products listed are independently & personally selected by our shopping editors.
If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation. Prices and availability reflect the time of publication.
This Advent calendar is a top seller at Trader Joe’s for the holiday season
Run, don’t walk to your closest Trader Joe’s. The grocer’s annual 12 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar is back for 2023!
Our editors spied the famed Trader Joe’s 12 Days of Beauty on Nov. 8, and it’s packed with plenty of must-have products. This coveted calendar tends to sell out before Thanksgiving, so if you’re in the market for one, act fast.
As soon as you bring this cutie into your car, the dreamy aroma of citrus will take over and you’ll be glad you nabbed it.
What will you find inside Trader Joe’s 12 Days of Beauty Advent calendar?
Lavender bath salts
Brazil nut hair mask
Gingerbread cookie moisturizing lip balm
Brown sugar carob lip scrub
Sweet nectarine scented ultra moisturizing hand cream
You can find the calendar in the beauty aisle of your local Trader Joe’s for $19.99—but not for long. This one is very popular!
While we were there, we also spied this year’s 12 Days of Scented Candles Advent Calendar for $29.99. We love this option along with the chocolate Advent calendars priced at just $1.99 and the Advent calendars for pets.
Keep an eye out for other holiday favorites that have been trickling in. All the elves on your list will want a bottle of Peppermint, Gingerbread, or Egg Nog Liqueur—perfect for all those holiday cocktails you’ll be mixing up. Felted wool trivets have been hitting the shelves, along with dog toys, holiday snacks, and the scented candle trio.
With a preschooler and toddler at home, it seems like someone in my house is always sick. My girls are exposed to a million germs a day between school and all of their activities. No amount of hand washing can spare us completely.
As a busy mom, I have no time for sick days that render me useless to my girls! When the sniffles strike (again and again and again) I have a secret weapon. This cold-busting wellness tea is super intense but if you drink the whole pot you will wake up the next morning feeling like a new person!
This tea is loaded with vitamin C from all the citrus, anti-inflammatories from the ginger, and turmeric while the dash of cayenne gives this tea a real kick.
Cold-Busting Wellness Tea
Ingredients:
1 orange
1 lemon
1 grapefruit
1 lime
1 cup water
1 T cinnamon
1 T turmeric
1 tsp cayenne
Several pieces of fresh ginger (the more the better!)
Raw honey (optional)
Directions:
Juice the orange, lemon, grapefruit and lime.
Add the citrus juices, water, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne and fresh ginger to a pot and heat on medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
Sweeten to taste with raw honey and drink.
It is best to drink the entire pot if possible to maximize results and hopefully keep your home cold-free this cold and flu season.
I am a born and bred New Yorker trying to balance life as a mom of two, writer, wellness coach and fitness enthusiast. If I'm not chasing my girls at the playground, you’ll find me shopping the farmer’s market, checking out the latest boutique fiitness craze or blogging for mercer+green.
Do your favorite local candy store a solid and stock up on delectable delights from their aisles this Halloween. And if you’ve already bought your give-away stash, we suggest sneaking over to treat yourself from one of these Atlanta sugar shacks. Keep reading for our favorite Atlanta candy stores, below.
Collier Candy Co.
iStock
Inside Ponce City Market, this sweet shop with a vintage feel—right down to the squeaky floorboards—has an impressive collection of old-fashioned confections (remember Boston Baked Beans?) alongside some more interesting options.
Even Sweeter: Feeling adventurous? Try the Seattle Chocolate Company's milk chocolate truffle bar.
Ponce City Market 675 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE Online:colliercandy.com
Chef Brulee’s chocolate store offers 38 of the most beautiful, delicious artisan chocolates you will ever taste. You have to try them all, but if you can only pick one, don't miss out on the leopard-dusted creamsicle chocolate.
Even Sweeter: They make custom cakes, so if you're in the market, make a trip to the store to see what they can do.
1140 Alpharetta Street #500 Roswell 404-953-0369 Online:chefbrulee.com
This whimsical candy store makes homemade gummy bears—everything from pineapple to grapefruit and even champagne for the grown-ups. Decadent truffles, old-fashioned soda and other candies can be purchased to satisfy your sweet tooth. Kids will love peering into the glass display to pick out their favorite pieces. Lolli & Pops carries sweet treats from around the world and some made locally.
Even sweeter: Pick up a gift tin for your friends with a sweet tooth. It makes the perfect hostess gift.
