Millions of people will be getting in a car or on a plane or train to travel to a loved one’s home for the holidays in the next few days. Last year, that number was 103 million travelling between December 23 and January 2(!), according to USA Today. That’s a lot of road, rail, and air traffic, a lot of crowded kitchens, and a lot of hostess gifts to consider. After all, you don’t want to show up empty-handed, right?
These eight ideas will give you options that are focused on making your host’s life easier during the holiday visit and on family traditions.
An assortment of socks and slippers
Some people insist on keeping shoes off in their house, and they might not love the idea of bare feet pitter-pattering all over the place. Head to Target, buy a bunch of socks and slippers, and bring them in a big basket so that everybody can have their own. Your host will surely appreciate it, and so will the guests.
Kids activities
Take your pick from a wide array of available items that will keep the kids in your get-together happy and engaged. Holiday crafts like these peppermint ornaments or an assortment of coloring books, board games, and puzzles should do the trick.
Gifts for the family pet
Who is quite possibly the being who is most ignored and most grateful for a little attention during the busy holiday season? The family dog or cat. Show your host how thoughtful you are by thinking about the furriest member of the household. Dog treats, bones, balls, new kitty toys, or maybe even a colorful holiday bandana or sweater will give that good boy or girl a reason to love the holidays.
Wine charms
Is that my drink. I’m pretty sure I left it here… but I was also in the living room, so…
You can eliminate that conversation with these cute, holiday-themed wine glass charms. They’re $28 for a set of 12 on Amazon, and your host will think of you every year when the crowd arrives.
Cookie mix
If you don’t have time to make your own mix and you don’t want to show up with one of those refrigerated slabs of pre-made cookies, this Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a Mason Jar is a great choice. “These jars of pre-measured ingredients make the whole cookie-baking thing tres easy,” said Good Housekeeping.
A framed photo
Phones take such great photos today, but how often do you actually print one out and display it? Have a picture of the entire family or a few key members? You can have it quickly and inexpensively printed out at a drugstore or Target and framed as a gift your host will surely love.
Holiday movies
Yes, it’s great to be able to order up a movie with a few clicks of your remote control. But there’s something special about being able to go get a physical copy of Elf, A Christmas Story, or Home Alone and throw it in the DVD or Blue Ray player, or VCR if you’re old school.
Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate assortment
Trying to accommodate a big group with varying beverage preferences can be challenging. Help your host out and make your loved ones happy by putting together a hot drink gift. Go for a couple of different coffee (think regular and decaf!) and tea options, a package of hot chocolate or two, and extras like agave sweetener and marshmallows. Disposable hot cups are another useful idea so there is not a constant array of mugs to wash.
