Good "reverse" hostess gift, cross-post

9 years ago

Hi! I posted this in entertaining, and someone suggested that I post here instead. So...

For one week this summer we are hosting a group of camp counselors from our church camp that are doing a service project in our town. They'll be staying here, eating dinner here, and busy at their project site during the days. I wanted to give each of them a small gift that they can take with them back to camp and then to college since most of them are college age. I was thinking something like a toiletry kit or something like that. Something they might appreciate at camp and in their dorms but not big or hard to travel with. Maybe a hair-wrap towel and shower shoes? (We're hosting the girls.) If there are any good ideas out there please share!

Thanks!

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nicole___

9 years ago

A small birding book. A small wild plant ID book. A Cooking at camp book. A Pair of binoculars. A memory book for postcards of places you've visited. ???

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Comments (7)

rob333 (zone 7b)
9 years ago
Portable laundry bins!

like these
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I have seen some really pretty journals at like Hobby Lobby and Steinmart that would be a good gift they could use it to journal about their project and stay in your town etc. maybe it would encourage them to actually keep a journal rather than just go digital.
The toiletry kit would be good, I think I would stay away from anything that requires sizes like the shower shoes. EOS lip balm is a great gift too I love the stuff. I have made up little kits with wet wipes, purel hand sanitizer, EOS, and a little sunscreen/lotion and put them inside a cute cap and bundled it up and tied it with a piece of ribbon. It makes a cute gift and it's all useful. The cap can be something from your area or something cute, they can wear the caps to work and they are adjustable.

Oh another thing I love and have in my rv when we travel so I can carry it to shower rooms if need be is a mesh shower caddy you can put all your stuff in it carry it with you and water just goes through it. You could add some goodies in the caddy.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/s/mesh-shower-caddy?ta=typeahead
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I thought of this thread recently when I received a gift from a houseguest. As is so often the case, I think this really comes down to how you feel about the person and the circumstances, not some rule or principle about whether it is okay to regift. How would you feel about this gift: a bracelet (fashion, not fine jewelry), that I have very good reason to believe was a gift his wife received but didn't want? I think many people would think that's terrible. But I appreciated and loved it, and here are the details that both explain why I think it is probably a "regift" and that may make you feel different, as I do: - this is a very close friend, like a brother, and we love his wife, too. We even went on their honeymoon with them! - The day before he started on his trip, he asked me what I wanted him to bring (he lives in Israel and sometimes there is something I need that is hard to find here. We are way past the formal "hostess gift" stage, but Israelis ALWAYS seem to bring a present). He joked that it had to be something he could get at the airport duty free shop, though, because he had severely broken his foot and really couldn't go shopping. I didn't need anything anyway, so I told him to forget it. - His wife is a plastic surgeon whose patients -- especially the breast cancer ones -- absolutely ADORE her. Their house and her office are always filled with cakes, flowers, and gifts. The bracelet was in a box from a store in a far from theirs and to which I can't imagine them going to shop. - She is really, really tiny, and the largeish bracelet probably wouldn't look good on her. And of course she can't wear bracelets while she works. So I'm guessing that they really did want to give me something, it wasn't practical for either of them to shop at the last minute, I told them no when he asked if there was anything I wanted, and they figured that I might like the bracelet, which she wasn't going to wear anyway (or maybe even she loved it and she would have worn it, but she shared it with me instead anyway). I even like to think that they realized I might figure it out, but they feel close enough to me and think enough of me to know I wouldn't mind at all but would understand. I even like to think something like this is what happened, because it speaks of intimacy -- it's the kind of thing you could do with a sister but not with a new acquaintance. The bracelet is pretty and I am enjoying it, most of all because I feel loved and trusted when I wear it.
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She is getting gifts for the hostesses. I would go to the Russel Stover dealer and buy a mini package. They don't expect a big lavish gift....you just want to give a small token of appreciation. Linda C
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Mary you will be driving thru my neck of the woods. I did my student teaching in BC, lived in Jackson and am originally from Coldwater MI. My brother went to "that other college" in MI, not Michigan State University like me and my dad. Actually I used to have a lot of friends in A2 and I still have one friend in S. Lyon. BTW, if you're going to be anywhere near Jackson, you definately want to check out the Flavor Fresh Fruit Farm. They have the BEST apples and cider. They're on S. Jackson Rd., just off of US 12 near Somerset City. Lots of other goodies at their farm market. Their baked goods are very good too. Here is a link that might be useful: Flavor Fruit Farm
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Funkyart, I think you could say that about almost anything, not just soaps. People bring us wine; we usually pass it along to neighbors because we so seldom drink it. A neighbor brought us a lovely bottle of port. I have no idea when we would ever open port, neither of us likes it. Someone recently brought me very nice local jams. My kids are weird and don't eat jam. I have it maybe once a month? Probably less Not sure what I'm going to do with those. All very nice gifts though! My general plan in choosing hostess gifts is a consumable so that the person never has to worry about using it or displaying it in front of me, something that does not need to be served at the event I am attending, something that does not require immediate attention, and something "nice." By nice, I mean it feels a bit posh and is attractively packaged. Soaps tick all those boxes (though I also do olive oil and vinegar and other more personal choices at times). If the hostess doesn't like guest soaps, I figure they are easily donated or passed along to someone else (or used in a bathroom the hostess doesn't use).
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plllog
9 years ago
I wouldn't use products, though Ravencajun's sound good, and if they're working outside the sun protection might be very welcome. It's just very personal and you don't know who has allergies and sensitivities. Having to say no thank-you and give the products away can be disheartening, when the point of the gift is the opposite.

You didn't mention a price range. Awhile back I did something a little similar, but it was only for six girls and I had a high budget. They LOVED it! It was inexpensive train case style organizers with the tacklebox style trays that lift/hinge out, with a few little things inside. Each got a thumb drive, cute ball speaker for the iPod/phone, pretty pencil, goofy animal notepad, a cute keychain and a screen cleaning cloth. I think they cost about $60 each to put together, but you could keep it under $40 and still put a few little things inside, or you could do under $15 just with a thumb drive, pocket notepad, etc.

Another very popular such gift was Leathman micras. Those are around $20.

Going back to Ravencajun's suggestion, if they'll be working outside, there are cute (like young cute) full on sunhats which protect the neck as well as the face for less than $10.

Still, I like your own idea of the hair wrap and shower shoes, especially those superabsorbancy towels that fold to nothing. Even if they already have shower shoes, those get gross and need replacing. The only thing would be knowing the right sizes. You could add a few spa items like a small loofah and a pretty emery board.
marie_ndcal
9 years ago
Hand cream is good along with tube of hand sanitizer (not the liquid) , small packs of Kleenex' small 3x5 note pads, sticky notes, pens, pencils, stamps, picture post cards, small pen type flashlight, and check out items in the camping dept such as mirrors, waterless soap, and wipes.
Adella Bedella
9 years ago
What about the cups/glasses with the screw on lids and a straw. Those seem to be popular.
ssdarb
Original Author
9 years ago
Great ideas!

Good "reverse" hostess gift, cross-post

nicole___

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rob333 (zone 7b)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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Good "reverse" hostess gift, cross-post

nicole___

Comments (7)

rob333 (zone 7b)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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plllog

marie_ndcal

Adella Bedella

ssdarbOriginal Author

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ssdarb
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