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Bad Manners and Brimstone
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#Post#: 7175--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: Rose Red
Date: June 28, 2018, 4:22 pm
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Are you comfortable with revealing their preferred diet? It may
help with suggestions.
I've given nice olive oil and spices to people who like to
experiment with flavors. I like giving themed baskets instead of
a hodgepodge ;D
#Post#: 7179--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: TootsNYC
Date: June 28, 2018, 4:46 pm
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--- Quote from: Hmmm link ---
>
> . . .Even I ate no meals at their house, left before sunrise
and didn't return until late evening, I'd still be a guest in
their home for 2 weeks. As the host of that guest I would still
feel obligated to "touch base" with you (how was your day, do
you think you'll still be home around 9 tonight, is the fan
enough in your room, does your bath need anything, I'm going to
the store can I pick anything up for you, by the way we'll be
out till after 10 tonight) so though you may not ask them to do
a single thing other than give you a key to come and go, I'm
still having to do mental energy to accommodate a 2 week
houseguest.
>
>
--- End Quote ---
Even if I didn't ask you "how was your day," etc., your mere
presence in my home would be like a weight on a rubber sheet--it
would bend the fabric of my home. And 2 weeks is a long time.
This is a big favor, so I would send some sort of gift after.
In the past, I might have said I'd look for ideas from their
home (a vase that matches their living-room style; a dustbuster
they can park in their mudroom and make their life easier;
etc.).
But lately, I feel as though everyone I know has too much stuff.
So I might also look for an experience gift to see if I can get
them tickets to a museum show, or something. Basically, I'd try
to use my time in their home to inform the gift.
#Post#: 7789--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: daen
Date: July 4, 2018, 7:39 pm
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--- Quote from: Rose Red link ---
>
> Are you comfortable with revealing their preferred diet? It
may help with suggestions.
>
> I've given nice olive oil and spices to people who like to
experiment with flavors. I like giving themed baskets instead of
a hodgepodge ;D
>
--- End Quote ---
Vegetarian, of the lacto-ovo variety.
#Post#: 7799--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: daen
Date: July 4, 2018, 8:46 pm
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[Hit Post instead of cancelling. Oops. Let me continue the post
I interrupted]
I'm thinking an assortment of nuts and dried fruits as an
arrival gift, and them maybe a cheese selection and a bottle of
our wine as a final thank-you. Although anything that needs to
be kept fresh might be a challenge, as they're leaving for the
weekend at the same time I am.
There's been some talk of visiting a theater festival that's on
while I'm there - I don't know if they've already purchased
tickets, but that might be an option if they haven't. And we do
definitely need to invite them to our home in return - I don't
think they've seen our new place at all.
#Post#: 7815--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: daen
Date: July 5, 2018, 7:01 am
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Something that occurred to me just last night - would a pair of
fluffy bath towels be a good addition?
They wouldn't be themed with the cheese and wine, but I
personally am very fond of fluffy bath towels, and they're
useful (or can be regifted if the linen closet is overflowing).
#Post#: 7825--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: Hmmm
Date: July 5, 2018, 8:29 am
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--- Quote from: daen link ---
>
> Something that occurred to me just last night - would a pair
of fluffy bath towels be a good addition?
>
> They wouldn't be themed with the cheese and wine, but I
personally am very fond of fluffy bath towels, and they're
useful (or can be regifted if the linen closet is overflowing).
>
--- End Quote ---
I personally would stay away from something that would appear to
be a gift that could be intended for a houseguests. If you bring
with you,it can appear to indicated you don't think they have
adequate towels that you'd like. If you send it after, it could
be taken to imply you thought their towels were inferior. (But
this could just be me because I remember my mom being offended
by my oldest sister. After spending a week with mom, Sister sent
mom a set of new towels, big, fluffy towels, like sister liked
using. Mom did not like big, fluffy towels. Having raised for
daughters who went through 2 towels a day, she wanted small,
thinner towels that fit into the washing machine. She also
disliked seeing someone wrap up in a towel and wander through
the house. That was what a robe was for. In mom's opinion, a
towels should be just large enough and of quality to quickly dry
you off and be easy to wrap around your head. Everytime mom saw
those towels in the cabinet, it irritated her. She finally gave
them away, which then irritated the oldest sister.)
