Don’t you hate that pit in your stomach when you’re leaving the house for a hosted gathering and realize you forgot to get a hostess gift, or you have one but don’t have any wrapping paper or a gift card? This feeling changes the mood from ‘let’s go’ to ‘oh no’!
We’re here to help you prepare for success this holiday season with our FabList of items to have on hand so you’re always ready with gifts and wrapping supplies. Yes, our list includes gift ideas but it also includes the icing on the cake – wrapping paper, tissue, bags, ribbon, and tags so you and your gift are ready to go!
Wrapping Items to Keep on Hand in the Gift Closet
Why not use sustainable wrap and tags this year that can be ‘passed along’ for others to use for years to come? Imagine a Christmas morning with the recycle and trash cans being EMPTY of wrapping items!
Reusable Wrap:
Drawstring Holiday Gift Bags: Reuse, reuse, reuse these cloth bags of various sizes. They come in gold, red, or assorted colors.
These flannel bags are also terrific:
For a blue/white scheme, try these:
If you want to try your hand at the Japanese cloth wrapping, here are some wrapping cloths:
For wine bottles, these are great options for cloth bags with tags:
Reusable Tags:
These mini chalkboard tags can be used again and again. Use them yourselves OR gift them with a chalk marker so others can enjoy!
If you choose to go with paper wrap, we have these suggestions.
Wrapping Paper:
We love a pretty paper, like this Holiday in the City wrapping paper or this Mistletoe Paper:
Bags & Tissue:
Gift bags are a great sustainable, reusable option and great for awkward-sized items.
These holiday bags are super cute!
These wine bags are a great way to deliver a bottle of holiday cheer. Layer the inside with a fun colored tissue and you’re good to go! Pair the wine with one of these wine saver/stoppers to make it a bit different than ‘just a bottle of wine’.
Ribbon:
Having a stash of ribbon on-hand is the icing on the cake! This striped one, this gold star one, and this antique tinsel will polish off any package.
Gift Tags
- If you really want to save time, get custom gift tags printed ahead of time! You can even think ahead and have them made for family and friends – they make thoughtful gifts!
- Other ideas include these cute shapes.
- Chrissie always has a box of these ‘old-school’ tags on hand to throw on any gift, any time of year. For the holidays you can also use holiday stamps or ‘to/from’ stamps to jazz them up (for the stamps, don’t forget the ink pads).
FabList of Hostess Gifts to Keep Stocked in the Gift Closet:
- We are both game people! So any of these are great to have on hand to give as gifts, and to use at a party!
- Chronology: We love this game where you have to arrange historical moments in time in chronological order. Tougher than it sounds, and really fun! ($23)
- Loulou Baker Watercolor City Playing Cards: These cards from Anthro are SO BEAUTIFUL! Whether you play with them or leave them out on a coffee table – they are a great gift. ($32)
- Dinner Trivia Conversation Cards: These cards are a great way to learn about people and to keep conversations interesting and flowing. Pick a card and pose an interesting question to the group! ($8.95)
- Holiday Puzzle: The holidays are a great time to throw a puzzle out on the table for anyone walking by to work on. A holiday puzzle is a great hostess gift and more unique than a bottle of wine. ($20)
2. Nest Candle: We don’t often buy a nice candle for ourselves, but we sure appreciate getting one! This holiday scent is a special one. ($50) Chrissie also loves her ‘rechargeable candle lighter’ which makes a fun gift to accompany any candle ($9). Match Strikers are also a fun gift item. ($25). Quince also just launched their line of candles which offer strong scents for fewer cents ($24).
3. Aesop soap Another of the ‘feel guilty buying for yourself but thrilled to receive as a gift’ items is this indulgent hand soap! ($43)
4. Cocktail Napkins
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- Set of 50 Nice Cocktail Napkins: These are disposable, but feel like linen. With fun quotes on them at a great price point – a terrific gift. ($25)
- Cocktail Napkins: Nice linen cocktail napkins make a beautiful, practical gift. ($48)
5. Maldon Salt is such a useful gift ($12)! Or a salt & pepper combo is also great. ($30)
Photo Credit: Manufacturer
6. And these days, everyone is loving Hot Honey! Bees Knees Spicy Honey ($15) or Mikes Hot Honey ($27/2 pack) would be a great gift!
7. Wine Supplies: If you decide to gift a bottle of wine, include one of these wine saver/stoppers to make it more than ‘just a bottle of wine’. ($9.99 for a 4-pack)
8. We also think that beauty products make a great hostess gift. Check out our 10 Under-the-Radar Beauty Products That Make a Great Gift.
And visit all of our Gift Lists on the FabList website:
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