4400 Ashford Dunwoody Rd. NE Perimeter Mall 770-551-7120 Online:lolliandpops.com
Sugar Factory Atlanta
iStock
Sugar Factory’s 800-square-foot Midtown Atlanta retail confectionary features a signature floor-to-ceiling candy wall with more than 500 types of sweet treats, including a selection of novelty and bulk candy like the brand’s world-famous Couture Pops. Completing the confectionary, the café will offer coffees, hot chocolate, frozen hot chocolate, homemade specialty rainbow doughnuts and pastries, in addition to homemade gelato and ice cream.
Even sweeter: Check out the gummy bear chandelier before you go.
1080 Peachtree Street NE Midtown 470-428-4395 Online:sugarfactory.com
Who else is excited to countdown the days until the holidays? Maybe you are just happy to see 2020 come to an end. Walmart has you covered with the ultimate countdown we all need this season.
Starting Nov. 1, the new Tasty 12 Days of Wine, Cheese + Chocolate Pairings Holiday Calendars will be available at Walmart stores. The best part of all is that all three can be purchased together for less than $100. Plus, if you grab all three you’ll have samples of wine already perfectly paired with cheese and chocolate. We can’t think of a better way to ring in the season.
The new Tasty Holiday Calendars bring 12 days of wine, cheese and chocolate pairings to life with wines like SRSLY Sauv Blanc, Oh So Rose and Beyond Red Blend. Discover unique cheese pairings including mozzarella cheddar and jalapeño pepper and chocolate pairings including a pink ruby cocoa strawberry ganache heart and a dark chocolate ganache tree.
Tasty 12 Days of Wine – $69.98
Whet your palette with cans of Tasty wine, each equivalent to two glasses of wine. Enjoy exciting varietals including Bubbly Rose, Beyond Red Blend, SRSLY Sauv Blanc, Pinot Noir, Deeply Blood Orange, Oh So Rose, Raspberry Rose, For Real Grapefruit and Lil’ Brut.
Tasty 12 Days of Cheese – $9.98
What’s wine without cheese! Pair your blend with a selection of cheeses such as mozzarella cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeno pepper and cheddar.
Tasty 12 Days of Chocolate – $9.98
Indulge in decadent chocolates, paired perfectly with your daily glass (or two!) of vino. Enjoy samplings of punk ruby cocoa strawberry ganache hearts, milk chocolate sea salted caramel snowmen and dark chocolate ganache trees.
We could wax poetically for hours about the amazing groceries we pick up at Trader Joe’s. From the creative packaging to one-of-a-kind finds, there’s no end to the love that is TJ’s. This time around, we turned down a different aisle to scour the shelves for amazing beauty and household items––and we were not disappointed. Keep scrolling to see some of the best non-food Trader Joe’s products you need to pick up on your next grocery run.
Personal Products
Supreme Hydrating Eye Cream
Trader Joe's
We could all use a little help when it comes to keeping bright-eyed. New in 2020, Trader Joe's Supreme Hydrating Eye Cream is packed with all the goodies: hydrolyzed marine collagen, Coenzyme Q10, Manuka honey, hibiscus extract, and almond, argan, rosehip & marula seed oils. At only $5.99 a tube, you simple can't go wrong.
Peppermint & Tea Tree Shampoo Bar
Trader Joe's
Ditch the plastic waste and pick up the new Peppermint & Tea Tree Shampoo Bar at your local TJ's. Each one is made from saponified oils like coconut oil, olive oil, and castor oil as well as jojoba, peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus oils and dried mint leaves. Oh, and it's free from parabens or sulfates! Snag a bar for just $3.99.
Nourish Shower & Bath Cleansing Oil
Trader Joe's
Keep the dryness at bay this winter with Trader Joe's Nourish Shower & Bath Cleansing Oil with Almond Oil. For just $6.99 (a steal when compared with high-end stores) this version is made with a blend of sweet almond and grape seed oils, in addition to castor seed and sunflower seed oil.
Oatmeal Exfoliant Bar
Launched back in 2002, Trader Joe's Almond Ginger Scent Oatmeal Exfoliant Bar has recently undergone a packaging change to the more eco-friendly kraft paper (goodbye, plastic!). This luxuriously foamy soap is made in France and contains bits of colloidal oatmeal and the pleasant spa-like almond ginger fragrance. Snag a bar for just $2.99 in the beauty aisle.
Rose Facial Oil
A quality moisturizer with a lovely fragrance, Trader Joe's Rose Facial Oil is a steal at $5.99. While this product is not an anti-aging miracle maker, the non-oily or greasy formula makes it worth a try.
