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
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Grab your sled and snow tube because these city hills and nearby resorts are the best spots for your family’s next downhill adventure
One of life’s simplest thrills is soaring down a snowy hill on a cold winter day. Whether you prefer a toboggan, a snow tube, or a simple sled, the rush of a steep slope can be enjoyed by nearly everyone. Better yet: if you’ve got sledding enthusiasts in your house, you don’t have to wait for it to snow to hit the hills! We found the best nearby resorts for all-winter fun, two indoor spots where you can sled all day no matter the weather, and—for when it actually does snow—the top-rated hills in the city. From a winter road trip to the largest snow tubing track in the country to the steepest hill in the city (as well as our favorite gentle slope), here are the best places to toboggan, sled, and snow tube near Washington, DC.
When it snows, the West Lawn welcomes sledders from dawn to dusk. The AOC (Architects of the Capitol) offer a list of tips to make sure your snowy adventure is a safe one. At times, sledding on Capitol Grounds may be restricted for a number of reasons, including construction and heightened security. Please check the Capitol website before you go
Battery Kemble Park is one of the city's best kept, tourist-free secrets. This small patch of undeveloped land sits neatly tucked away in a residential area. Coast down a Civil War battery used by Union Soldiers for an afternoon of fresh-air fun!
Located in Georgetown, this steep slope attracts (a huge number of) enthusiastic sledders looking for high-speed thrills. If you've got little ones in tow, we suggested skipping this park that requires maneuvering around trees, bushes and crowds. If you've got experienced sledders, enjoy!
This famous hill offers a gradual slope for pint sized sledders. While not a popular at the Capitol Grounds, it does offer a gentle ride for new sledders. If it's not fast enough for your little ones, walk up to the Capitol for more speed.
2 15th St NW National Mall Online. nps.gov
Fort Reno Park
Climb Fort Reno's hill and you've reached the highest natural point in DC! This slope is known for it's longer-than-usual ride. While this is a popular spot to sled, sledders can usually space out for a safe experience. Tenleytown is a quick walk from the park; warm up at Steak n' Eggs diner with a hot chocolate and all-day breakfast.
Suit up in a blue parka to explore this exhibit chilled to a freezing 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Over 2 million pounds of brightly colored ice is hand-carved to depict larger-than-life scenes from the beloved holiday movie, A Christmas Story. Famous scenes from the movie are reimagined as ice carvings, including the famous department store Santa scene. Your parka acts as a wearable sled while you zip down this slide made completely of ice.
Rip down Snow Flow Mountain at thrilling speeds on bumper-safe icy terrain. At Gaylord National Harbor, you can hop in a tube and safely race down an entirely ice-covered hill where, if you pick up enough momentum, a cushy bumper will end your ride. You must be at least 42-inches to ride and tubers are single occupant lanes only. Purchase a ticket and go with the flow (of snow!) all day!
Liberty Mountain is one of the closest slopes to DC, and the lodge provides shuttle buses straight from the parking lot to the tube track so you don't have to waste energy trekking to the mountain. Bubly Tube Park has 15 lanes available for visitors to shoot down. Translation? Long lines are non-existent. And if you're lucky, you and the fam will have a slide all to yourselves! Younger families can head over to the Kiddie Tubing area where kids smaller than 41" can tube safely.
Located just over the border in PA, Whitetail Resort is a great place for first time snow tubing adventures. Families with children over five-years-old can make the runs down the hill together and for those with littler tubers, Whitetail’s kiddie section is smaller and less scary than the big hill. Sessions are first-come, first served and sold in two hour time slots online.
13805 Blairs Valley Rd. Mercersburg, PA Online: skiwhitetail.com
Roundtop Mountain Resort
This family-friendly mountain features 800' runs with an 80' ft vertical drop. If that's too much zip for your little, they can cruise at a slower speed on the kiddie hill. Thanks to the snow makers, you can always bet on snow at this mountain!
Just a two hour drive from downtown DC can have you and your family on the Bryce Resort tubing track for some fast paced fun. Tubers over 4-years-can spend 90 minutes zipping down these slopes; kids over 8 can hit the tubing track alone while mom and dad catch some quality time by the fire at the resorts Copper Kettle or the Fireside Grill restaurants.
