A noteworthy gift

Create a small, personal gift perfect for life’s little occasions

Hallmark staff
A Noteworthy Gift: Simple Hostess Gift Ideas @hallmarkstores @hallmarkstoresIdeas

Graduations, showers, weddings—every year brings planned and unplanned celebrations to fill your calendar. And while there’s certainly a place for splashy presents, there’s never a bad time to give a gift to the people who played behind-the-scenes roles in getting those celebrations off without a hitch.

A little bundle of note cards can be a great pick-me-up for a new empty nester or grandma-to-be or a thank-you to the hostess of your favorite niece’s bridal shower. Wrap up the cards in a pretty handkerchief, and voilà, you will prove that good things really do come in small packages.

Note cards are available in so many interesting styles and patterns that you can find one to suit nearly anyone’s personality. Then all you need to add is the wrapping. Use a colorful napkin from a favorite kitchen store or the vintage handkerchief you fell in love with at a consignment shop (and then had no idea what to do with when you got it home!).

What you’ll need

  • 6-12 note cards
  • Fancy handkerchief or napkin
  • Ribbon
  • Large button with large holes (optional)

How to make it

  1. Choose a collection of note cards for your recipient—find a set that’s delicately detailed for an unabashedly feminine friend, or select a simple monogrammed set for the woman with understated elegance.
    Tip: If you order a monogrammed set, the last name initial is shown prominently in the center with the smaller first name and middle name initials displayed to the left and right.
  2. Find a vintage handkerchief or pretty napkin to wrap the note cards in—a monochromatic color scheme for a more elegant package or a colorfully embellished handkerchief for a bright and cheerful gift. Iron any wrinkles out of the handkerchief or napkin, and then neatly stack the note cards and envelopes diagonally in the center.
    Tip: Tuck in a book of postage stamps as a thoughtful little extra.
  3. Wrap the handkerchief or napkin around the cards, folding in the corners as you go (think of it as a lace burrito), so that you are left with a decorated corner on top. Run a ribbon around the package horizontally to keep everything in place. Tie the ends of the ribbon in a small bow.
    Tip: For a more whimsical feel, pull the ends of the ribbon through the holes of a large button before tying them in a bow.