NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2002
Holiday Gifts For The Host
Give A Memorable Gift Idea At The Next Holiday House Party
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(CBS/The Early Show)
While you should always bring a gift, it's often difficult to think of something beyond the standard bottle of wine or flowers.
Colin Cowie, the host of Everyday Elegance, shared some ideas on The Early Show for some inexpensive gifts that go above and beyond expectations.
Here are some of his favorite gifts to take to a host or hostess:
But the best host gift of all is to arrive on time, look chic, come armed with a few good stories and a great attitude, he says.
Cowie suggest not to take a fresh bunch of flowers (the host will have to spend time trimming stems, arrange flowers and place them somewhere), a fresh baked item (a host may feel compelled to serve it) and a pet (it requires maintenance).
Here are some of Colin's theme ideas for gifts:
For the chocolate lover, Cowie suggests giving a fondue pot from Crate and Barrel that's not expensive. You could add to it a few chocolate bars to melt in the pot and a great cookbook of fondue recipes. Also consider adding chocolate truffles (Champagne truffles are always a hit).
Letter writing is one of those social graces that have been left by the wayside, but some love receiving a handwritten note. Cowie suggest giving stationary from Crane's with some notecards in a box, which the box can be re-use later for photos. If you want to add to this gift, put in a set of pens, and even a monogrammed stamp.
If you have a friend that loves to read, Cowie says a terrific gift is the hottest read of the year, "The Lovely Bones". And add a fleece, some great gourmet teas and a fragrant candle.
For the traveler, Cowie suggest giving a dopp kit from Banana Republic. You could even jazz it up by putting in some mini toiletries. Add some travel slippers and a travel clock to the pack. Cowie also suggest including some cards to write thank you notes or use for correspondences.
If you know someone who loves James Bond, you can give your host a James Bond DVD set. And since there is nothing better than opening the door to your home with a tray of martinis, rather than the usual red wine, Cowie says giving a leather martini shaker will make sure the party is not stirred. You can add a few martini glasses and then some martini accoutrement, such as olives, little onions and olive picks. Include the "Bar Master," which gives you the recipes and measurements for cocktails, in the gift, says Cowie. Another idea is to give recipes for killer martinis. Here are Cowie's favorite martinis from around the world:
Vodka Martini:
2 ounce of premium vodka
1 teaspoon of dry vermouth
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a cocktail olive or lemon twist.
Sour Apple Martini:
2 parts vodka
1 part sour apple schnapps
1 part Ginger Ale
Splash of lime juice
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add Vodka, Schnapps and limejuice. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass and add ginger ale. Garnish with a thin slice of green apple.
Saketini:
40 percent Absolut Citron
60 percent plum saki
Splash of cranberry juice
Splash of grapefruit juice
Couple drops of Triple Sec
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously
and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Watermelon Martini:
2 parts Vodka
2 parts fresh watermelon puree
Splash of lime juice
Splash of simple syrup
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a watermelon ball and float lime wheel in center.
CV Cosmo:
1 part Courvoisier Cognac
1 part Triple Sec
1 Part cranberry juice
1 1/2 parts lime juice
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously
and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Vanilla Martini:
75ml vanilla infused vodka
Dash of sugar syrup
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously
and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a vanilla bean.
The Lychee Martini:
50 milliliter vodka
10 milliliter lychee syrup
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously
and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a lychee on a skewer in glass.
Blue Canary Martini:
3/4 ounce gin
3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
1 blue Curacao
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously
and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Gin & Sin Martini:
1 ounce gin
1 ounce lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 dash grenadine
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously
and strain into martini glass. Garnish with an orange slice.
The French Martini:
50 milliliter Rain vodka
20 milliliter pineapple juice
Dash of Chambord.
In an ice shaker filled with ice – add all ingredients, shake vigorously
and strain into martini glass.
Gift For the Homebody
Gifts for the home are great to pick out, to give and to receive. And these are all gifts that someone can definitely use. Cowie found beautiful beaded napkin rings, which are only $7 each, and he put them with napkins and place mats from Crate and Barrel - they're only about $3 per napkin. He says it looks amazing. If the person loves to cook, you can also include a cookbook and some quality olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. You could also give a beautiful soap dish, along with some fancy soaps. Think about giving horn bowls and trays for gifts. They can be used for almost anything, from cheese straws, to bon-bons to Q-Tips. And the bowls can be used for sauces, salads or soaps. They're multi-functional.
Something for the Kids
When you go to someone's house that has children, it's always good to arrive with a gift for them. Cowie suggests giving some pop-up books for the holidays. He says it's also fun to give the children something for the cold weather. So, he suggests giving a winter hat for a boy, and a hat, mittens and scarf set for a girl in the gift set. He also says to give some pop-up cards from MoMA for the adults, so you're not leaving them out. Cowie also suggest including a photo album in your gift package. It can be used as a sign-in book for a party. You can take a picture of each person when they get there and have them sign in and then attach their picture to the page.
Some Miscellaneous Gifts
These last few gifts are really things that you can give to anyone. Linen spray is a terrific gift because it's not something that people might buy themselves, but everyone should have scented sheets, says Cowie. Include some little votive candles from the Gap, as well as a Gap holiday soap and potpourri. Cowie also suggest giving a gift set from L'Occitane, which includes sachets to freshen laundry or lingerie drawer, as well as a candle and some incense cones.
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