Jan's Library

Give Your Thanksgiving Day Hostess a Nice Thank-You Gift

By: Jan K., The Proofer

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to honor that old tradition of giving your hostess a small gift to say "Thank You" for inviting you into her home and sharing her dinner table. You don't have to spend a lot of money (I can typically give hostess gifts that cost less than $5, including the cost of the gift wrap)---and believe me, you will thoroughly enjoy the smiles of delight that you get from your hostess when you present her with a little token of your appreciation.

You can make even the simplest gift look like a million bucks if you give the gift a nice "presentation" (that is, wrap it like it really did cost a million dollars!)---and you can do that very inexpensively as well.

The project that I've highlighted here (and as shown in the illustrated instructions provided with this article), cost a grand total of $3.99 (not counting the tissue paper and curl ribbon, which I always have on hand). But when you look at the overall gift, as it will be presented to my Thanksgiving Day hostess, it looks like far more.

Before you read any further, please open the illustrated instructions that I have provided:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/Make-TDay-Hostess-Gift.htm

You'll need:

• Gift items (mug and flavored coffee shown here)
• Fall decoration (“pick” of artificial Fall-colored leaves)
• Gift bag, tissue paper, curl ribbon
• Gift tag
• Scissors, hole punch

The gift items that I have selected are specifically for the hostess who will receive the gift---she thoroughly enjoys flavored coffee, and I've included a nice mug, in a complementary color, just to round out the gift. I purchased everything, except the coffee, at a "dollar" store.

You can use anything for your gift---very simple to very elegant, whatever your budget will allow---but do try to make it something you know your hostess will enjoy. If you don't know your hostess very well, then choose something that most any woman would like: scented candle, a tube of scented bath gel, a small mirror in a little case for her purse, etc. (See below for a link to "Easy and Inexpensive Hostess Gifts" for more ideas.)

I like to use gift bags because it really makes "wrapping" a gift so easy! I wrap one or two sheets of colored tissue paper around the gift item, and then nest it in another sheet or two of tissue paper in the gift bag. You can experiment with ways to put tissue paper into the bag, but I find it easiest to pinch the tissue paper in the very middle of the sheet, and insert into the gift bag so that it forms a "cone" shape. That makes it easy to nest your gift down inside the cone of tissue paper, and allows the ends of the tissue paper to stick out of the top of the bag.

To add to the overall appearance of the gift, I purchased a "pick" of fall leaves. It is a collection of leaves and pine cones on wire stems, all wrapped together on one big stem. I choose the pick of leaves because it made a nice match to the color of the gift bag (brown kraft paper) and the color of the mug (brown). I purchased the pick shown in the illustrations at the Dollar Store, but you can also get things like this at Michael's, Jo-Ann's Fabrics, and Wal-Mart, to name a few.

If you don't want to add a decoration, or can't think of one to add, then simply use two or more different colors of tissue paper (and curl ribbon) that match or complement the gift or the color of the gift bag.

Once the gift bag is filled with tissue paper, the gift items, and decorated (which is optional), you can add one last touch by using a gift tag that matches or complements the gift. I love to use curl ribbon, and I use one or more colors that add a festive touch to any gift! The simplest thing can look like a fabulous gift with plenty of curls and streamers of colorful curl ribbon!

You can add a personalized touch by making your own gift tags. This is very easy to do, using your computer, printer, and blank business cards or blank "postcards" (you can purchase both at an office supply store or places like Target and Wal-Mart).

Provided with this article is a sheet of gift tags like that shown in the illustrations. You can download this sheet for free and print on any blank business card that is compatible with Avery template 8371.

For the free gift tags, go to:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/FallTags.doc

For more information, a free illustrated tutorial for making personalized gift tags using business cards, and more free gift tags, go to:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/businesscardgifttags.htm

To get more ideas for hostess gifts, go to:

http://articles.janktheproofer.com/EasyHostessGifts.htm

For more ideas for Thanksgiving, please go to Jan's Reading Room, Holidays and Seasonal section:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/ReadingIntro.htm

Jan K., The Proofer is a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. Visit http://www.jansportal.com for more information about Jan's free crafts, recipes, tutorials, other resource sites, and free content articles, as well as Jan’s business services. Be sure to visit Mom's Break (http://www.momsbreak.com/) for free printable crafts and projects. © Copyright 2005 to present. All rights reserved.