A good vintage host gift is small, complete and ready to use the same evening: a set of four gold-rim glasses, a pair of crystal coupes, a silver-plate ice bucket, or coasters and swizzle sticks. The Emily Post Institute advises keeping a host gift small and easy to receive. Check every rim before you wrap it.
This guide sorts ideas by occasion, from Thanksgiving dinner to a New Year’s Eve party. For ideas sorted by the person, see vintage barware gifts; for a couple, see vintage barware wedding gifts.
What makes a good host gift?
The Emily Post Institute describes a host gift as a gesture of appreciation, most fitting on a first visit or an overnight stay. Its guidance gives four tests:
- Small. The host can take it at the door while greeting other guests.
- Within your means. It is a token, not an obligation.
- No strings. Do not expect the host to use it that evening.
- Right for the event. Gifts are not usually taken to large, formal dinners, especially if you do not know the host well.
Which vintage gift suits which occasion?
| Occasion | What the host is doing | A vintage gift that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving dinner | Cooking all day, short on counter space | Four matching glasses, or a small tray |
| Friendsgiving | Casual, everyone brings a dish | Coasters, swizzle sticks or cocktail picks |
| Christmas party | Serving a crowd from a sideboard | A silver-plate ice bucket with tongs |
| New Year’s Eve | Toasting at midnight | A pair of crystal coupes |
| Housewarming | Setting up a new home | A set of six glasses for a first bar shelf |
Thanksgiving dinner: glasses the host can use again
The Thanksgiving host spends most of the day in the kitchen, so pick something that needs no attention: four or six glasses to bring out at the next gathering.
Gold-banded mid-century glasses suit the colors of a fall table. Retro Solstice, a specialist dealer, says Culver decorated its glass with real 22-karat gold from the late 1950s through the 1960s. Gold sits on the surface, so compare every glass in the listing photos for even color. Our guide to Culver barware shows the marks. Add a care line to your card: gold bands need hand washing, and our guide to caring for vintage glassware explains why.
Vintage gold rim glasses for a Thanksgiving host
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If you are the one hosting, our guide to holiday table glassware covers which glasses to set at each place.
Friendsgiving: small pieces that fit in a tote
Friendsgiving is usually a shared meal, so you may already be carrying a dish. A pocket-sized gift works best:
- Coasters. The Victoria and Albert Museum explains that decanter coasters let guests slide a decanter or bottle along the table without scratching it, and caught drips. Smaller glass coasters do the same job under a tumbler.
- Swizzle sticks and cocktail picks. Glass or metal sets are light and easy to wrap. Count the pieces against the listing.
- A small bar tray. A tray gathers glasses on a crowded counter. If it is sold as silver, read the marks first: the Birmingham Assay Office lists EPNS, EPBM and “Silver Plate” among the marks used on plated items. Our guide to sterling vs silver plate hallmarks shows where to look.
Vintage coasters, swizzle sticks and bar trays
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Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve: gifts for the sideboard
December hosts serve more people over a longer evening, so a serving piece earns its place. A silver-plate ice bucket holds ice, chills sparkling cider or holds greenery. Check that tongs are included if the listing shows them, and ask about the liner.
For New Year’s Eve, a pair of vintage coupes makes a gift for the midnight toast. A ribbon around one stem is all the wrapping a pair needs at the door.
Our hub on vintage cocktail glasses explains how a coupe differs from a flute and what size to expect.
A punch bowl set is large, so ask first or have one sent ahead; vintage punch bowls explains what a complete set includes.
Vintage silver-plate ice buckets for holiday hosts
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For a host who collects mid-century glass
Collectors who entertain want sets they can use as well as display. According to 1stDibs, Dorothy Thorpe’s silver-banded Roly Poly tumblers became a staple of the mid-century home bar. The Culver gold-banded glasses from the Thanksgiving section suit the same host.
Two points matter. First, attribution: many silver-rim glasses are sold as Thorpe without a signature, so read our guide to mid-century barware designers first. Second, the silver or gold should be even across the set. A host with plenty of glasses may prefer a bar cart or an ice bucket; our mid-century home bar setup covers those. For a housewarming, a set of six matching glasses in one everyday shape, such as old fashioned glasses, starts a first bar shelf.
What to check so the set arrives complete
- Count the pieces. Match the number in the title to the photos.
- Ask for rim photos. Chips at the rim are the most common fault in old glass.
- Look at the decoration in daylight. Worn gold or silver bands show up best in natural light.
- Ask how it will be packed. Each glass should be wrapped on its own.
Order with a few days to spare to check and wash each piece. Our guide to buying vintage barware on eBay safely covers returns.
How to present a vintage gift
Waterford’s care guide says to wash crystal in warm soapy water, rinse it well and dry it with a lint-free cloth. Then add a card naming the maker, the pattern and roughly when it was made.
Most vintage cut crystal contains lead, so a crystal gift is serving ware; our guide to lead crystal safety has the advice to pass on.
Related guides
- Vintage barware gifts: ideas by person, from the martini purist to groomsmen.
- Vintage barware wedding gifts: coupes, silver and anniversary crystal for a couple.
- Collecting vintage crystal decanters: the buyer’s guide for a larger gift.
- Vintage punch bowls: bowl, cups and ladle sets for a crowd.
Questions collectors ask
What is a good host gift for Thanksgiving dinner?
Something small the host can put straight on the sideboard: a set of four vintage glasses, a silver-plate ice bucket, or coasters and swizzle sticks. The Emily Post Institute advises a gift that is small and easy for the host to receive while greeting guests.
Do I need to bring a host gift to Friendsgiving?
The Emily Post Institute says a host gift is not required for a casual dinner, though it is a kind gesture, especially on a first visit to someone's home. If every guest is bringing a dish, a small extra such as coasters is plenty.
Should the host use my gift that evening?
That is up to the host. The Emily Post Institute says not to expect a host to serve or use what you bring. Wash vintage glasses before you wrap them, so they are ready if the host does want to use them.
What do I give a host who already collects vintage glass?
A piece that fits what they own: a signed tumbler to add to a set, or a piece that sits beside the glasses, such as an ice bucket or a tray. Check the signature first, because many silver-rim glasses are sold as Thorpe without one.
Sources
- Should I Bring a Hostess Gift?The Emily Post Institute
- Culver LtdRetro Solstice
- Dorothy Thorpe: designer biography1stDibs
- Silver Assay and Hallmarking ExplainedBirmingham Assay Office
- Pair of CoastersVictoria and Albert Museum
- Care GuideWaterford
From our guide to Collecting Vintage Crystal Decanters: A Buyer's Guide.
