Hostess Gifts, Part II: Something Seasonal

As my Grandma and Mom did before me, I have grown up with an innate sense of decorating for the holidays. Whether it's St. Patrick's, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or even Labor Day, you will see seasonal dish towels, placemats, door decor, and even little accents on the living room coffee table appear. Don't worry - I don't go overboard :) Just enough seasonal hints to be classy!

I believe that no one can have too many of these types of things. So for Part II of my own favorite Hostess Gifts, I am featuring seasonal items.

Target is a great place to check for these little things. Their end-caps frequently switch out for the holidays and seasons, featuring everything from cocktail napkins with pumpkins on them, to little tea-candle holders in the shapes of clovers. Other places to check - Crate & Barrel, Kohl's, or Wal-Mart.

Wrap up one or two small items in a similar-colored bag, and I am sure your hostess will enjoy them for many years to come. Things that are geared towards entertaining (like the cocktail napkins) will especially get used, since they are things we rarely would buy ourselves, otherwise.

This cute fish-shaped chips and dip holder is only $10 at Target and perfect for one of these end-of-summer parties.

Crate & Barrel (personal fav for hostess and shower gifts) has a great set of cocktail napkins perfect for all seasons, especially for a fiesta or Mardi-Gras. And how perfect would these coasters be for a tailgating party? Kohl's has a selection of items for many of the NCAA teams.

The best part is that none of these items are above $20, and they all convey the ultimate Thank You message that you want to give your hosts.