Just a quick 2 hr. and 28 minute from downtown DC, Massanutten Resort has earned a reputation as one of the best tubing spots near DC with its 900 ft. hill and 120 ft. vertical drop. Due to its popularity, this tubing spot has been known to sell out on weekends and holidays. Go mid-week to skip the crowds and score discounted tickets. New this year: a conveyor belt that transports guests quickly up the hill for more downhill action.
With over 40 lanes to tube down, Camelback Resort wins the "biggest snowtubing park" award in the country! A Magic Carpet whisks you up the steep side of this mountain so you can enjoy 2 fun-filled hours of tubing. Nab tickets for an evening slot and the snow is aglow with vibrant colors for a Galactic experience. Kids must be 44" tall to ride alone. When you've had enough of the winter weather, head indoors for America's #1 rated indoor waterpark.
Penguin Slides Tubing Park at The Omni Homestead Resort
Make a weekend out of winter activities at The Omni Homestead Resort. Reservations for one-hour time slots on the Penguin Slides Tubing Park hill must be made in advance (must be 5 & up and over 48" tall). This Park makes tubing a relaxing activity; a conveyor belt transports guests back up the hill so they don't have to exhaust themselves on the climb. Other resort activities include mini snowmobiles JUST for kids (ages 6-12), ice skating and (for beginners) there is the 9-trail mountain for budding skiers.
7696 Sam Snead Hwy. Hot Springs, VA 24445 Online:omnihotels.com
Blue Mountain Resort
If you're looking for a change of scenery, head to the PA for winter thrills. There are over 10 resorts to tube (and ski) in the Pocono Mountains. and Blue Mountain offers the fastest and longest lanes in the region—and the state! This resort has 46 lanes, so you never have to wait long for another run (fun fact: they are now the largest snow tubing park in the country!). And 3 running lifts means you spend more time sledding than toting that tube back up the hill (and with over 1,000 feet of sledding, you're not going to want to walk). Stay at near-by Woodloch Resort and snow tubing—while not as "extreme" as the Blue Mountain experience—is complimentary with your stay.
Cost: $20 Dates: TBD
1660 Blue Mountain Dr. Palmerton, PA Online:skibluemt.com
If you had to choose between working harder or working smarter, which would you pick? If you’re a busy, tired, hardly-sleeping parent, we’re betting smarter. There’s good news for you! “Research from my NeuroFit lab shows that short five-minute movement breaks help you stay focused and remember more,” says Dr. Jennifer Heisz, author of Move The Body, Heal The Mind. This means that even though mom-brain is very, very real, little bursts of exercise will help lift that fog. What’s more, Dr. Heisz adds, “During the first 10 minutes of movement there is an increase in oxygenated blood flow to the brain, especially to the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which governs our working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control.”
Whether it’s five minutes or thirty, giving yourself easy ways to keep active will have lasting benefits way beyond simply burning calories. We’ve tested a variety of short, simplified workouts geared at busy parents, all of them at or around just 15 minutes long. Read on to get moving.
We love this one because although it is high-intensity, it requires no equipment or devices. Do it several times and you'll have a 15-minute (or so) routine you can take anywhere.
Jumping Jacks for 30 seconds
Mountain Climbers for 30 seconds
Skaters for 30 seconds
High Knees for 30 seconds
Repeat
Where to find it: Pre-order Move the Body, Heal the Mind here.
Mom on the Go offers seven, short, thematic yoga practices designed to energize your body. Follow the 28-day program for postpartum recovery including pelvic and core exercises, or just pop in and do a reinvigoration yoga session.
This fat-blasting workout plan is as effective as most longer workout sessions and combines two proven fat-loss techniques— metabolic strength and Tabata training. You'll work every muscle in your body (especially your abs!) in a fraction of the time!
Dreading dinner? It’s time to get cooking with a little magic!
Le Creuset has just dropped the ultimate collection for Potterheads and it includes everything from Golden Snitch-themed dutch ovens to a Hedwig pie bird. Available at Williams Sonoma, the cookware collab adds to the growing lineup of Hogwarts and Harry Potter-inspired products that start at $17 and have you covered in the kitchen. Keep scrolling to see the newest release!
