9 Host & Hostess Gift Ideas That Are So Much Better Than A Boring Bottle Of Wine

Sure, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be one of the most stressful. Even if you’re heading to someone else’s house this holiday season, trying to come up with the perfect host and hostess gift ideas is yet another item on an already long to-do list.

Instead of copping out with a boring bottle of wine, try one of these 9 thoughtful host and hostess gifts. From beautiful amaryllis bulbs and plants that will last longer than any flower bouquet ever could to garden accessories for bee and bird lovers, there’s an ideal gift for everyone on your list.

All the products listed below are less than $60 and available in the Gardening Know How Shop right now, which makes for easy one-stop shopping.

Thoughtful Host & Hostess Gift Ideas

These host and hostess gift ideas aren’t just for gardeners (though the green thumb in your life is sure to love them, too!). Here are our experts’ favorite host and hostess gifts for the holiday season:

1. Red Lion Waxed Amaryllis Bulb

Forget cut flower arrangements! This Red Lion Waxed Amaryllis Bulb from Jackson & Perkins is an elegant alternative to the passé bouquet. It’s an ideal gift for the hostess who doesn’t want any added fuss during the holidays.

Just pop this bulb anywhere and watch its brilliant red blooms emerge—no sunlight, water, or dirt required. Includes complete care instructions (though there’s not much to it!) that explains how to make this bulb rebloom for years to come.

2. Ivory Prince Christmas Rose

Give your holiday host an Ivory Prince Christmas Rose from Green Promise Farms they can enjoy all year long. This hardy perennial is called Christmas rose because in warmer climates it blooms around the end of December, but it looks fabulous in flower beds during all four seasons.

Whether your gift recipient wants to plant it out or just keep this festive hellebore for the holidays, it makes for a unique Christmas plant. If they do choose to add it to their landscape, this hellebore is a standout in the shade garden and its deer resistance makes it easy to grow.

3. Christmas Wintergreen

This festive Christmas Wintergreen plant from Green Promise Farms is a lovely choice for hosts who prefer foliage to flowers. The crimson berries provide a pop of color against the glossy green leaves—a classic Christmas combination.

Like hellebore, you can grow wintergreen indoors for the holiday season then plant your wintergreen outdoors, where it makes a gorgeous ground cover in a shady corner of the garden.

4. "Big Plant Energy" Ugly Plantmas Sweater

Maybe your holiday host isn’t much of a gardener, but they still appreciate plant humor. This Ugly Plantmas Sweater from Mossify is just the gift for them. Give it to the host with BPE or “big plant energy.”

This cozy knit sweater runs large, but if you’ve got big plant energy you need a big sweater to match. It’s all part of the ugly Christmas sweater aesthetic anyway. Wear it and be merry!

5. Mason Jar Herb Garden Soil Kit

If your holiday host is also a chef de cuisine, then they’ll relish this gift—perhaps literally. This Mason Jar Herb Garden Kit from Coco & Seed will allow them to grow a countertop herb garden all year.

The kit comes with everything your host needs to start growing with no gardening experience required. Choose either basil, mint, cilantro, thyme, or sage based on your host’s personal taste, then savor the feeling of having picked out the perfect gift.

6. Seeds for a Homegrown Cutting Garden

This gift is for the host who absolutely adores fresh-cut flowers. Give them a curated selection of seeds that are easy to grow and make for spectacular cut flowers.

Combine Magic Fountain Mix Delphinium Seeds, Sonata™ Mix Cosmos Flower Seeds, and ‘Hungarian Blue’ Poppy Seeds (pictured above) for whimsical cottage style blooms in the garden and long-lasting bouquets in a vase.

Or get creative and curate your own mix of flower seeds from Park Seed that are available in the Gardening Know How Shop.

7. Pastel Bee Cups 5-pack

Is your holiday host an avid environmentalist—or at least wants to be? Give them a simple way to help the declining bee population and support a small business that’s trying to make a difference.

Bee Cups, a woman-owned business created by artist and scientist Jen Rose, makes these adorable bee watering stations. They provide pollinators with a refreshing drink and a resting place in the garden.

Each tiny oasis is handcrafted from porcelain and coated with an ultraviolet glaze specially designed to attract bees. This Pastel Bee Cup 5-pack is a great addition to any garden. Now that's what I call sustainable gift giving!

8. Jewel Box Hummingbird Feeder

Birding is cool now. Even winter bird watching has become a popular hobby. Since the pandemic, it seems like everyone is into birds. Whether your holiday host is a birder from way back or a nouveau birdwatcher, they’ll love this Jewel Box Hummingbird Feeder from Wayside Gardens.

It has three ports for hummingbirds to feed and sticks right onto the window for an up close view of dinnertime—a feature your host (and their cat) will appreciate.

9. Succulent Terrarium Mason Jar Garden Kit

If your holiday host has kids, they probably want a way to keep the little ones entertained while they entertain the guests. This Succulent Terrarium Mason Jar Garden Kit from Coco & Seed is a fun way to keep kids occupied while Mom and Dad make dinner.

It’s hassle-free and comes with everything you need to create a mini terrarium in a Mason jar. Though this gift is great for kids, it also makes a fantastic present for someone who’s new to plant parenthood.

This article features products available from third-party vendors on the Gardening Know How Shop.