This time of year, Thanksgiving to Christmas, is a time filled with holiday dinners and parties. Hostess gifts are a wonderful way to let your host know you appreciate their efforts in hosting a holiday celebration. There are many ideas for an appropriate hostess gift, but the most important factor should be that it is applicable to the style and interest s of your host. If you are an acquaintance or friend of a friend and don’t know their interests, choose a universal gift such as a unique candle or gift soap.

If you like DIY projects, these are a few of my favorite ideas that are either universal or easily adaptable to your host’s individual unique style.

DIY mulling spices – There’s nothing more festive than the fragrance of mulling spices. And when they’re homemade, they’re the freshest. They can be used to flavor a favorite holiday drink or simply left on the stove to stew and bring about that festive aroma.

Photo from soapdelinews.com

Handmade Thanksgiving candle – You won’t be pouring your own wax with this project, but you will be adding a lovely fall design to the jar to present to your Thanksgiving host.

These DIY cork coasters from Coco & Kelley are a simple way to design your own coasters that will suit your host in every way. Make them festive for the holiday or design them to match your host’s style.

Photo from Coco & Kelley

Love these Wooden Coasters from Gina Michelle. These are especially great for a male host, even more so if he’s an outdoorsy kind of guy. But outdoorsy or not, he will love them.

Photo from Gina Michelle

Chalkboard ornaments – I love the chalkboard trend, and it’s an easy application to make these trendy, stylish ornaments from Celebrations.com.

Photo from Celebrations.com

And if DIY is not your thing, or you simply don't have time to create your own in this busy holiday season, take a look at some of our best holiday hostess gifts.