These kitchen workhorses with a French flair have been favorites for generations and last just as long. You’ll find many of the most popular items like the Le Creuset Wide Dutch Oven and Le Creuset Signature Roaster heavily discounted as part of the Factory to Table Sale. Find one you like? Buy it now as when they’re gone, they’re gone!
ON SALE: Le Creuset Round Dutch Oven
Quite possibly the most iconic item in the Le Creuset collection, the Round Dutch Oven is a piece of cookware that will have you slow cooking coq au vin in no time. Or, pop it in the oven to bake the perfect crust on your quarantine sourdough bread loaf.
2 3/4 qt on sale for $155
4 1/2 qt on sale for $208
ON SALE: Le Creuset Signature Skillet
The enameled cast iron Signature Skillet is a versatile kitchen essential for searing, sauteing, stir-frying and more. You'll love how the cook surface becomes more nonstick over time.
On sale for $72-114
ON SALE: Botanique Collection Mini Cocottes
From cobblers to gratins to pot pies, everything tastes better when it comes in a perfectly portioned individual Mini Round Cocotte. We love the cute colors of this set! On sale for $60, down from $100.
ON SALE: Le Creuset Signature Roaster with Lid
Anyone who cooks for a family know that the Signature Roaster is a dinner staple. Made of cast iron, it retains heat well and can transfer from oven to table with ease.
On sale for $186
ON SALE: Soup Pot
The Soup Pot is the ideal vessel for soups, stews, one-pot meals and more. On sale for $150, from $250.
ON SALE: Le Creuset Round Wide Dutch Oven
This beauty is destined to sit on your stovetop as you'll want to use it every day. Braising, roasting, baking and frying, this workhorse can do it all. It's currently on sale for $183, down from $305.
ON SALE: Le Creuset Chrysenth Kettle
Perfect for tea drinkers, oatmeal eaters and cup o' noodle connoisseurs, you'll love having this little cutie on your cooktop year-round. On sale for $60, down from $100.
ON SALE: Le Creuset Nonstick Stainless Steel Fry Pan
When you are wanting to cook up an omelet or sear some fish, only non-stick will do. Le Creuset's Nonstick Stainless Steel Fry Pan has a super-strong non-stick coating that will last for years. Bonus: it's dishwasher safe. Set of two on sale for $153 from $255.
ON SALE: Le Creuset Multi Bowl
This bowl tops our list because you can totally use it to mix up a big salad and serve from it as well. Save yourself having to do more dishes! On sale for $25.20, down from $42.
ON SALE: Le Creuset Fondue Set
Get all your fixin's ready, it's fondue night! Your family will love using this cute set for special nights. On sale for $200, down from $320.
Le Creuset Heritage Pie Dish
Bust out your favorite pie recipe that will look perfect from oven to table in the Heritage Pie Dish. The dimpled edge will make the perfect fluting for your hand-rolled dough.
Le Creuset Braiser
The Le Creuset enameled cast iron Braiser allows you to sear meats and then add liquid and the lid to create steam to lock in flavor and moisture. We love it for chilis and stews.
—Kate Loweth
Images courtesy of Le Creuset. Prices were accurate at time of publication.
Mama Knows Best: Mama Cozzi’s Pizza Kitchen Take and Bake Deli Pizza*
Little Fan Favorite: Happy Farms String Cheese*
Sip & Celebrate: PurAqua Belle Vie Sparkling Flavored Water*
Dinner Delight: Fresh Family Pack Chicken Breasts
Keeping it Fresh: Strawberries* *Denotes repeat winner
It’s no secret that ALDI shoppers are big fans of the store’s low prices and wide selection of high-quality foods. More than 360,000 shoppers have voted over the last three years.
The Mama Cozzi’s Pizza line earned its own category this year, after being the overall fan favorite in 2020. And it’s still a winner: The brand’s Kitchen Take and Bake Deli Pizza was a top vote-getter this year, with more than 45,000 votes.
Among kid favorites, three-time champion Happy Farms String Cheese earned more than 50% of the votes in its category this year, winning by a landslide.
