My Mother-in-Law’s 9 Best Host Gift Ideas

My mother-in-law hosts holiday dinners every year, but she also visits her fair share of family and friends between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. When she does, she likes to bring a host gift. After not seeing your close ones for a while, approaching the doorstep with a thoughtful present before enjoying a meal and time together makes the event even more special. 

Naturally, to figure out what her host needs and wants, Wanda goes full investigator around the holidays, from group texts to short asides. Throughout the years of putting her inquisitive habits into practice, she’s come up with many go-to host gifts for home cooks, wine drinkers, coffee lovers, and more. Her favorites are always pretty and functional, and these picks from KitchenAid, Mackenzie-Childs, Anchor Hocking, and other top brands start at just $9 at Amazon.

My Mother-in-Law’s Best Host Gift Ideas Overall

Kook Ceramic Gravy Boat

If Wanda catches ear that you’re serving a standing rib roast with sauce or a bird with gravy, a gravy boat may land on your dinner table this holiday season. This gravy boat makes a versatile host gift thanks to the six style and shape options, which suit various aesthetics, including farmhouse, formal, and self-warming designs.

Pompeian Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil

When I open my mother-in-law’s kitchen cabinet, this is the 68-ounce bottle of olive oil I see. It lasts ages, is widely available at an approachable price, and tastes pleasantly earthy and fruity. The bottle is just the restock a host would want after a big dinner party.

Godinger Dublin Serving Tray

With a vintage glassware collection of her own, my mother-in-law sees vintage-style serveware as an amazing host gift, and I agree. This Godinger serving tray features the timeless Dublin pattern and can be used for food or as a decorative storage tray on a dining table, dresser, or buffet cabinet.

Mackenzie-Childs Everyday Oval Casserole Baker

Dinner hosts can always use more serving dishes, and this fun, elegant, and dishwasher-safe casserole dish is a beautiful addition to any collection. The smallest size is perfect for bringing hot side dishes to the table, and it’s also available in sterling silver and courtly black checkerboard designs.

KitchenAid Gingham Mini Oven Mitt Set

I myself have a few pairs of oven mitts gifted to me by Wanda, and I use them nearly every day. According to her, they’re still the gift worth giving. KitchenAid’s mini oven mitts come in several gingham hues and help protect your hands from temperatures up to 500°F.

Creative Co-Op White Ceramic Pitcher

A florist by trade, the gift-giving queen herself says, “Always take flowers in a pretty vase!” Creative Co-Op’s rustic stoneware vase, which doubles as a drink pitcher, is just the 2-in-1 functional decor a host needs. Gift it dressed with a flower arrangement to seal the deal.

Anchor Hocking Monaco Glass Trifle Bowl

Another vintage-inspired pick, the Anchor Hocking trifle bowl is a versatile gift that home cooks and bakers may not think to buy themselves. They can place it at the center of a tablescape with fruit, fill it with trifle for parties, or use it as a punch bowl. In any setting, the clear glass bowl and its fluted base look stunning.

Eight O’Clock Coffee 100% Colombian Peaks Whole Bean Coffee

Every time I visit Wanda’s, she gives me the full rundown of her coffee shelf, even though she doesn’t drink much coffee herself. If you need it, she’ll get it for you, and Eight O’Clock’s Colombian Peaks is a smooth and robust coffee anyone can enjoy the morning after hosting. You can also grab it in K-Cup pods for the single-serve coffee machine users in your life.

Bee Harmony American Raw Orange Blossom Honey

Living in northern Georgia, unique honeys are abundant, and my mother-in-law loves gifting wildflower, clover, and other varieties that offer an extra flavor note to an already irresistible sweetener. Bee Harmony harvests its orange blossom honey from Floridian and Californian orange groves, and it would surely be Wanda-approved.