8 Perfect Hostess Gifts

I adore party season.
And I adore being a great guest. 
One of the keys to being a great guest is thinking out a really fabulous hostess gift. 
You should never show up empty handed, and a bottle of wine or flowers sometimes just say you grabbed something last minute, or didn't bother to think ahead.
So I like to stock up on hostess gifts throughout the year, and always be ready.

Here is a list of 8 Perfect Hostess Gifts

The Diptique Baies Candle.
I've loved this candle for more years than I care to count. It smells like a bouquet of roses wrapped in blackcurrent leaves, and frankly, is totally luxurious.

Tatcha Kokoro Golden Lip Gift Set
Everything from Tatcha is divine. Their packaging alone makes everything feel like the most unique and special gift, even when you are just buying your own skincare products.
I absolutely love Camellia Oil in lip products, and the combination of the Camellia lip balm and the gold mirror makes for the loveliest hostess gift (or bridesmaids gift).
Order at Tatcha.com

Tory Burch Soap Set
I love Tory Burch. 
And I love these soaps. It's a set of 4 blush colored soaps wrapped in signature Tory prints.
The soaps are beautifully fragranced and are lovely to receive.

Carine Roitfeld Irreverent
I'm just fascinated with former Vogue Paris Editor Carine Roitfeld.
Karl Lagerfeld once said "if you close your eyes and imagine the perfect Parisian woman, it would be Carine Roitfeld"
She is the epitome of style, and this glorious coffee table book is a visual history of her ever exciting career.
Coffee table books make wonderful gifts.

Mini Macarons By LeilaLove Macarons
I love Macarons. They always make me think of fun times in Paris. Macarons are always a wonderful gift, and this gift set is not only lovely, but also very affordable.

The sleek, modern lines of the Savino Wine Saver Carafe make it a very chic hostess gift, as well as a very useful one. The carafe is designed to presere left over wine, keeping it fresh for up to a week. It's incredibly clever - the float seals the wine, keeping oxygen out and all the flavor in.

Indieflix: Film Festival In A Box is about as cool and unique as it gets. Each box holds 4 short, indie films. The idea is that you get a bunch of friends over, hold your own mini film fest (the films each run 10-20 minutes) and then everyone votes on their fave. You go on the website and report in the results. How fun is that?
Read more about Indieflix Film Festival In a Box here

Cocoa and Hearts Lipstick Dots Notecards by Jen Ramos for 
Made By Girl
I love Jen's Made By Girl prints, and actually have several in my home office and around my house. The prints themselves make great gifts, especially for stylish, fashion forward girls, and Jen also has a fabulous selection of notecards and journals. Find them here at MadeByGirl.com

How To Write A Thank You Card

I had a speaking engagement recently during which I alluded to the importance of writing thank you cards. 
A sea of confused faces looked back at me. 
I was somewhat shocked when I realized that people really didn't know what I was talking about. They told me that thank you's these days, if they happen at all, arrive via email, or even worse via text.

Thank You Cards From Made By Girl

Receiving a hand written card tells you that the person sending it took time out of their day to acknowledge you. 
Whether it was for a gift, an introduction in business, a lunch or a dinner party ~ whatever the event, your thoughts/kindness/generosity/hospitality/friendship were appreciated. It takes effort (albeit minimal effort) to choose a card, pick up a decent pen, and compose a few thoughts.
And those thoughts are really lovely to receive, and can make a great impression.

Thank you card from Made By Girl

In this particular case I was speaking to a group about putting your best foot forward in business, but being that its now the the day after Christmas, there is no more perfect time to talk about the art of showing your gratitude.

How To Write A Thank You Card

1.) Start by keeping a variety of thank you cards on hand.
Simple monogrammed cards are fabulous, as are regular thank you cards. Check out websites such as Made By Girl for stylish, modern cards

Note Card from Made By Girl

2.) Thank the person for the gift/introduction/event.

3.) *If its a gift, say something about how it will be used.
     *If it was a business introduction, connection, or some other form of business benefit to you, in a sentence or two acknowledge how or why you appreciate it, or how it may impact you.
    e.g. "I needed to make some connections in publishing and Bill is going to introduce me to X"
     *If it was an event, say something about how fun it was (even          if it wasn't), how much you liked the food/drinks (even if you        didn't), or what a great blend of guests they put together (even        if it was hellish). The point is they made effort, and then                included you, so show gratitude.

Thank You Card From Made By Girl

4.) Reference something about them or something happening in their life. This indicates that you pay attention to what they say, and that you are invested in them as a person. 
Perhaps more important than the actual thank you itself.

5.) Close with once again thanking them and indicating that you hope to  see them/talk to them again soon.

Be prompt sending your card, and know that receiving it may actually be the high point of someone's day.