Hostess Gift Ideas: A Book Stack That Stays on Display

A small stack of decorative books in a color that suits the host's home is a gift that stays on display long after the party, unlike wine that disappears into the rack or flowers that need a vase at the busiest moment of the night.

Below: ideas for Christmas parties, dinner parties and weekend stays, the etiquette that keeps the gift easy for your host, and how to wrap a book stack.

What makes a good hostess gift

Emily Post describes the hosting gift as a token of appreciation that should be "small and easy for the host to receive while managing the greeting of guests and the flow of the party." Their suggestions include small entertaining items, picture frames, candles and potted plants. In its broader gifting guide, Emily Post also lists a book as appropriate "if you know your host's taste."

A good hostess gift is: - Small and easy to hand over at the door, - Ready to go, with no vase or assembly required, - For later, not something the host must serve or display that night, - Within your means. Emily Post notes no one has to break their budget for a hosting gift.

A short stack of decorative hardcovers ticks every box. And because decorative books are chosen by color rather than by subject, you don't need to know your host's taste in reading, only the look of their home.

Why a book stack works

• It stays out. Books end up on a coffee table, console or shelf, not in a cupboard.
• No guessing their reading taste. You're giving decor, chosen by color.
• Nothing to serve. The host isn't left wondering whether to open it with dinner.
• Easy to carry. A five-book stack tied with ribbon is neat and compact.
• Easy to re-home. If it doesn't suit the living room, it suits the guest room or office.

Choosing a color for your host's home

You've likely been to their house before. Match what you remember:

If you can't remember or haven't visited, choose cream or tan. Burgundy and deep brown are especially festive for a Christmas party.

Hostess gift ideas by occasion

Christmas parties

A five-book stack in burgundy or cream, tied with plaid or velvet ribbon and topped with a sprig of greenery or a small ornament. The host can add it straight to their holiday mantel or coffee table. For more ways they might use it, see Christmas book decor ideas.

Dinner parties

Emily Post notes that guests at a dinner (beyond a casual pizza night) often bring a hostess gift unless they're close friends who dine together often. A small stack plus a candle is generous without being showy.

Weekend stays

When you stay over, a gift is customary. Emily Post says anytime you stay over at someone's house (unless they're immediate family) a gift is appropriate. Go a little bigger: a stack for the guest room nightstand, or a foot of books if they've just moved or have new shelves.

Baby and bridal showers

Soft palettes like cream, sage or aqua make a thoughtful thank-you for a shower host.

Housewarming parties

For a new home, see our housewarming gift books guide.

The host who has everything

People who "have everything" rarely have a color-matched stack ready for the one bare spot on their console. It's useful without adding clutter.

Pairing ideas

Pair the books with one small item that can sit on top: - a candle in a metal or ceramic holder, - a small potted plant or a bundle of dried stems, - a brass bell or small ornament at Christmas, - a set of cocktail napkins tucked under the ribbon, - a jar of local honey or jam.

If you include a candle, remind your host to keep flames clear of books and greenery. NFPA reports that candles started 49 percent of home decoration fires in December. A battery candle avoids the worry entirely.

How to wrap a book stack

1. Stack the books largest at the bottom, spines facing the same way.
2. Tie with ribbon or twine in both directions, like a parcel.
3. Tuck a sprig of greenery, a dried orange slice or a cinnamon stick under the knot.
4. Add a gift tag with your name. The Protocol School of Texas recommends always including a tag so the host knows who it's from.
5. Optional: wrap the stack in kraft paper first for a cleaner package.

Etiquette tips

• Hand it over discreetly at the door so the host can set it aside.
• Don't expect it to be opened or displayed that night. Etiquette experts quoted by HuffPost note that host gifts aren't expected to be opened at the gathering unless guest and host agreed to it.
• Skip the big reveal. Opening one guest's gift in front of others can make guests who didn't bring one uncomfortable, as the Protocol School of Texas points out (source).
• Keep it modest. The point is gratitude, not spectacle.

Quick hostess gift kits by budget

These use our real prices for a five-book shelf stack and our foot-based lots:

Shipping is free to the continental U.S. and D.C. Order ahead of party season, or ship directly to the host after the party as a thank-you.

Thank-you gifts after the party

If you didn't bring something, sending a gift afterward is a gracious alternative. A stack shipped to the host's address with a short note ("for your beautiful mantel") is a warm way to say thanks. Orders come with tracking emails, so you'll know it arrived.

Styling tips to include

A short note with the gift helps the host use it right away: - Coffee table: stack off-center with a candle or small plant on top. - Console: stack under a lamp or beside a bowl. - Shelf: stand books upright with a bookend, or keep them stacked with an object on top.

Or point them to coffee table book stacking ideas.

Buy a hostess gift stack

Browse every palette of real hardcover books in our decorative books shop and pick the color that suits your host.

Related reading: Bar Cart Styling: Ideas With and Without Alcohol

Holiday shopping: decorative book gifts by size and palette.

Frequently asked questions