I am atttending a Thanksgiving dinner and plan to bring a dessert or a side. Should I take the food in a disposable dish that can be thrown away after the dinner or should I buy a new dish and leave the dish as a hostess gift? If so, how do I "gift" it in a way that the hostess knows she can keep it?
2007-11-20 07:59:29 · 37 answers · asked by elaine 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
It is nice gesture to leave the dish as a gift. I would put a big bow on the desert dish if you want to leave it with a little gift card that says simply Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for having me!...
2007-11-20 08:02:50 · answer #1 · answered by vixxen 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
either use a disposable dish
OR if you would LIKE to give a hostess gift, certainly go that route -- and if you do, just tell the hostess when you get there "this is a gift you can keep once the food is gone" or something.
or bring it in a dish you already have...if it's a casual family or friends dinner where you really know the people well, you can take it with you when you leave -- if it's a more formal or bigger affair, just leave the dish (i suggest marking it with your name on some tape on the bottom) and the hostess will see you get it back.
2007-11-20 08:58:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can do it either way. If you want to "gift" it wrap a decorative bow around it and kindly let the hostess know it is hers to keep. If you take it in a throw away container you should still let the hostess know you do not need it returned. Throw away containers are also really nice because the hostess will have less clean up after the party is over with. Having parties quite a bit I hate having to do all the dishes afterwards.
2007-11-20 08:05:08 · answer #3 · answered by Button's girl 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would either use a disposable or pick up a nice serving dish that isn't to expensive and just tell the hostess to keep it. Since it's Thanksgiving I'd choose a glass dish. You can pick something up at the dollar store for a couple of dollars.
2007-11-20 15:03:05 · answer #4 · answered by Classy Granny 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on how long you will stay there. If you are one of the last guests, bringing the left over and dish home wouldn't be a problem or inappropriate.
However, if that would be an issue, buy a cheap ceramic dish from the dollar store. It will look classy while being cheap. :) It might be polite to ask the host prior to leaving if she wish to keep the desert/dish. If she feels obligated to give back the dish (after you said it's okay to keep), just go with the flow and bring the dish home or retrieve it later.
2007-11-20 08:06:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you are not required to leave the dish. The best thing you can do is buy a disposable one, that way it's one less dish to wash and you don't have to worry about bringing it home.
I think if you want to bring a "gift" you should bring somethng else. A dirty dessert dish isn't really a nice way to give something. besides, if there is dessert left over then there's the hassle of finding a place to put it. The dessert you are bringing is its own gift.
2007-11-20 08:05:40 · answer #6 · answered by Melissa 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A disposable dish would be fine or a nice dish with a maybe a little note attached to the bottom (that way they find it when they go to wash the dish) that says "thank you so much for having me over and I hope you liked my _________(whatever you made) and feel free to keep this dish as a gift of my thanks!"
Or if it;s a closer friend tell htem they only way you'll accept the dish back is if they bring it filled the next time you invite them over. We have several family dished that do this back and forth quite often! :-)
2007-11-20 08:03:34 · answer #7 · answered by Deny_Zoo29 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you honestly intend the serving container to be a present, let them know that upon arrival. If you don't then I would use a disposable container or one you are not overly fond of. You may be able to get the container back when you leave...if you remember it :) If you forget, will it be difficult for you to retrieve it later on? If so, stick with disposable. If this person has a lot of house parties, then making the container a present in itself is a very lovely idea. My sister has a solution that she uses at the holidays. She makes her favorite cookies every year and puts them into metal tins. When she gives the gift she informs the person that if they want more next year they need to give the container back to her. If they don't want more, keep the container LOL.
2007-11-20 08:21:28 · answer #8 · answered by thenora 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay. Both of your suggestions are good options. If you decide to take the dish as a "gift," you could say to the hostess when you arrive "I hope you enjoy the (fill in dish) and the container is yours to keep for hosting such a lovely get together" or something of the sort.
2007-11-20 08:03:29 · answer #9 · answered by GinGi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on who you are giving the dish to. If it is family or friends then yes but if it is like a program or meeting then I suggest you bring a disposable that way they dont have to be responsible for the dish. If you want to give it as a gift then you could
a)tell them that they can keep it
b)put a note or sticker that says to . . . . from. . . .
c)give the dish with the meal as a gift
2007-11-20 08:07:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would just make the dish in a disposable vessel. If you give someone something with food inside of it, you're just giving them more dishes to wash! If you want to give a hostess gift, give her something that doesn't start off by increasing her workload.
2007-11-20 09:15:38 · answer #11 · answered by bainaashanti 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