40 Special Gift Ideas for Thanksgiving Hosts
Aka how to do the mostest for your hostess.
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A holiday that’s all about eating delicious food and thinking about everything we’re thankful for seems pretty complete as is. But who’s to say we can’t step up our game a bit? And by that, I mean throwing some fun presents into the mix. It might sound like a strange idea at first, but listen up. One of the reasons Thanksgiving is such a fun day is because there isn’t the expectation of gifts. What I’m suggesting isn’t necessarily a big exchange of presents on Thanksgiving morning. Instead, it’s the opportunity to bring someone a lil treat because they’re hosting a Friendsgiving or show a loved one you’re thankful they baked your favorite pie. So, I present to you a list of gift ideas for Thanksgiving—because, after all, Thanksgiving is about gratefulness, and you can definitely choose to express that with prezzies.
Because gift ideas for Thanksgiving aren’t an ~official~ thing (yet!), you can get a little creative with it this season. If your giftee is super into home decor, opt for a chic glass pumpkin your host will for sure reuse next year or an aesthetically pleasing board game their whole fam can enjoy. And, of course, you can never go wrong with anything food and drink-related—like a gorgeous wine stopper or some vegan cookies, which will help your host with the festivities (you’re the best guest ever, obv). The possibilities with Thanksgiving gifts are endless, so peruse this list of 40 picks for a little Turkey Day inspiration.
A great Thanksgiving gift can be something to be enjoyed that day, like this savory meat and cheese set. It comes with 39 hand-selected artisan cheeses, meats, dried fruits, nuts, chocolates, olives, and spreads, and three 3 full boxes of crackers—all on top of a pretty Acacia wood serving board.
What’s a party without some bubbly? Ahem, bubbly in a can. Yep! This low-sugar, vegan-friendly canned wine is the perfect boozy drink for events like Thanksgiving dinner because 1. No one has to worry about breaking glass, and 2. It pairs deliciously with all sorts of food. Checks all the boxes for me!
There’s nothing worse than loaning out Tupperware, only to never get it back. Treat your host to a new glass set, so they can replenish their old containers that, most likely, won’t make it back to them after Turkey Day.
If this is your giftee’s first time hosting Thanksgiving as a family, commemorate the moment with a personalized cutting board.
With all the different ingredients that go into putting together a Thanksgiving meal, an apron is a necessity so they don’t their holiday outfit stained. And, I mean, the least you can do is get them a cute apron to wear while they’re preparing the big feast!
Olive oil is usually a no-brainer part of any recipe. This will come in handy on the Big Day and for the future! You can’t go wrong! This fan-favorite set includes two bottles—a cooking oil and a finishing oil.
Anything involving self-care is an absolute winner for anybody. This set has the go-to essentials like a mini face roller, a mini gua sha, an eye-roller, reusable eye patches, a dry body brush, and a headband—for a perfect at-home spa set-up.
You’ll be everyone’s favorite person at the gathering if you bring this spiked whipped cream. It’ll make drinks and desserts sooo much more fun.
This friendship bracelet will remind them that the spirit of Thanksgiving should be alive not just once a year, but every day. <33
An orchid makes for a particularly great gift compared to other plants because it’s a symbol of good luck! This darling Phalaenopsis orchid even comes potted!
Let’s be real: Not everyone can make a drool-worthy Thanksgiving meal. So, it’s always a good idea to have hot sauce at the ready. Just in case, you know?
You can never go wrong with gifting someone a candle. So bring the fall season into their home with this one from Homesick. It has all the feels of a breezy autumn day thanks to notes of amber, clove, nutmeg, maple, patchouli, and much more.
It's safe to say that a big holiday, like Thanksgiving, can be stressful for anyone, especially the host. With all the energy that goes into pulling off a wonderful dinner, there's bound to be some stress along the way. So give your host this sweet gift box so they can finally unwind after the big day.
Whether it's the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a string of football games, or just some fun family movies, there will always be something to watch on Thanksgiving day. But if screens are limited, gift this fun mini projector that can be set up almost anywhere. It's compatible with smartphones, gaming systems, and TV sticks. Plus, it even comes with a 100-inch portable screen too!
This isn't just any regular ‘ol plug-in diffuser. With a Pura diffuser, they'll be able to pick and choose what scent to disperse, adjust how strong the scents are, and even set a timer for the diffuser to go on and off, all from an app on their smartphone. This set, made in collaboration with Thymes, offers two refills that smell like a bustling Frasier fir.
Here's a funny game that everyone in the family can enjoy. This version of Cards Against Humanity is kid-friendly (for ages eight and up) and has 300 cards for hours of age-appropriate laughs and jokes.
A gift to help prepare Thanksgiving dinner is a sweet way to show appreciation for a good meal. So if they don't have an air fryer (or could use an upgrade), get them this stunning one from Drew Barrymore's Beautiful line. It can heat, fry, and roast whatever dishes they need for the big day.
If you know you're going to be at someone's place all day, I'd highly recommend getting a gift that can involve everyone in the family. With this cornhole game set, you and your giftee's fam can enjoy some fun and friendly competition to pass the time while dinner is cooking.
TBH, this small kitchen appliance is a major game-changer. If they need to make a creamy sauce, soup, or cream, they won't need to bring out a clunky blender or food processor. Instead, they can mix, blend, or whisk their food in whatever dish they please.
Who said you could only get specialty drinks at the bar? With this spritzer kit from Haus, you can give the gift of tasty cocktails to enjoy at home. This kit comes with four unique flavored drinks, like Lemon Lavender and Pomegranate Rosemary, that can be mixed into a new recipe or poured straight over ice.
Megan Uy is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, where she searches for the best products in all things fashion, home, beauty, sex, gifts, and more, so you don’t have to. When she’s not writing for the site, she’s whipping up some cool and trendy content for the fashion section of the print magazine. She’s been with the brand since 2019 (when she was an itty-bitty editorial fellow), and she's also written for Delish, House Beautiful, and People. Follow her on Instagram to get some BTS of the editor life and chaotic NYC content. Also, feel free to hit her up if you ever wanna discuss the madness that is TikTok.
Jacquelyn Greenfield is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers the best gift ideas, sales, and more across all things beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and sex. She has a serious obsession with sneakers and lives for a great clear lip gloss. She previously worked at Nylon and has had bylines in The Zoe Report, Coveteur, and CR Fashion Book. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
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