You’ll find these winners by looking for a blue heart-shaped logo on store shelves and on the ALDI website. Learn more about the 2021 Fan Favorites here.
If you’re an ALDI fan, you probably know about the company’s Monthly Finds! There are some real gems this month, including a new batch of cheap houseplants, an adorable cactus LED lamp, a s’mores cookie kit and pulled pork chips!
Starting July 28, you can snag a cute little aloe vera plant for $3.99. A new batch of mini succulents will drop on August 11 for $1.99. And an adorable geometric terrarium is coming your way on August 25 for $13.99.
If you kill any plant you lay eyes on, there’s another fun decor option this month. The LED novelty lamp features a glowing saguaro cactus for $8.99. Perfect for dorm room decorating or a WFH glow up!
You’ll remember the S’more Cookie Kit we’ve covered and it’s finally available to buy on August 25! There are a lot of intriguing food finds for the upcoming month, but we’re especially interested in the Pulled Pork Kettle Chips that come out August 25. They’re krinkle cut and gluten free!
Actress, mom and media mogul Drew Barrymore just celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in a very special way. Barrymore debuted the St. Paddy’s Day-esque sage green appliances from her new line, Beautiful Kitchenware!
Barrymore’s new kitchen collection is a collab with Made By Gather founder and CEO Shae Hong. The line includes a range of small appliances that creatively combine form and function.
Why did Barrymore and partner Hong, venture into the kitchenware world? According to Beautiful’s website, “Our vision was to create kitchenware that combines high performance with premium design. We always wondered why most kitchen appliances are black or stainless steel. Why not make elegant objects that look good on your kitchen counter?”
The pair partnered with top kitchenware/appliance designers to create a modern line of small appliances that come with touchscreen technology and more. Products include everything from a touchscreen air fryer and programmable coffee maker to a high-performance blender, electric kettle,and toaster oven. Beautiful Kitchen’s sage green line is available right now at Walmart.com. Additional colors will debut on Walmart.com on Mar. 29. Look for the rest of the collection online and in Walmart stores this April.
If cheese tops your holiday wish list, then you are in luck. Sam’s Club just dropped two amazing products that any cheese lover would want for their upcoming festive celebrations. The warehouse club is offering an advent calendar and a cheese flight which will make your season’s bright.
The Cheese Advent Calendar features 24 days of cheese.The selection includes Jarlsberg, Ilchester, and Applewood varieties. With this countdown to Christmas you get much more than cheese. Each day has a cheesy joke included too.
Grab this fun gift in the refrigerated cheese section of the club for just $16.98.
While you are in the refrigerated cheese section you can also check out this exclusive cheese flight. Included are three cheeses – Copper Kettle Parmesan, Altu Alpine and Tuscan Rubbed Fontal for only $7.48. This selection is perfect for easy charcuterie boards or to enjoy all on your own.
Pretend play is the staple of any childhood (case in point: the classic Fisher Price phone we all had…back before Smartphones). But Fisher Price has kept up with the times and their new sets prove it. New this fall, put these sets on your wishlist!
Fisher Price My Home Office Set
Fisher Price
A true sign of the times, this WFH set just might buy you a few uninterrupted Zoom calls. This 8 piece set comes with a pretend laptop, 4 fabric “apps” to attach to the computer screen, a wood smartphoneand a to-go cup for kids to “sip” their favorite beverage. Ages 3 and up.
Encourage kids to play kitchen with this 4-piece set that includes a crinkle recipe card, play tongs with a meatball spinner, a chewy oven mitt teether, and a wearable chef’s apron bib that transitions nicely right to mealtime. Ages 3 mos. and up.
We've all tried the whole "working out at home" thing but you might be able to get away with it a little easier when baby has his or her own set. The gym-themed gift set comes with a soft, wearable headband, a kettle bell rattle, a toy dumbell and a jingling "protein shake." Ages 3 mos. and up.
Since you can't explore Paris with bébé this year, play tourist in the living room with this adorbs play set for tiny travelers at heart. The 4-piece set includes a pretend camera to rattle and click, a crinkly bottle of sunscreen, a chewy passport teether, and a wearable bib to complete their tourist look. Ages 3 months and up.