Gift Ideas for a Dinner Party

Just because the holidays are over, doesn’t mean the entertaining stops for the young professional or our YP circle. Especially in winter months, dinner parties are an increasingly common option over the typical night out at the bar. Every socially savvy young professional knows that you can’t show up empty-handed; so you stop on the way, grab a bottle of decent wine and are good to go. Not so fast. Although typically a welcomed gift amongst young professionals, we have all gotten to where we are by going the extra distance. Why not make an impact with something other than wine? The best host or hostess gifts include 1) anything that is out of the expected 2) requires thought and effort 3) simple luxuries they would not buy themselves and 4) inspire conversation. Of course, for this to work, you have to know a little about the host or hostess first.  

Books are always no-fail options. Young professionals love to pepper their homes with coffee table books – things like pop culture, architecture, art and travel are always good subject choices. Some of our current YP favourites include the Louis Vuitton City Guides (London, Paris, Tokyo and NYC; pictured below), The Great American Pin-Up and Dior Couture. For a regular bookshelf book, pair it with a unique bookend like James the Bookend by Daniel Black and Martin Blume. 

louis

If your host or hostess has moved into a new area of town and the occasion is a house warming, fill a card with gift certificates from favourite neighbourhood staples like that famous gelato spot, bakery, nail salon, wine shop or even grocery store, to encourage them to explore the neighbourhood and support local establishments.

We love the option of soaps, hand screams and candles. A tried and tested favourite of ours are Aveda products for men and women alike. We love the Refreshing Bath Bar, Replenishing Moisturizer and Hand Relief, all of which happen to be conveniently packaged as Aveda’s Decompress Gift Set (pictured below). Other well-received Aveda gifts include the Shampure Soy Wax candle, which radiate the soothing smell of our favourite hair products through the home. 

Charitable gifts that give back, like a donation in your host’s name, ticket to an upcoming charity event, a F*ck Cancer T-shirt or even your niece’s Girl Guide Cookies, provide thoughtful, feel-good and conversation-provoking gift options.

AVEDA

Unique and useful knick-knacks are always a good idea but make sure they are in good YP taste. For us, no-fail options are anything by Jonathan Adler, including playful coasters, unique match strikes (cover image) and re-useable napkins. Other ideas for knick-knacks include things like luggage tags, wine funnels and silver ice scoops.

Take the opportunity to share your own brand or hobby. One YP dinner guest brings signature handmade beaded bracelets as hostess gifts and another routinely spoils her hosts with books she has written and published as gifts.

YPs love anything monogrammed, and what other gift offers such a personal touch? Notables include Pottery Barn’s Monogrammed Square Paperwhite Soap Set or the Monogrammable Paper Guest Towels (come in a set of 50, pictured below). Pottery Barn’s set of momogrammable beer mugs offers the perfect complement to a case of beer for the YP male whose idea of hosting a dinner party is a Super bowl potluck.

Towels

We all know how much YPs love their pets. If you can’t think of anything to buy that couple that has everything, perhaps their dog may be easier to shop for. We will, however, stop short of listing the best gifts for the YP animal.  

If you really do not know the host well (say it’s a friend of a friend), any trendy sweet indulgence is always a good option. For the YP, this was first the cupcake, then the macaron and now the gourmet doughnut. Always stay away from full desserts (as the host has likely prepared dessert) but treats like these make for a welcomed late-night snack.

If booze is the most appropriate gift for the host, take a more creative approach to the whole transaction. If your perpetual bachelor YP host is notorious for ordering vodka Red Bulls at the bar, grab a bottle of vodka, a couple cans of Red Bull and a few limes and place them nicely in a champagne or wine bucket, wrap with cellophane and tie the top neatly with a bow.

We know that creative and thoughtful gift ideas are not always possible, especially for busy YPs on the go. If you find something perfect, purchase a few of them to keep at home so that they are always good to go. Always keep an assortment of greeting cards, wrap and ribbon tucked away at home. If all else fails, and wine is indeed your only option, at least bring it in a nice gift bag and pair it with some appropriate chocolate.