The pile of holiday party invitations is staring back at you. Good news: You’re really popular. Bad news: You’ve actually got to show up at a couple of these things. And certainly not empty handed. But what to bring?
Not what you might think, say PR mavens/ event coordinators Lara Shriftman and Elizabeth Harrison, authors of “Fete Accompli! The Ultimate Guide to Creative Entertaining.”
Flowers are “one of the worst gifts to bring to a party,” they say. “Your host will have to drop everything, find a vase and arrange them to fit the decor.” What about wine? “Yawn.” No flowers? No wine? Then what?
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Shriftman and Harrison, who put together P. Diddy’s August post-MTV Video Music Awards bash at Ice Palace Studios in Miami, give you their picks for the host gifts with the most.
Pamper me
What host in his/her right mind wouldn’t give his/her best Teflon pan for this? A certificate for a massage–a godsend for overburdened party planners. For an extra touch, authors Shriftman and Harrison recommend adding a bottle of “It” color nail polish. (Try Essie’s latest Frozen Assets collection in a cool shimmer-berry color like Hot Commodity, $8, 800-232-1155).
Pack it up
Everyone loves baskets. But use some creativity about what you put inside one. Harrison and Shriftman recommend the following goodies that will guarantee a repeat invite next year: bath products (right); the host’s favorite movie on DVD; candles in pretty holders; a beach towel, flip-flops, SPF and a trashy chick-lit novel for women; or for guys, a car magazine and a bottle of Armor All Car Wash Wipes.
Look but don’t read
Always good, the two fashionistas say–trendy recipe books, the glossier the better. Just so long as they have more color pictures than text. A few to consider:
– “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes: Creating Kitchen Clones from America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains,” Todd Wilbur
– “Nobu: The Cookbook,” Nobuyuki Matsuhisa
– “Eat at Joe’s: The Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant Cookbook,” Jo Ann Bass and Richard Sax
Give the gift of fitness
Harrison and Shriftman tout this idea as not only healthy but also highly original. Inside a pair of boxing gloves, place a certificate for a boxing lesson. Or tie a gift certificate to a yoga class inside a yoga mat.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale ([email protected]) and Drew Sottardi ([email protected])