Shea Butter & Coconut Oil Hair Mask
Dry hair got you down? TJ's Shea Butter & Coconut Oil Hair Mask is here to save the day. The $4 tube contains shea butter and coconut oil (of course), in addition to argan oil and vitamin E to help tame frizz and leave your hair silky and smooth.
Blueberry & Açai Facial Scrub
Skip the pricey department store products and head to Trader's to snag a frosty jar of Blueberry & Açai Facial Scrub for only $5.99! It's made using U.S.-grown blueberries that have been frozen to maintain all those healthy antioxidants, colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, meadowfoam seed oil, and various plant extracts. Enjoy the scrubby alpha-hydroxy acids and rock that healthy glow.
Preserve Toothbrush
Made with recycled yogurt cups, these BPA-free Preserve Toothbrushes are an easy product pick up if you're out and about. The eco-friendly brushes are made with super soft bristles and are just $2.99.
Spray Sunscreen
Trader Joe's Spray Sunscreen SPF 50 won a coveted perfect score for the 2018 Consumer Reports Sunscreen Guide, and at only $6 for a can it is a must-buy. Each can comes with a locking cap and offers UVA & UVB protection, contains aloe, vitamin E and coconut oil. Did we mention it's also water resistant? Snag a bottle (or two) on your next Trader's visit.
Lavender Salt Scrub
Detox from a long day with Trader Joe's Lavender Salt Scrub that is made with almond, apricot and avocado oils. The 20 oz. jar holds the delicious-smelling salt-based formula that gets rid of dry and dead skin and is nice on the wallet at only $5.99.
Hand Sanitizer Spray
If you have kids, you can pretty much never have enough hand sanitizer! The next time you're making your grocery run, pick up a bottle of grapefruit and lemon scented spray from TJ's for just $1.99––your hands will thank you.
Laundry & Cleaning
Wool Dryer Balls
If you're looking for a more natural way to launder, then wool dryer balls are your best friend. Free from artificial fragrances and other chemicals, these bouncy guys help dry clothes faster and naturally soften and reduce wrinkles in your clothes––and can be used over and over again. You can pick up a bag of four dryer balls for just $5.49.
Liquid Dish Soap
The plant-based formula used in Trader Joe's Liquid DIsh soap is hypoallergenic and cuts through grease. The biodegradable product comes in a light citrus scent and is only $2.99 for a large 25 oz. size.
Multi-Purpose Cleaner
Trader's Multi-Purpose Cleaner is made with essential oils and is eco-friendly. The product boasts a streak-free formula that can be used on tons of surfaces throughout your home, is biodegradable and comes in a large 34 oz. size for just $2.99.
Household Goods
Waxed Cotton Food Wraps
Trader Joe's Waxed Cotton Food Wraps are the alternative to plastic wrap you've been looking for. The 3-pack of clothes comes in three sizes, are made in Tunisia and are 100 percent cotton infused with beeswax, jojoba oil, and pine resin. Use anytime you would normally use your single-use plastic wrap and enjoy this reusable product for just $8.99.
Greeting Cards
Perhaps one of the most underrated sections at TJ's are the greeting cards! For just $.99 each, you can stock up on tons of unique cards for every occasion without breaking the bank. Designs feature classic styles and plenty of whimsical and quirky cards that you can only find at Traders.
Grapefruit Scented Candle
Embrace the fragrance of spring and summer with Trader Joe's hand-poured Grapefruit Candle. For just $3.99, you can enjoy the natural soy-coconut wax and a lead-free wick at quite the bargain. Coming in a tin with a lid, take this candle with you whenever you go for om-worthy relaxation.
–Karly Wood
All photos: Karly Wood for Red Tricycle/Feature photo: Trader Joe’s
Do you ever worry that your kids aren’t spending enough time washing their hands or doing a thorough enough job? Especially now, it is important that everyone gets their hands clean.
Color Clean Soap was created by Michael Raymond, during the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders after he noticed his children struggling to thoroughly wash their hands.
This patent-pending, one-of-a-kind formula, Color Clean Hand Soap is designed to ensure children and adults fully wash their hands by visibly highlighting unwashed areas. The visual soap is non-staining and scrubs off easily. A delayed, color-fading technology alerts users when they have washed their hands for an adequate amount of time.
