I am often late for an appointment. Or, at least I have been. And then you stand there, without a hostess gift and already 10 minutes late on your way out the door, it's just nice to be able to go to the cupboard and grab something that has already been bought.
Although I love getting flowers, I once hosted a dinner for 11 girlfriends, where I received 11 different bouquets of flowers. It was great, but maybe also a little boring.
You can give anything, but when it comes to hostess gift etiquette, there are still some guidelines.
- It must not be wrapped, because it must be easy for the hostess to get to
- It doesn't have to be particularly expensive. Around DKK 200 is plenty.
- Do not ask what the host or hostess wants. It's just meant to be a small, sweet and cozy gift.
The list of my 10 recommended hostess gifts is not in priority order, but someone should be at the top and bottom :)
1. Spicy Safari from Mandala Organic
Price: DKK 129
Can be purchased: At Mandala Organic here
Mandala Organic makes the best spices! Freshly ground and super quality. It's a small team that just totally knows their stuff and I've always used their spices for my businesses too. They also have some exciting things that you don't exactly find in the supermarket.
With their Spicy Safari Gift Box, you get a total of 6 different eco spices such as Ras el Hanout, BBQ Steak Rub and Mango Curry. On their website you can find inspiration for how to use them.
2. The world's best chocolate from Friis-Holm
Price: DKK 150.
Can be purchased: At Friis-Holm here
It really is the world's best chocolate, because Friis-Holm has won countless awards for their chocolate. Mikkel, Cendie and the whole team behind are not only really lovely people, they are also the wildest chocolate nerds who just know their hugs like no one else!
They have gift boxes, the world's best cream buns, 100g plates, but also the ones I would recommend this time, which are their 25g chocolates. Small chocolates, so that the person you give the gift to can taste how big a difference chocolate makes. And then you can find your favourite.
3. Canned fish from Fangst
Price: DKK 180
Can be purchased: At Fangst here
Canned fish has really had a new era, thanks to Fangst, among other things. These are some super products with toasted rye bread and a grilled lemon, so you don't need much more.
4. The book on Vanilla from Mette Ravn + vanilla pod
Price: DKK 220
Can be bought: At Mette Ravn Vanilje here
Mette Ravn has her own vanilla farm in Tanzania, and here gives a unique insight into the fascinating world of vanilla. She shares her knowledge about the history behind the wonderful spice, about cultivation methods, processing and, of course, not least the use of vanilla in the kitchen.
Learn about the different types of vanilla you can buy in stores. How to choose the best vanilla for the dish you want to make. How to store a vanilla bean so that it lasts or even develops its flavor. And much more.
The book about vanilla also offers lots of tempting recipes for cakes, savory dishes, desserts and drinks by well-known chefs, bakers, cookbook authors and other food experts such as Maja Vase, Anne Hjernøe, Ditte Ingemann, Louisa Lorang, Torben Bang... and yes, me.
5. Lip balm kit from Kit Company
Price. DKK 249
Can be purchased: At Kit Company here
With this lip balm kit you can make 4 lip balms with different scents and colours. It's super easy, and a really nice friendly activity.
6. Light symphony from Bagsværd Licorice
Price. DKK 79
Can be bought: At Bagsværd Licorice here
Everyone I know who has tasted these gets completely addicted to them. Since 2015, Bagsværd Lakrids has been producing licorice. The chocolate-covered liquorices are available in different varieties and as bars.
7. Grøndal's host gift
Price: DKK 169
Can be bought: At Grøndals here
Another canned fish I can really recommend is from Grøndals. They even have a gift box geared towards the host gifts. There you get four cans including a recipe booklet. There are 2 cans of tuna, 1 mackerel and 1 sardine, so something for everyone.
8. Caramel bars from the Karamelkompaniet
Price: DKK 150.
Can be purchased: At Karamelkompaniet here
These caramel bars are so insanely delicious! Their caramels are also preserved. But the bars are next level luxury. This nice box costs DKK 150, and when you're on their website anyway to buy hostess gifts, you might as well buy a little something for yourself...
9. Gift box from Perchs
Price: DKK 110
Can be purchased: At AC Perch's here
Perch's teas are among my favorites - especially their White Tempel tea. They have different gift boxes and options, but this one is one of my favorites for hostess gifts, because you get 6 different flavors, and it's really good for when you have guests.
They also have another gift box that I love. It is their dark green presentation box. It costs DKK 550, but every time I use it, I feel like I'm in a restaurant. It is also great when you have guests, because everyone can choose their own favorite exactly like in the gift box above.
10. Little Christmas from Rie's Originale
Price: DKK 190-399.
Can be purchased: here on the page
Yes, it had to happen that I recommended something from this site. It's simply because I think it's the most brilliant hostess gift. Maybe on the expensive end, I agree. You can also make a small version with Rie's Original Cherry Sauce and a bag of almonds for DKK 190. But here is the whole kit for your rice pudding Christmas Eve. A recipe and a small surprise are included in the gift box.
This was my little list of host gifts that I would recommend. In any case, it's something that I myself would be very happy about: the most important thing when it comes to host gifts is really just that it's something that you think the host/hostess will be happy about. Then it is not so important how much it cost.
On all links I have linked directly to the manufacturers website. You support them best there, but you can certainly find dealers at specialist stores all over the country.