Thank you present for a family

November 7, 2011 2:43 PM

This past weekend I stayed with a friend's family while traveling. They were very welcoming and I would like to send them a thank you present. What are some good gifts that the whole family can enjoy?

Some relevant details:
- Two middle-age parents, two kids in their early 20's.
- They are wealthy.
- The mom likes to cook.

I considered an electronic picture frame, but they have one. I also thought about wine, but they have a full wine cellar already.

$100 budget.

Thanks!

posted by yodangson to shopping (15 answers total)

A copy of Settlers of Catan, or another board game, if they're board game types.
posted by mollymayhem at 2:48 PM on November 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

Homemade cookies?
posted by kestrel251 at 2:48 PM on November 7, 2011

Harry and David makes some nice gifts baskets/towers at that price range.
posted by blurker at 2:49 PM on November 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

Some nice, local honeys.
posted by phunniemee at 2:49 PM on November 7, 2011

Nice chocolates or other high-end nibbles. It's pretty much always been my experience that consumables are the way to go in these situations.
posted by Diagonalize at 2:49 PM on November 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

If you know they enjoy wine, consider giving them a bottle -- unless their cellar is literally so full that it cannot accommodate another bottle.

This works best if you have a little story behind the bottle you give them. ("Thanks so much for your hospitality. I know you enjoy wine. I discovered this wine while traveling in Spain/I had this bottle to celebrate my release from prison/etc. ... and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.")

It may be hard to know what types of wine they tend to enjoy, but that's going to be a problem with a lot of things you might get them -- ultimately a large part of it is about the gesture. This will show that you thought about it.
posted by veggieboy at 2:50 PM on November 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

How about a Dean and Deluca Gift Basket?
posted by Perplexity at 3:07 PM on November 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

Kitchen-y crafts are also nice, particularly if associated (ala veggieboy) with a story or region. E.g. pot holders, dish towels, trivits, table cloths, small bowls, etc.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 3:09 PM on November 7, 2011

Send them something they can't get where they are located. Something made local to your home place. Sounds like they have everything already.
posted by patrad at 3:48 PM on November 7, 2011 [2 favorites]

Do they enjoy cooking? How about a cookbook and a dessert cookbook? That should get you in the budget and have some left over for gift wrapping and shipping!
posted by Yellow at 4:48 PM on November 7, 2011

Do they enjoy cooking? How about a cookbook and a dessert cookbook? That should get you in the budget and have some left over for gift wrapping and shipping!

Teas? Snazzy coffees?

Gourmet popcorn?
posted by Yellow at 4:50 PM on November 7, 2011

Edible Arrangements: cut fresh fruit in pretty centerpiece-type arrangements, with the option of having some of it chocolate-dipped. I think they're site is www.EdibleASrrangements.com, but I'm not positive.
posted by easily confused at 5:21 PM on November 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

*their*, not 'they're'!
posted by easily confused at 5:22 PM on November 7, 2011

A 1/2 gallon of maple syrup and some pancake mix
posted by alfanut at 6:53 PM on November 7, 2011

Thank you for all the great suggestions! I'm going to go with the board game idea (not sure which one yet though). I can't believe I hadn't thought of this one because the family has a game room that looked like it's used frequently.
posted by yodangson at 1:56 PM on November 10, 2011