Party Favors

How to avoid showing up empty handed

 Holiday invitations bring excitement and SOMETIMES a last minute panic-filled thought: what should I bring the hostess?

Quick trips to the store on the way to the party can be avoided with a little pre-planning. And hostess gifts need not be expensive. A unique idea and pretty wrapping go a long way toward making you a well-remembered guest.

We all have our favorites to receive: wine, holiday napkins, coffee beans, bottle openers, cheese, plants, cookies, or fresh bread.

“My all-time favorite was a small knife,” says native Wilmingtonian Keena Newland. “I use it all the time.”

Local retailers offer multiple products, so save time by making a list of upcoming events and purchase more than one gift per shop. If the hostess is a good friend, choosing an item for her home or special collection is easier. Knowing if she has nut allergies, avoids red wine, or already has a house full of plants are helpful bits of information.

Try wine ice cream from Fermental, a beer and wine shop in Ogden that stocks the concoction, as well as beer, books, magazines, and home brew supplies.

For a wine gift that pulls double duty, ONEHOPE Wine – available at area grocery stores – gives half its profits to causes such as supporting military families, educating girls, and fighting breast cancer.

In downtown, Candles Etc. houses The Old Wilmington Candle Company, offering soy candles made on site. The scents range from fresh “Wilmington Rain” to holiday “Spiced Pumpkin.” Is your hostess a musician? The shop carries candleholders shaped like musical instruments. They also have an array of wall art, pottery, and candles made from North Carolina stone.

Multitask by finding a variety of gifts in one location. Browse through Blue Moon Gift Shops, The Cotton Exchange, or the Riverfront Farmers’ Market (through December 21) to knock out your list.

Jill Smith, assistant manager at Blue Moon Gift Shops, finds cranberry almond handmade toffee from Kismet or fudge made with Ghirardelli chocolate from Moonkissed Fudge to be her favorites.

Smith suggests purchasing a piece of hand-blown glass or pottery from the shops when taking a dish to share (like baked brie), then leave the work of art as a hostess gift.

Beach Baby Kisses in Blue Moon sells framed photos of messages written in sand on the beach – perfect for coastal homes. Flores & Foley is a Wilmington-based roofing and sheet metal company, whose artisans have crafted copper into such designs as turtles, dragonflies, and fish to be sold in the shop.

At The Cotton Exchange, there’s no shortage of distinctive items. Homemade strudel from the German Café (if you can keep your hands off until party time) or flavored vinegars and oils, dips, and spreads from The Olive Shoppe are good foodie picks. Also in The Cotton Exchange, Two Sisters Bookery is the place to pick up a small holiday book, Coastal Carolina cookbook, or tree ornament.

The Riverfront Farmers’ Market offers retired teacher Rita Chaffin’s favorite: local honey. Handmade soap, goat cheese, plants, and unique art works from the market also make special hostess gifts.

If you prefer ordering online at midnight in your jammies, here are some thoughts from local suppliers. Order cookies from Noshroom.com and have them delivered to the door – including gluten free cookies. Bon bons (and a singing telegram) can be arranged at Southnfrance.com. Recipe book Southern Cocktails is available from Pressedcotton.com along with “hair of the dog” flasks and other gifts. Christmas stockings, ornaments, aprons, and home décor with a distinct coastal flavor can be ordered from Studiotree.net. And Carolinafarmin.com’s online store has gift boxes filled with local products from hot sauces to jellies.

These gifts will be all the buzz – you’ll be on every guest list next year.