hugueys Posted November 13, 2015 #1 Share Posted November 13, 2015 Our river cruise has a home hosted Kaffeeklatsch in Speyer. What would be appropriate as a thank you gift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2Otstr Posted November 13, 2015 #2 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I took a package of note cards that were pictures of our coastal Carolina area. Another gift I took was a small watercolor picture of our area with a print out of where we are and a map of NC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted November 14, 2015 #3 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Since this question isn't specific to Speyer, I moved the thread to the main River Cruising forum -- where you may get more answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted November 14, 2015 #4 Share Posted November 14, 2015 Our river cruise has a home hosted Kaffeeklatsch in Speyer. What would be appropriate as a thank you gift? We went to the home hosted dinner in Speyer in Sept. and our family was quite well off financially. The husband was a painter and his wife an author. I would bring a bouquet of flowers or a box of candy...the same thing you would bring as a hostess gift in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire73 Posted November 14, 2015 #5 Share Posted November 14, 2015 We went to our home hosted Kaffeeklatsch yesterday in Speyer. While we wished we had brought something from home, we (5 of us) bought some hostess gifts in Speyer: jam imported from the UK, chocolates, and flowers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted November 14, 2015 #6 Share Posted November 14, 2015 We went to our home hosted Kaffeeklatsch yesterday in Speyer. While we wished we had brought something from home, we (5 of us) bought some hostess gifts in Speyer: jam imported from the UK, chocolates, and flowers. If you've got a local product you're proud of, that travels well and you want to share it, by all means that would be an appropriate gift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrheadlass Posted November 14, 2015 #7 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I've been to a bunch of these, and try not to bring something that will clutter up the host's home. I've brought chocolate covered cranberries from my area, and recently have brought printed in USA kitchen towels with a recipe on them. They've been well received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted November 14, 2015 #8 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I've been to a bunch of these, and try not to bring something that will clutter up the host's home. I've brought chocolate covered cranberries from my area, and recently have brought printed in USA kitchen towels with a recipe on them. They've been well received. Thoughtful, different and sensitive....you must be from New England....cranberries are one of my favorite foods...chocolate covered or not...what a great idea!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrheadlass Posted November 15, 2015 #9 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Thoughtful, different and sensitive....you must be from New England....cranberries are one of my favorite foods...chocolate covered or not...what a great idea!!! :D Yes, I live near cape cod and my daughter lives in N.C.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted November 15, 2015 #10 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Yes, I live near cape cod and my daughter lives in N.C.! You're kidding! I live on south shore of eastern Long Island and MY daughter lives in Asheville!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floridiana Posted November 15, 2015 #11 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Germans usually bring one or two of the following: flowers, chocolate, wine. Buy all of it in Germany. German flower shops make beautiful arrangements ready for the vase. Bring nothing that clutters up the house. If you live in Hawaii, bring Kona coffee. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted November 15, 2015 #12 Share Posted November 15, 2015 (edited) Germans usually bring one or two of the following: flowers, chocolate, wine. Buy all of it in Germany. German flower shops make beautiful arrangements ready for the vase. Bring nothing that clutters up the house. If you live in Hawaii, bring Kona coffee. :) Kona coffee is a REALLY nice gift!!! For anyone, but kind of pricey especially if you don't know whether your host family drinks coffee or tea. Only thing I disagree with is the wine...I don't like wine as a hostess gift because I always feel that to be polite I should serve it.....in place of or in addition to the wine I've already chosen...but candy and flowers are always welcome....especially flowers....but that's just me. Edited November 15, 2015 by Hydrokitty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ_Travels Posted November 16, 2015 #13 Share Posted November 16, 2015 If you've got a local product you're proud of, that travels well and you want to share it, by all means that would be an appropriate gift. Agreed! We visited Norway last year and some gentlemen were kind enough to open the Scout Museum (Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are combined into one there) for us on a day they were not open to the public. We are from the San Francisco area and brought them Ghiradelli chocolate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted November 16, 2015 #14 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Agreed! We visited Norway last year and some gentlemen were kind enough to open the Scout Museum (Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are combined into one there) for us on a day they were not open to the public. We are from the San Francisco area and brought them Ghiradelli chocolate. If you brought me Ghiradelli chocolate, I'd open anything you wanted!!