Be Creative! Think "Fun"!

A hostess gift can be anything, put in anything, wrapped in anything! Think outside the box---or rather think INSIDE the...bucket, shoebox, plastic container, empty oatmeal container, etc. Don't limit yourself---or the gift!

We recently spent a weekend at the beach with friends. For a hostess gift, I bought a small tube of Aloe gel, a tube of Aloe bath gel, and a little pump bottle of "After Tan" body lotion. I went to a "dollar" store and bought a plastic bucket and a shovel (the kind that kids use to play in the sand). I tissue-wrapped the few little times, shredded beige tissue paper to make "sand" to put in the bucket, nestled the wrapped items in the shredded paper, stuck in the shovel, ran several streamers of curl ribbon that matched the color of the bucket through the handle of the bucket---and I had a perfect "Weekend at the Beach" hostess gift! I spent less than $8 and my girlfriend laughed and thoroughly enjoyed digging into her bucket and searching for the little presents in the tissue paper sand!

For a friend who is very culinary-minded, I found a package of different-sized wooden spoons on sale for $1 and added to that a small spice jar of cinnamon and a bag of brown sugar, and I plopped everything in an empty Quaker's Oatmeal container (after emptying and wiping out with a damp paper towel). I printed out a recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies on an index card and punched a hole in one side. After looping several turns of blue and red curl ribbons around the container, I strung the recipe card through one end of ribbon, tied it off, and then curled all the ends of the ribbons. She was delighted with her special hostess gift. Cost? About $6.

If you need a gift for your host, you can apply all these same ideas---just with a man in mind! Surprisingly, men can be appreciative of nail files, clippers, fold-up comb, a lint brush, etc. For a host who is sports-minded, get a tube of BENGAY and wrap it in an ACE bandage!

Remember: It's Not the Gift, It's the Thought That Counts!

Giving a gift that comes from the heart---and not from the wallet---is what your hostess will appreciate the most. Take the time to select individual items, instead of buying pre-packaged "sets." It doesn't have to be anything fancy, it doesn't have to be anything expensive---all you need are a few little items, put them together with a little bit of thought, and you have a delightful hostess gift!

About The Author

Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information. Visit Jan K., the Proofer?s sister sites: Mom?s Break at http://www.MomsBreak.com for free printable projects and crafts. Jan?s Dough at http://www.jansdough.com for free printable recipes for Sourdough Bread and more. For free content articles, visit http://freecontent.janktheproofer.com.

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