15 Great Hostess Gifts Under $500 to Start the Holiday Party Season Off With Gratitude

By now, everyone should know that a bottle of wine isn’t an ideal hostess gift, even if it is a traditional one. At dinner parties in particular, party-throwers probably have taken wine pairings into consideration, and an extra bottle will, at best, get lost in the shuffle. Instead, pamper a hostess with something a little luxurious just for her – cashmere slippers, a bottle of luxury bubble bath, a little something for her home. With pre-holiday fetes and Thanksgiving feasts just around the corner, we’re going to kick off our 2013 Gift Guide with a step-by-step primer for treating your host.

Just like any gift, a hostess gift should vary in price and type based on your relationship with the recipient, but for hostesses, it should also be dependent on the occasion. If you’re attending a cocktail party at her house, a thoughtful token of your appreciation is fine. If she’s putting you up in her home for a week over Christmas, get ready to give something a little more significant. We’ve got the whole spectrum covered, from $18 to $500, below.