Gifts for holiday house visits

Each year at this time, the Passage places gifts in the window, in time to make before you are a party or house guest; they can also be given for birthdays and other occasions.

Three handmade pleaures
There is a particular generosity in a gift you made yourself.

1. Overnight guest: Spa-day facecloth

If you can knit, make a covetable cotton facecloth.

A friend knitted one for me like the waffle-texture at left, in cyclamen pink. I carry it when travelling, because, as she observed, hotels and rental apartments often do not provide them.

If that first pattern looks daunting: here is one for a simpler knit-and-purl facecloth.


2. To a potluck: Individual phyllo apple-walnut pies

These little bundles are easy to make and look impressively chic on a table. (The phyllo handles easily because you tear it—so it doesn't have to look perfect.)

You can bring them baked, or finish at your host's. The recipe (from abeautifulplate.com) calls for Granny Smiths, but I think any baking apple will work.

If you want to leave the ramekins as part of the gift, you could; you can often find them perfect condition in thrift shops.


3. Girlfriend gift: Re-usable makeup remover pads

When a cool gift is also socially responsible, double win! A house guest left a small mountain of soiled cotton discs after every night's toilette, and I figured there had to be a better way.

Here are directions to make terry cloth rounds bound by a zig-zag machine stitch, and I'll bet that, if you had the patience, hand-sewing the layers together with a tidy blanket stitch would be an option.

If I wanted them to really last, I'd backstitch first, but that's more work. Give a small mesh wash bag with these; the little pads can get lost in the machine.

No time (or too many women)? You can buy them here (with a pretty storage box and wash bag), or order just the refills here and include a small wash bag from a dollar store.

Not crafty?

A homemade gift simple as making a sandwich:

1. Buy some cotton "favour bags" at a local craft store or on Etsy.
2. Buy some dried lavender buds.
3. Fill bag 3/4 full with lavender buds; tie closed firmly with a ribbon. In a pinch, use a twist-tie.
There, all done.

Give a set of three, to keep drawers fresh. (These deter moths but do not kill mature moths, eggs or larvae, so they don't "moth proof".)

The lavender scent can be restored for six or eight months by crushing the bag in your hands, and when it's used up, it is easy for the owner to refill.


Them, again: Finding something different

I could not do better than this list from The Strategist, and I like that it includes $10 items. But, if I can't buy the perfect thing locally, incurring the environmental load for only one $10 item is not a good idea, so I batch my orders. Besides, I would like one of those avocado thingys myself.

My idea: Lifetime Clothespins. Wonderful for any home laundry and for travel.


Last minute but thoughtful

When you have no time, keep your #1 objective in sight: that the recipient feels treated to something a bit more special than the everyday. At least one of the items below can be found in your locale; it's a good idea to have one or more on hand.

How about...?

• Good coffee beans or tea
• A bottle of top-grade olive oil
• Fresh kitchen utensils, like a silicon spatula or a new paring knife

• A new food dish for the pet (shown, Arrowhead dog bowl from PetSmart)
• A set of silicone stretch lids (Walmart)
• Every cell in my body would like to add "books" but this is harder to get right than you think. I'll sometimes pick up a few deluxe magazines that match my friend's interests.

... and please contribute your own ideas; thank you!