Volunteering to host the holiday gathering is less of a party and more of a psychological endurance test involving burnt turkeys and relatives with strong political opinions. While you get to inhale three plates of stuffing and leave before the scrubbing begins, your brave host is left staring at a dish pile that rivals Mount Everest.
Showing up without a tribute is practically a declaration of war, so we found the perfect offerings to soothe their frazzled nerves. These gifts guarantee you get the best leftovers and definitely ensure you don’t get relegated to the folding chair in the hallway next year.
#1 Lemon Infused Olive Oil Is A Little Treat With Big Flavor
Review: "Perfect gift for in laws who are foodies if you dont know what to get. Oil is great. taste is great. wouldnt cook with it as it seems a bit of waste of money for that. more for dipping breads, charcutier boards, etc." - Chris Stanaback
Buy Now: amazon.com
#2 A Wax Melt Warmer Gives All Of The Goof Scents Without Any Of The Fire Hazard
Review: "So cute and works great! The scents I picked smell fantastic and it works like a charm!" - Sam Robbins
Buy Now: amazon.com
#3 At Least Make It Fun When They Open The 10th Bottle Of Wine By Gifting Them A Cat Corkscrew
Review: "Nice quality and weights." - TC Black
Buy Now: amazon.com
#4 Make Sure To Tell Your Host These Sea Salt Caramels Are Only For Them To Enjoy In Private Once All The Chaos Has Died Down
Review: "These sea salt variety are my favorite. They are so soft and gooey, they feel like they were made yesterday. They are a perfect size for a mouth full of sweet, buttery goodness. One caramel is definitely enough to satisfy any sweet tooth. It's been over 90° here for several days and these did not melt together or in the container. I've ordered these throughout the summer and haven't had any of these melt at all. Feel free to purchase, these are amazing!" - Monarc
Buy Now: amazon.com
#5 A Butter Bell Is All The Rage And Now Your Host Can Be Part Of The Cool Gang Too
Review: "These little butter bells are perfect for keeping your real butter perfectly soft and perfectly spreadable.. I am very happy with this and it’s cute." - Patricia Borja
Buy Now: amazon.com
#6 This Capri Blue Volcano Scented Candle Will Get Rid Of All The Bad Juju In The Air
Review: "I bought these for gifts. Volcano is always a great scent!" - Nicole Engstrom
Buy Now: amazon.com
Showing up empty-handed is technically legal but so is microwaving fish in the breakroom, and we all know how that ends. If the previous items didn't quite capture the specific "sorry my toddler smeared cranberry sauce on your white sofa" vibe you were going for, keep reading because we have more peace offerings that are significantly better than a regifted fruitcake.
#7 These Waffle Kitchen Towels Are Eco-Friendly And Host-Friendly, A Double Whammy!
Review: "Love these towels more than my W&S ones! Great style, absorb well, look nice and easy to throw in wash!" - KM
Buy Now: amazon.com
#8 We Know They Want To Keep Celtic Salt In The Bag So Everyone Knows What They Are Serving, But The Regular Boring Salt Can Go In This Glass Pinch Pot
Review: "Such an adorable and quality dish for our Maldon Flakey salt! I’ve had this for almost a year now and it’s still amazing! The blue is such a nice shade and looks just like the listing photos." - Amanda Suraci
Buy Now: amazon.com
#9 Get Them Some Quirky Rainbow Matches To Light Their Prayer Candle And Sage After You Have Left
Review: "I purchased a small glass cloche for matches and these are beautiful and fit perfectly. My mom liked it so much when she saw it at our house, I ordered more and gave her a set for the holidays! They light easily and I appreciate having extra strike strips." - Suntastic
Buy Now: amazon.com
#10 Help Them Do Their Part For The Planet By Wrapping Up The Leftovers In Beeswax Wrap Instead Of Cling Film
Review: "My daughter asked for this product for Christmas as she is devoted to sustainability and reusable products. Honestly, I was a doubter, but as long as you do not wash with hot water, this product is reusable and definitely seals leftovers!" - Noreen Farrell-O'Reilly
Buy Now: amazon.com
#11 You Know Your Host Is Going To Cry In The Shower Once You Leave, So At Least Make It A Spa Cry With Some Shower Steamers
Review: "How refreshing and it makes the entire bathroom smell fresh and clean." - Gammieweb
Buy Now: amazon.com
#12 Swedish Dish Towels Will Make The Post-Party Cleanup A Little Cuter
Review: "These cloths work fantastic. Pretty good price desirable dishcloths that don’t stink after 1 use. Any stain washed right off. I love that they last so long. Only tested one so far but so good! They are soft so they don’t scratch but even better, they don’t leave water spots when you clean the counter to. Just get em. You’ll love em too!!" - Kayleen
Buy Now: amazon.com
We aren't saying you have to buy their affection, but a solid gift is the only difference between being a "cherished guest" and "that freelancer who drank all the expensive scotch." If you haven't found the perfect token of gratitude yet, don't panic, the best bribes for the person currently hyperventilating over the roast beast are still coming up.
#13 Teak Spatulas Say Bye-Bye To Microplastics In Your Christmas Dinner
Review: "These are very useful high quality wooden spatulas. The two are not that different in size, I use them interchangeably. Easy to wash with soap and water and really useful when you don’t want a utensil scraping your pans. They’re aesthetically very pleasing too. Good buy." - Molly
Buy Now: amazon.com
#14 If They Plant This Indoor Herb Growing Kit Now, It Might Be In Time For Some More Flavorful Food Next Christmas
Review: "Bought for a present. Set was easy & the Herbs are sitting in the window waiting to grow!" - PAUL M BETTERTON
Buy Now: amazon.com
#15 Gifting Them Some Portland Salt Co. Steak Salt & Spice Blend Is A Subtle Way To Say The Turkey Needs More Flavor
Review: "I know it says Steak Salt in the name, but I find myself reaching for this seasoning blend for just about anything! Steak, chicken, fish, veggies, popcorn, you name it! Will definitely be purchasing this one again and have even ordered their other blends to try. Amazing product. Don’t miss out!" - Barbara Radding
Buy Now: amazon.com
#16 The Butter Spreader Knife Is A Little Luxury That Will Most Likely Become An Heirloom
Review: "Better quality than I expected but awesome knife for butter!" - Amazon Customer
Buy Now: amazon.com
#17 Gourmet Salt Is All The Rage And Gourmanity Fleur De Sel De Guerande Finish Salt Is Hand Harvested, Obviously Making It Better Than The Rest
Review: "The Gourmanity Fleur De Sel De Guerande is hand-harvested, French sea salt packaged in an attractive, 4.4-ounce canister. This is semi-course ground salt flakes that make a perfect finishing salt for vegetables, salads, meats – anywhere you want to subtly enhance the flavor. Overall, excellent quality and flavor and would make a wonderful gift for the foodie in your life." - Dee
Buy Now: amazon.com
#18 Fabric Refresher Spray Will Help Them Get Rid Of The Odour Of A Dozen Guests In Their House
Review: "Arrived without any leaking and smells wonderful. Helps to dewrinkle clothes out of the dryer and freshens up sheets and towels. I love that it can be sprayed on delicates as well and that it is a quality product that was not expensive." - Ruth McDonald
Buy Now: amazon.com