#Post#: 7923--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: daen
Date: July 5, 2018, 8:02 pm
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Good point, Hmmm. I don't want to imply that their hosting is
anything less than stellar.
My coworkers suggested flavored honey, as there's someone who
does that locally, and apparently the lemon honey and the
cinnamon honey are To. Die. For. (I automatically subtracted 15%
as exaggeration, but that's still sounding pretty good.)
#Post#: 8070--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: jpcher
Date: July 7, 2018, 4:49 pm
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Specialized honey is a great thought! Think about pairing it
with something they can use the honey with. Maybe a nice loaf of
bread and/or tea. A tub of ice cream (you'll have to make a stop
for this while you're there ;)) and the nuts you mentioned
earlier, along with the honey, would make a wonderful dessert.
--- Quote from: daen link ---
>
> There's been some talk of visiting a theater festival that's
on while I'm there - I don't know if they've already purchased
tickets, but that might be an option if they haven't. And we do
definitely need to invite them to our home in return - I don't
think they've seen our new place at all.
>
--- End Quote ---
If the tickets have already been purchased, then be sure to
treat for drinks, snacks, whatever extras go along with the
festival.
To the bold above: I think you're done. With the initial hostess
gift, along with a treat or two during your stay, extending a
reciprocal invitation is the perfect gift.
#Post#: 8168--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: DaDancingPsych
Date: July 9, 2018, 9:01 am
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--- Quote from: Hmmm link ---
>
> [quote author=daen link=topic=427.msg7815#msg7815
date=1530792095]
> Something that occurred to me just last night - would a pair
of fluffy bath towels be a good addition?
>
> They wouldn't be themed with the cheese and wine, but I
personally am very fond of fluffy bath towels, and they're
useful (or can be regifted if the linen closet is overflowing).
>
--- End Quote ---
I personally would stay away from something that would appear to
be a gift that could be intended for a houseguests. If you bring
with you,it can appear to indicated you don't think they have
adequate towels that you'd like. If you send it after, it could
be taken to imply you thought their towels were inferior. (But
this could just be me because I remember my mom being offended
by my oldest sister. After spending a week with mom, Sister sent
mom a set of new towels, big, fluffy towels, like sister liked
using. Mom did not like big, fluffy towels. Having raised for
daughters who went through 2 towels a day, she wanted small,
thinner towels that fit into the washing machine. She also
disliked seeing someone wrap up in a towel and wander through
the house. That was what a robe was for. In mom's opinion, a
towels should be just large enough and of quality to quickly dry
you off and be easy to wrap around your head. Everytime mom saw
those towels in the cabinet, it irritated her. She finally gave
them away, which then irritated the oldest sister.)
[/quote]
I understand what you are saying, but at some point, ANY gift
could be read as commentary about the stay. I think that the
best that we can do is try to be thoughtful and hope that the
gift is received in the intention it was given.
#Post#: 8219--------------------------------------------------
Re: Appropriate Hosting Gift?
DIR By: TootsNYC
Date: July 9, 2018, 2:38 pm
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--- Quote from: Hmmm link ---
>
> {i}Mom did not like big, fluffy towels. Having raised for
daughters who went through 2 towels a day, she wanted small,
thinner towels that fit into the washing machine. She also
disliked seeing someone wrap up in a towel and wander through
the house. That was what a robe was for. In mom's opinion, a
towels should be just large enough and of quality to quickly dry
you off and be easy to wrap around your head.[/i]
>
--- End Quote ---
I'm with your mom!
However, I find it very hard to find those kinds of towels
nowadays.
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