The holiday season brings about many opportunities for gatherings with friends and family, which raises the all-important question—what to bring for a hostess gift? Whether you are preparing a festive dish, bringing a treat or finding the perfect token of appreciation, there are many ways to show your gratitude towards your hostess. Here are six of our favorite hostess gift ideas that are just right for the season! These gifts can also make the perfect presents for many of the people on your nice list—teachers, neighbors, Secret Santa recipients, coworkers, family members, and more!

1. Christmas Candles and Candle Holders

Christmas-themed candles are a fun and simple way to show your gratitude for your host. Integrating candles into home decor adds scent and color to your space. With many functions, candles are perfect for tablescapes, shelves, vignettes, window displays and more. Some popular Christmas scents include but are not limited to vanilla, mulberry, winter woods, cinnamon and cinnamon apple. These scents can diffuse Christmas spirit throughout an entire space and make any home feel more festive.

To spruce up this gift, you can also include a candle holder. These are great for incorporating more dimension to your decor, as they help candles become a more prominent and recognizable part of your decorations. You can find these in countless colors, sizes and shapes, so you can select something that your hostess is sure to love.

2. Throw Blankets

Another unique idea for a hostess gift is a throw blanket. Especially during freezing winters, warm blankets help bring cozy vibes to any space and will likely be heavily utilized throughout the season. Choosing a blanket that features Christmas colors is a great way to make this gift more relevant to the occasion.

3. Table Runners

Table runners are a unique gift that can be multi-purposed. Depending on the size of the runner, your hostess could use this on any table to add a little extra decoration. Christmas-themed or colored table runners are sure to work well with any existing decor and be something that your host can use over and over again. You may also consider a winter-themed table runner featuring snowflakes or evergreen that lasts beyond Christmas and throughout the entire cold season.

4. Homemade Desserts

Whether you are sharing an age-old family recipe or trying something off of TikTok, there are infinite recipes to prepare that your host and guests will be sure to adore. Depending on how much time you have to cook, or how difficult of a recipe you are willing to attempt some popular options include:

• Macarons: A fan favorite, these cookies may be challenging, but the rewards are well worth it. You can utilize Christmas colors and flavors to customize your cookies and make them just right for the occasion.

• Caramels: This unique recipe is sure to stand out at your event, especially when your hostess finds out that it’s homemade! Although it may seem daunting, this recipe is extremely simple and easy to make with ingredients you likely already have.

• Oatmeal and Granola: These may not seem like traditional Christmas recipes, but when seasoned with Christmas-related flavors, they are sure to stand out to your hostess. Finding a quick recipe online is a great way to explore your options and customize the recipe based on your host’s preferences.

5. Cookie Platters and Serving Pieces

Elevate your gift of homemade desserts by placing them on a Christmas platter that your hostess can keep. This platter can be repurposed throughout years to come and is sure to be a hit for both its functionality and festive spirit!

6. Hot Chocolate Kit

Creating a hot chocolate kit is a fun gift that is sure to stand out to your hostess. This can be customized based on what is available to you and your hostess’ preferences, but here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Mugs: Finding a cute mug is debatably the most fun part of any hot chocolate kit. You can select what you think is the cutest, what is the most festive or what your host would appreciate based on inside jokes or personal memories.

• Hot Chocolate Mix or Bombs: The core of this gift, the hot chocolate you select should be something that is universally liked or something that goes well with seasonal tastes. This will allow fun customizations to the drink without disrupting any flavors.

• Marshmallows: A classic addition to hot cocoa—marshmallows are a perfect complement to a hot cocoa mix and are a fun add-in that your host is bound to enjoy.

• Candy Canes: Although not as popular as marshmallows, candy canes (whether whole or crushed) are a good addition to hot cocoa and also works well with peppermint-flavored cocoa mix.