Using premium quality, organic ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil, essential oils and shea butter, Color Clean Hand Soap is free from sulfates or other harmful chemicals. The color technology is non-toxic and uses FDA food grade colorants to ensure maximum safety.
With three varieties to choose from, Blue Citrus, Green Grapefruit and Ruby Red, children and adults can pick their favorite variety to keep their hands clean.
ALDI has just released a new wine collection that is both delicious and inexpensive. Moiselle Couture Collection White Sangria, Sweet Grapefruit Rosé and Sangria wines are going on sale for a limited time for only $4.49. At that price you can try them all.
Moiselle Couture Collection White Sangria is described as being light and refreshing with hints of pineapple, orange and peach. Add some fresh fruit like orange slices and frozen grapes to create a sangria cocktail. This wine pairs perfectly with guacamole, empanadas or seafood paella.
Moiselle Couture Collection Sangria has hints of orange, lemon and lime, This wine pairs perfectly with roasted chipotle salsa, a cheese platter or grilled or fried calamari.
This collection will only be available for a limited time, so grab a bottle before they run out.
If you ever spent all afternoon sampling Jelly Belly flavors trying to decide which ones were the best, now you can re-live those tasty childhood moments with sparkling water.
Joffer Beverage Company is releasing a brand new line of Jelly Belly Sparkling Water. At launch, the line will include eight flavors including French Vanilla, Lemon Lime, Orange Sherbet, Piña Colada, Pink Grapefruit, Tangerine, Very Cherry and Watermelon. With over 100 Jelly Belly flavors, there will definitely be more additions to come.
“We were on the back patio, drinking a couple of the more popular sparkling water brands, when I said out loud, ‘If only someone could nail a sparkling water with really stand-out flavors,'” said Stephen Joffer, a co-founder of Joffer Beverage Company in a press statement. “The lightbulb came on when my dad suggested, ‘Why not our own Jelly Belly flavors? We are known for flavor innovation after all.'”
All of the canned beverages are made with just two ingredients carbonated water and natural flavors. No sugar and zero calories means you also get to taste those favorite flavors guilt-free.
The new Jelly Belly Sparkling Water will be available in eight-packs of 12 ounce cans at Hy-Vee stores, a midwest chain with over 200 locations, starting mid-January. If you don’t live in the area, you can still score some online at jellybelly.com soon.
According to reports, the mask (which was sold at several retailers, including Target and Ulta), can cause extreme irritation, burning and red, itchy skin.
Chelsea Anders and her stepdaughter both used the mask. The Iowa stepmom told WHOTV 13, “Her face was welted with red, swollen, itchy raised abrasions and I had first thought chemical reaction. It’s what a lot of people had assumed when using this product was that it was just an allergic reaction. Then doing the research after I had seen what had happened, it looks like a chemical burn.”
Anders wasn’t the only person to have a problem with this product. Stacy Slater of Tampa, Florida told Today what happened after her 11-year-old daughter Addison used the mask. “She’s like, ‘My face is a little itchy and it tingles.'” Slater went on to add, “She said it felt like it was burning and stinging and at this point she was crying.”
In an emailed statement, a representative from Yes To said, “Yes To is committed to ensuring the safety and integrity of all of our products and has maintained a strong track record of delivering quality products to our customers since our founding in 2006.” The statement continued, “We have recently seen reports on social media that children have used the Grapefruit Vitamin C Glow-Boosting Unicorn Paper Mask, unfortunately resulting in skin irritation. We have also received some similar reports from adults who have used the product. We apologize to anyone who was affected in this way, especially over the holiday season.”
The brand also added, “While our products are all independently tested for safety, irritation, and allergy—and while we provide both warnings and instructions on our products about the potential for skin irritation—the safety and satisfaction of our customers are our main concerns. As such, we have decided to pull this particular product off of the shelves while we investigate the complaints that we have received and seen online.”
When it comes to the products and retailers pulling them from store shelves, Yes To’s statement said, “We have reached out to all our retailers and informed them that we are voluntarily pulling the product off the market and to please remove all Grapefruit Vitamin C Glow-Boosting Unicorn Paper Masks off their shelves immediately. However, each store has a different procedure and process when removing products. We hope to have all products completely removed by Friday and will continue to follow-up with each store to make sure that the product is pulled from shelves as quickly as possible.”
Yes To also directed customers who have the product to return unused masks to the store of purchase. In a Jan. 3 statement the company made on its Facebook page, Yes To alerted customers to the problem and added, “If you’ve had an issue with this item, please contact our Customer Care team at customercare@yesto.com.”