Hostess Gifts Ideas For Your Labor Day Soiree

Although everyone is watching their pennies these days, that's no excuse for showing up empty handed to a Labor Day soiree. The key is to put together a gift that is unique, fun, and personal - and that doesn't mean expensive! In fact all the gift ideas are all under $25! Rebecca Dolgin of TheNest.com stopped by to show us a few inexpensive gift ideas.

• BREAKFAST IN A BASKET
Since it's a holiday and the house is sure to be full, it's always a good idea to bring a gift that will make the host/ess' job easier - like a breakfast basket that keeps the him/her from having to cook the next morning! Check out this basket that we loaded with everything you need for the perfect breakfast - Starbuck's coffee, fresh muffins and scones, biscotti (which you could DIY or pick up at your local bakery!), and even a cute kitchen towel.
TOTAL - COFFEE - $11, PASTRIES/BASKET/DISH CLOTH - $10 - $21

• BOARD GAMES
With an increase in people entertaining at home this summer, board games are back and hotter than ever - and a perfect hostess gift! Not only are they inexpensive, but your host might even break it out at the party. We picked up all of these games here for under $25 each at Toys R Us. And what's great is that you can really customize it towards what sort of event you're attending, like "Apples to Apples" is great for large groups, or if you're headed to an outdoor BBQ - pick up a game that's made to play outside like football, or badminton. And then of course there are the classics like Yahtzee!
TOTAL - All games are under $24.95 at Toys R Us

• ALTERNATIVE TO THE BOTTLE OF WINE
One of my favorite hostess gifts is to bring all of the ingredients for one of your favorite refreshing summer cocktails - all tucked neatly inside a pitcher. I have all of the ingredients for the perfect "Spiked Rosemary Lemonade" (which is also delicious without the "spike"), and I even included a recipe card tied onto the handle. And the best part? You can pick all of this up at your local grocery store!
TOTAL - PITCHER - $5, INGREDIENTS - $15 to $20

• A TOKEN FROM YOUR HOMETOWN
If you're traveling this holiday weekend, a unique and budget friendly idea is to bring a little something from your hometown as a token of appreciation for your hostess. Personally, I'm from the Chappaqua area -so my absolute FAVORITE gift is toffee from Chappaqua Toffee Company! This candy is AMAZING and is sure to impress your host. And the best part is that they have a wide variety of price point options, from a small bag that starts at $6 and up, or one of these adorable galvanized steel buckets filled with a pound of candy for $24.
And it's not too late to order from their online shop, or you can check their website for retailers in the tri-state area.
TOTAL - $6 and up

• SOAPS
Who isn't into all natural and eco-friendly products these days? Well, I found the perfect all natural hostess gift that's also very stylish - Saipua (pronounced sai-poo-ah) handmade soaps! These olive oil-based soaps are hand cut, air dried, and cured on site in a tiny store/workshop in Red Hook Brooklyn. All soaps are free of artificial dyes and fragrances, scented instead with essential oils and herbs for varieties like coffee mint, mango butter, and rose geranium. These are $8 a bar, and are available at their shop or online at Saipua.com.
TOTAL - $8 - for each bar

For more information, visit thenest.com.