Present for host ideas please?

[Goatblu]

We're invited to my sister and brother in law's for Christmas lunch. We stopped buying Christmas presents for each other years ago as we don't really want anything. Sister has a Christmas birthday so I've got that sorted.

I'd like to take them something to say thank you for hosting us on Christmas day that isn't alcohol or chocolate. Does anyone have any ideas please?

Could you make a little hamper or box of goodies from a deli?

Maybe stuff for after you've gone home, as a post Christmas treat.

A nice big poinsettia?

Cheese, crackers etc for evening munchies

A board game for you all to play after lunch

Offer to take the starter or dessert

Could you offer to do a small table present for everyone? Maybe with cheesy handwritten jokes? I did these last year with pin badges for different charities and chocolate coins, but you could always lose the chocolate.

For non-drinkers in that situation before I have made my own hamper. posh crackers, cheeses, a couple of felt Christmas treet decorations (Waitrose usually have some cute ones); nice fruit, jelled fruit if people are into it etc.

Poinsettia every time.

Poinsettias never last.
They fade away slowly like a smelly loud fart.
Ask if you can take the dessert, one less thing for them to think about.

Could you offer to take the crackers and buy nice ones?

I love hosting and don’t mind paying for all the food but the price of crackers really irks me.

Just a nice big bunch of flowers would do it for me.

Ask if you can bring a dessert or a hot slow cooker full of some sort of side.
Failing that bring a small food hamper of nice (long dated!!!!) treats.
And always a bunch of flowers with a vase.

Another vote for flowers.

The white company Christmas candle or if that's too pricey, Aldi do a brilliant dupe

Olive oil. I never buy the fancy stuff cos it's so expensive now but it's really lovely to have, feels like a treat and will def get used.

Thank you, some excellent ideas. I'm taking dessert anyway but it will be an m & s special rather than home made as there's a chunk of travel and a hotel stay involved too.

I would take a non perishable “thank you” gift. A nicer than their usual bath foam, I have The White company bath foams on my wish list, a book or magazine and perhaps some cosy socks and wrap together as a Thank you for having us I hope you have some time to relax, type gift.

Or flowers to arrive 2nd week of January after the house is clean and the decorations are away.

Last year my DB gave me (we host every year) a very large arrangement from an independent florist which was essentially a potted double amaryllis bulb with pussy willow stems surrounding it and mossed on top - I wish I had a picture to post - it was so beautiful and it was lovely flowering up until February

In past he has bought case of cremant, magnum of champagne, hotel Chocolat selection but the flowers were my all time favourite

I'd make up a nice hamper of many varieties of cheeses, crackers, several varieties of pate, olives, mince pies, Xmas crackers, large lattice pork pie, and a few little chocolate bits like After Rights and Elizabeth Shaw mints.

Love the idea of the flower arrangement or the flowers to arrive in the new year.

They're both not eating chocolate at the moment and I have done a hamper type thing previously.

Thank you for the ideas.

A breakfast hamper for the morning after?

Flowers for the new year would have been my suggestion - I love hyacinths but my hay-fever can't handle them indoors any more, too strong!

Don't bring any food which needs eaten soon. That's always my nightmare, having already a full fridge and then guests bring things which have to be eaten before NYE or are very Christmassy and I don't want them in February.

I would arrange for some Thank You flowers being delivered 2-5 January.

Maybe a nice Christmas ornament on the day?