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugueys Posted November 16, 2015 Author #15 Share Posted November 16, 2015 We're from Louisville KY and the specialty here is bourbon and horses. Wasn't sure of bourbon was an appropriate gift and didn't think I could fit a horse in my 26 Lb luggage limit. Thanks for all the help on this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted November 16, 2015 #16 Share Posted November 16, 2015 We're from Louisville KY and the specialty here is bourbon and horses. Wasn't sure of bourbon was an appropriate gift and didn't think I could fit a horse in my 26 Lb luggage limit. Thanks for all the help on this thread. Horse could be a problem....I mean the over weight luggage fees would be more than the National Debt!!! As for the Kentucky bourbon....you never know...of course you couldn't carry it on...and one of the baggage handlers could remove it for some reason :D Seriously though....something totally Kentuckian....maybe a bottle of mint julep or a coffee mug from the Derby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floridiana Posted November 17, 2015 #17 Share Posted November 17, 2015 The gift need not be from your home state. Believe me, I have framed pictures and a bottle of spirits in the closet from places that mean nothing to me. Guest brought them from their home country believing they were thoughtful gifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ka Honu Posted November 17, 2015 #18 Share Posted November 17, 2015 (edited) I'm not sure I understand the concept here. If I read the brochures correctly, this is an included excursion offered by a cruise company (and paid for as part of your overall fare). If that is not essentially the case, please disregard the rest of this post. We take "bread & butter gifts" to homes we visit as guests and often receive them from our own visitors. That's simply a polite response to hospitality. On the other hand, we (or those we visit) are not selling tickets and don't profit from the occasion. There is a difference between a social call and a paid excursion. The former merits a gift from the visitor; the latter is a purchase similar to buying a ticket to an amusement park attraction and does not. If you consider the gift as a non-monetary tip to a local guide who has provided you an above-average experience, please continue the practice but treat (and discuss) it as such. If you just enjoy doing it or it makes you feel less like a paying visitor and more like a guest, go right ahead. In either case, however, please don't imply that it is in the same Emily Post category as social occasions with friends or relatives (unless you charge or pay your friends and relatives for visits). End of rant. Thanks for asking. Edited November 17, 2015 by Ka Honu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane361 Posted November 17, 2015 #19 Share Posted November 17, 2015 I agree wholeheartedly. The "hostess" is providing a service that has been purchased by the cruise line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrokitty Posted November 17, 2015 #20 Share Posted November 17, 2015 All that you both say is true, and well put I might add. I don't know where or how it got started because none of the cruise literature suggests that you bring a gift....and you're absolutely right, the cruise line pays the host and in some cases provides the food. I have been on trips where the home hosted dinner is an optional (Russia) and you paid extra for it (we didn't) BUT...I still think it's a nice gesture to bring a little something for the hostess who, even though she didn't have to buy everything, did have to clean the house, prepare the food and clean up afterwards. However, no one should ever feel that they would be remiss if they did NOT bring a gift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2Otstr Posted November 17, 2015 #21 Share Posted November 17, 2015 The Grand Circle handbook suggests that one might want to bring a small gift for the home hosted event. None is expected. Most of the events that I have attended had about 40 to 50% gifts that were given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deec Posted November 17, 2015 #22 Share Posted November 17, 2015 never even thought about a gift...and have not seen any brought the couple of times we enjoyed a home hosted meal...not sure what I will do in the future....it might be nice if as a group the tour director could bring flowers or something...what if the entire group each brought a gift....could be a problem for the host trying to deal with the it! Have taken things to schools we visited... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrheadlass Posted November 17, 2015 #23 Share Posted November 17, 2015 (edited) I went to a GCT home hosted lunch yesterday. For the first time ever, I didn't bring anything. I'd noticed that less and less often were people bringing gifts. As the above poster mentioned, the hosts are being paid. We had a terrific time with our hostess in Croatia yesterday and I felt a little guilty. However, I'll not be bringing gifts again. She told us she'd hosted about 25 times this year. Think how the stuff would pile up! Edited November 17, 2015 by Barrheadlass Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire73 Posted November 17, 2015 #24 Share Posted November 17, 2015 (edited) I was told that GCT was the first river cruise company to have a home visit as a regular feature of their cruises. And as H2Otstr notes, GCT suggests that one might want to bring a small gift. I gather (from friends who have traveled extensively in Europe) that it is the custom to bring a small gift to one's hostess - with the emphasis on "small" gift. I would definitely bring a gift again, probably flowers. We had an amazing visit with our hostess, and I think our freely offered gifts may have helped establish a rapport that enhanced our visit. Edited November 17, 2015 by Sapphire73 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted November 17, 2015 #25 Share Posted November 17, 2015 I'm not sure I understand the concept here. If I read the brochures correctly, this is an included excursion offered by a cruise company (and paid for as part of your overall fare). If that is not essentially the case, please disregard the rest of this post. We take "bread & butter gifts" to homes we visit as guests and often receive them from our own visitors. That's simply a polite response to hospitality. On the other hand, we (or those we visit) are not selling tickets and don't profit from the occasion. There is a difference between a social call and a paid excursion. The former merits a gift from the visitor; the latter is a purchase similar to buying a ticket to an amusement park attraction and does not. If you consider the gift as a non-monetary tip to a local guide who has provided you an above-average experience, please continue the practice but treat (and discuss) it as such. If you just enjoy doing it or it makes you feel less like a paying visitor and more like a guest, go right ahead. In either case, however, please don't imply that it is in the same Emily Post category as social occasions with friends or relatives (unless you charge or pay your friends and relatives for visits). End of rant. Thanks for asking. As long as we're ranting today, COULD YOU PLEASE TURN OFF THE CONSTANT BOLDING IN ALL YOUR POSTS? It is a form of shouting, similar to what I just did above -- and it makes your posts very painful to read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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