Over on the KOAB Facebook wall, Hannah D. asked yesterday for suggestions on a frugal hostess gift for Passover.
I answered that my favorite Pesach hostess gift to give is housewares.
Typically, I like to give a serving platter or bowl — something that can be used for the chag. If you plan a bit ahead, you should definitely be able to find some inexpensive items on clearance at Target or at a store like TJMaxx or HomeGoods.
While Hannah has already found her perfect frugal gift, I bet she’s not the only one wondering about this. So, I’d love to hear your ideas for this gift-giving situation:
What is your favorite (frugal) gift for your host or hostess during Pesach?
I don’t go out much, but I can tell you what I like to receive. 🙂 I love those little hand towels from Israel that have “al netilas yadayim” embroidered on them. The more the merrier. (My daughter tells me they are inexpensive in Israel–if you’re on your way to the States.) Housewares are great–so are nice little utensils: potato peelers or maybe an unusual wavy vegetable cutter (or the like). Most of us have just the bare bones equipment to get through Pesach, so really anything is helpful.
I love those little towels, too! In fact, my mom, who is coming to our seder, asked what I’d like and I said Netilat Yadiyim towels! They are very $ online – maybe I’ll see if someone can bring them back for us.
A bottle of wine, nicely wrapped (there are some really excellent, award-winning kosher wines in the $12 – $15 range). A nice, and probably inexpensive, hostess gift I once got for Pesach was an apron printed with a matzah pattern – I take it out every Pesach and it’s a great little conversation piece. Your local Judaica store probably carries inexpensive match-box covers that say Likhvod Shabbat and Yom Tov, which make for very frugal (less than $20), but very useful hostess gifts.
Depending how the relationship is:
1- Manicure Pedicure gift card.
2-Massage gift card
3-Target/Walmart/Bed Bath and Beyond gift card.
We usually host at least one Seder; and are going to again this year. We invited a good friend from Shul who is a convert and doesn’t really have any family to go for the seders and sometimes has problems finding a Seder to go to last minute. Anyway, she doesn’t have much money- and said she really wanted to bring us something as a thank you gift, but didn’t know if she could afford to, so she offered to babysit our almost 2 year old daughter for a few hours on the Sunday before the seder so that we could get any extra cleaning/cooking done without a toddler in our hair. Hands down the best hostess gift I’ve ever been offered!
That is THE best gift. Wow!
What a terrific gift!!
Carrie that’s an awesome gift!
I found an inexpensive wine decanter at Homesense (aka the Canadian TJMaxx). It is really quite beautiful and simple in its design, even my husband asked if i got one for us!
I once received three-nested serving bowls from Crate and Barrel. I enjoyed them so much during Pesach that I kept them out for the rest of the year. So 51 weeks a year I use them and then I have to put them way :>(
Usually I bring consumable items to hosts- wine or other foods.
Consumables are good for me! 😉 (Especially since I know what great cooks you are!)
I have a small house and lots of serving dishes. Wine or flowers would be great (or Carrie’s babysitting!). The seders my friends and I host tend to be potluck, which eliminates the need for hostess gifts.
B”H
I like to bring a book(s) and/or a gift certificate for books from a Jewish Book Store. This gives the Hostess and her Family a chance to enjoy something special during Chol Hamoed…..something a bit indulgent.
If giving a housewares item, if applicable, it is often a *really* nice touch to take them to be immersed in the keilim mikvah ahead of time, saving the hostess that trip later on!