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Christmas

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Original poster

Going to a friend’s house for Christmas Day… what to take?

105 replies

Itisallgoingtobeok · 01/12/2023 20:02

This year my marriage failed spectacularly, and so this will be my first Christmas alone. A work colleague who I have known for years has invited me to join him, his new partner and her two daughters who are in their early to mid 20s. I am so touched by their kindness. Of course I know him very well, but I don’t know his partner or the daughters at all. I have offered to help cook, or bring some food, but they have said no (nicely!). I’d like to take something with me, either presents for each of them, or I wondered about a hamper. The hampers I have seen don’t look great, so all ideas for what I could take with me are gratefully received!

OP posts:
sparkedsparkle · 02/12/2023 21:22

Bring a drink (if you don't know if they drink alcohol I'd buy a nice posh juice from a farmshop)
A box of chocs
Gift card to say thanks?

LaurieStrode · 02/12/2023 21:54

Good champagne (couple bottles) nice nuts, which i think are better than sweets as they are low carb. Crackers for the table.

I love receiving flowers.

TheChosenTwo · 02/12/2023 21:57

I’d go very safe, couple of bottles of really nice wine (one red, one white) and a very extravagant box of chocolates.
Something special and luxurious, but impersonal enough that if they don’t want them they can pass them on after Christmas no bother but they’ll know you made an effort.
They sound like lovely people and I hope you all have a lovely Christmas after this year 💐

Inyourwildestdreams · 02/12/2023 22:31

I would personally avoid anything like a cheeseboard that needs to be eaten pretty quickly. They’re hosting and will have planned out the meal etc.

In your situation I’d take:

  • wine (one red, one white)
  • a nice box of chocolates or biscuits
  • maybe a small gift each for the “kids” - little bag with a facemask/bath bomb, Lindt choccie Santa and some fluffy socks or something! Nothing to OTT or personal. Or a mug each with their initial on and some nice hot chocolate?

Wine/choccies are easy enough to regift over the festive period if they’re not to their taste! Afterwards I’d send a card and some flowers to thank them.

It sounds like a lovely Christmas 😊 I hope you all have a lovely time.

BurbageBrook · 02/12/2023 22:35

I think a couple of bottles of good wine and a box of high quality chocolates or biscuits would be perfect.

BurbageBrook · 02/12/2023 22:36

Also Flowers for you OP

EdithWeston · 02/12/2023 22:42

I would take wine (all are adults, but check with colleague in case any don't drink alcohol)

2x fizz, 2x white, 2 red
perhaps adding pudding wine, port or madeira

Add flowers if you can get something that won't need attention then and there

Maddy70 · 02/12/2023 22:45

Ask her what she would like you to contribute.

Maybe suggest bringing starters or a cheese board

Also bring wine

Ellmau · 02/12/2023 22:53

Presents for everyone, and a box of chocolates for sharing.

Grimchmas · 02/12/2023 22:56

Are you from somewhere they aren't? Something from your local area (mine is famous for fudge for example) could go down well.

DGPP · 02/12/2023 22:58

Don’t bring a cheeseboard. I’d hate that as a host as I might not have fridge space and it needs to be eaten quickly.
bring wine (one white one red around £10/£12 a bottle) and some nice Belgian chocolates

Onemoretimeok · 02/12/2023 23:02

We always host Christmas Day. If I want my guests to bring food then I tell them what to bring! It’s annoying if they bring eg cheese when I haven’t asked for that, because there is literally nowhere to put extra stuff on the day, and it will just get wasted as there is only some
much cheese people can eat! Booze however is always welcome, as
it doesn’t go off! So if I were you I’d take a bottle of red and a bottle of champagne.

BrimfulOfMash · 02/12/2023 23:10

If they would not accept my offer to bring cheese board (good Stilton, good hard cheese, good soft cheese and one other) I would make florentines in 2 flavours and take either 2 good bottles of wine, champagne or Cremant (NOT Prosecco), a bottle of port or a bottle of Baileys.

Helenahandkart · 02/12/2023 23:55

Not flowers at Christmas. People have decorated their houses and flowers are extra work and might clash with the Christmas decor.

Moveoverdarlin · 03/12/2023 00:02

I would take a bottle of red, a bottle of white, a bottle of Prosecco and a big tub of chocolates.

The cheese Christmas tree looks like something that would be served at a four year olds party in a soft play centre.

HolidayHappy123 · 03/12/2023 00:17

Potted orchid, champagne and chocs. You can get all three in M&S for under £50.

thaisweetchill · 03/12/2023 01:00

Buy a hamper from hobbycraft and fill it with wine/cheese/desserts that could be eaten/drank on the day or saved for the future if you don't all fancy it.

Hope you're doing ok and enjoy your Christmas

ilovesooty · 03/12/2023 01:28

My friend has invited me to join her and other friends on several different days over Christmas - not on Christmas day this year though.

I'm getting her and her husband a gift voucher for a local restaurant to say thank you.

LaurieStrode · 03/12/2023 02:08

The more I think about this, the more a hamper seems appropriate. What is your budget?

socialdilemmawhattodo · 03/12/2023 02:19

If they have pets please be.careful with flowers. One of my rescue Siamese is a plant muncher. Lilies - categorically no. Literally killer. But other plants as bad. We don't have any house plants for this reason.

TheUnRed · 03/12/2023 02:20

Give them the best Champagne/English Sparkling that you can afford with a hand written tag saying ‘Thank you for inviting me, this is for you to have together on another day’

Sholkedabemus · 03/12/2023 02:24

As you don’t know her, I wouldn’t take bought cake. She might be a keen baker and would never eat bought cake.

Yes to flowers and wine. I would take a bottle of red and a bottle of white. Something around the £12 mark would be fine.

SABM10 · 03/12/2023 02:44

Agree with nice wine and chocolates/luxury biscuits. Easily regifted and/or stowed away until needed.

If you did want to do a hamper I'd recommend making one up yourself rather than buying it ready made. I did this for my parents one year, bought a nice wicker hamper from somewhere like B&M or Wilkos and then had fun filling it up with lovely treat food and drink. Mine had wine, fancy ales for dad, nice biscuits, chocs, crackers, nice tea, some fancy chutney and jams and then on the way over I grabbed a nice cheese selection and some smoked salmon and pate from M&S. Agree with a PP that the dates on these can be short though, some of the cheese options I looked at initially were all 'best before' boxing day!

SpuytenDuyvil · 03/12/2023 03:33

I don't like people bringing food when I specifically said not to. I have my menu planned and I don't want to have to work around something people show up with. It's overstepping. Flowers, wine, something sparkling that is non-alcoholic and chocolates is the way to go.

YireosDodeAver · 03/12/2023 04:13

Go to a good deli and put together a DIY hamper rather than buying a pre-made-up selection. A couple of good bottles of booze, some nice cheese, pate and biscuits. This is better than fixing on one thing because if they are good hosts there will already be nice booze, cheese, pate etc but one more thing to add to the selection isn't treading on anyone's toes.