Christmas hostess gift ideas: plants that travel well and last
Bring the host a small thank-you, or the gift the party's exchange rules ask for. A plant is a good pick because it lasts long after the cookies are gone: choose one that's safe for cats and dogs if you don't know the home, and wrap it well, because a few cold minutes between the car and the door can hurt it.
What is a good host gift for a Christmas party?
The Emily Post Institute names wine, flowers (ideally already in a vase) and specialty foods as the classics. A plant does the same job with one bonus: the host can set it down as it is and enjoy it for months. Our Thanksgiving host gift guide covers the flowers versus plant question in more detail.
Good December picks that are safe for cats and dogs:
| Plant | Why it works at a party | Care card |
|---|---|---|
| Rosemary tree | Sold as trimmed holiday topiaries, and the host can cook with it. It minds a cool car least of these picks | Rosemary |
| Christmas cactus | Blooms right around the holidays and can live for decades | Christmas cactus |
| Moth orchid | Elegant, and the flowers can last for months | Moth orchid |
| African violet | Small enough for any windowsill, and it can bloom almost all year indoors | African violet |
| Bromeliad | Bright color that lasts for months with little fuss | Bromeliad |
Bringing food instead? A tin of homemade cookies with a matching herb is a lovely combination, and our cookie and plant guide has a simple recipe. Thinking about wine? Bring it only if you know the host enjoys it, and don't expect it to be opened that night, as etiquette experts at the Emily Post Institute advise. The wine and plant guide has pairings, plus alcohol-free swaps.
Do you have to bring a gift to a Christmas party?
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No. A host gift is a kind extra. Lizzie Post of the Emily Post Institute says guests don't have to bring one, and hosts shouldn't expect one.
The exception is a party built around a gift exchange. There, the gift is the ticket in, so bring what the group agreed on. Daniel Post Senning of the Emily Post Institute adds that the care behind a gift matters more than what it cost, and that no gift should feel like an obligation.
Which plant works for Secret Santa or a gift exchange?
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In a Secret Santa or white elephant swap, your gift can end up in any home, including one with a curious cat. That's why we suggest a plant the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs:
- African violet. Small (often well under a foot tall and wide), can bloom almost all year indoors, and fits near a bright window.
- Rosemary tree. Festive, useful in the kitchen, and fine for a cook or a gardener.
- Moth orchid. Feels special without being fussy.
Make it easy for whoever opens it: tuck in a tag with the plant's name and its care card link. Each Grove care card has a share image you can print as a gift tag.
How do you carry a plant to a party in the cold?
Many houseplants are damaged when they sit much below 50°F (10°C), say the University of Arkansas and Virginia Tech extension services. Blooming gift plants are touchy too: Iowa State Extension warns that even a brief moment at freezing temperatures can damage a poinsettia. Here's how to get yours to the party looking the way it did in the shop:
- Wrap the whole plant before you step outside, top included. Use floral paper, a plant sleeve or a paper bag, and ask the shop to wrap it if they don't offer.
- For a long walk or a long wait in the cold, set the pot in a box and loosen a few layers of newspaper around the top of the plant. The box also keeps it from tipping over.
- Warm up the car before you load the plant, and move it from the door to the car quickly.
- Ride with the plant in the front of the car with the heater on. Never put it in the trunk, which gets too cold.
- Make the party your next stop. If you buy the plant on the way, buy it last, and never leave it waiting in a parked car.
- At the host's home, set it on a steady surface and tear the wrap from the bottom up so you don't snap stems. Don't leave it wrapped for more than a day.
Which plants mind the cold most? Each care card lists the lowest temperature the plant handles. Rosemary handles cool rooms down to about 32°F (0°C), so it minds a chilly car least. African violets want to stay above 60°F (16°C), and moth orchids and bromeliads above 55°F (13°C). A Christmas cactus in bud is the most sensitive of all: buds can drop if it's chilled below about 50°F (10°C) or moved around a lot, so wrap it well and carry it upright.
Which party plants are safe with pets?
Rosemary, Christmas cactus, moth orchid, African violet and bromeliad are all safe for cats and dogs, according to the ASPCA. Several classic December plants are toxic to pets, so save them for homes you know have none:
| Plant | Pet safety (ASPCA) |
|---|---|
| Poinsettia | Toxic to cats and dogs, but mild |
| Amaryllis | Toxic to cats and dogs |
| Cyclamen | Toxic to cats and dogs, the tuber most of all |
| Kalanchoe | Toxic to cats and dogs |
If a pet chews on a plant and seems unwell, call your vet. In the US, you can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). Our Christmas plants and pets guide covers every holiday plant, plus holly, mistletoe and the tree.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What do you bring to a Christmas party as a guest?
A small host gift, such as a plant, a specialty food or a bottle of something you know the host enjoys, or whatever the invitation asks for. If there's a gift exchange, bring the gift the rules call for.
Is a plant a good gift for a Christmas party host?
Yes. It needs no vase, it doesn't have to be served, and it keeps going long after the party. Pick one that's safe for pets if you aren't sure the home is pet-free.
Can I leave a plant in the car during the party?
No. An unheated car can injure a plant quickly in winter, warns Purdue Extension. Bring it inside with you, or carry it in only when you're heading home.
What should I do if the host's home is warm and dry?
Suggest a bright spot away from heat vents, fireplaces and drafty doors, and remind the host to take off the decorative foil so water can drain. Our gift plant guide has the first-week checklist to share.
Sources
- Do you need to bring a host gift to a holiday party? : Food Network, interview with Lizzie Post
- Should I bring a hostess gift? and Simple tips for gifting wine : The Emily Post Institute
- Etiquette rules : AARP, with Daniel Post Senning
- Wrap It Up : Purdue Consumer Horticulture
- Tips for Giving Plants as Holiday Gifts : Chicago Botanic Garden
- Guide to Selection and Care of Poinsettias : Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Transporting House Plants : University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension
- Indoor Plant Culture : Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Keep Gift Plants Under Wraps : Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County
- Holiday Rosemary : UW-Madison Extension Kenosha County
- Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5 : Folger Shakespeare Library
- Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List : ASPCA Animal Poison Control