This upcoming weekend is the pinnacle of holiday party craziness, and with it comes daily trips to your local wine store to pick up hostess gifts. This year, dare to be different. Leave the pinot noir on the shelf (or at least dress up the bottle in a unique way), and opt for one of these fun hostess gifts instead.

1. Cleaning up the day after a party is bad enough. Cross "making breakfast" off your host's to-do list by giving them a loaf of this amazing, healthy(ish) banana bread from Cookies and Kate.  

2. If you insist on bringing that bottle of wine (we don't blame you, it's a crowd pleaser), consider wrapping it in a festive tea towel with a pretty ribbon or piece of twine. These cheerful but subdued linen ones from FOOD 52 would be perfect, and can be reused year after year by your hosts... long after the wine has been drained.  

3. Of course, flowers are always on our list of hostess gifts. Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere suggests purchasing a stock of inexpensive vases at flea markets throughout the year and pairing them with a flower-inspired couplet for a little extra thoughtfulness. Mason jars also make great inexpensive "vases" that you can buy in bulk and look cute in any kitchen.  

4. If you want to get a little crafty, try this cinnamon stick candle DIY that we recently featured on our blog. It takes less than 10 minutes, but is so much more thoughtful than the generic candle from your corner gift shop.  

5. Not all gifts that come in a bottle are wine. Give a spicy citrus olive oil sampler from O Olive Oil and your hosts will think of you kindly every time they make a winter salad.