The Gift to Eternal Doubt of The Perfect Guest

Tips for choosing the right gift to bring as a guest to a lunch or dinner

• MasterD becomes a corporate partner of the Spanish Protocol Association (AEP)

What gift to bring to the host

Special dates arrive and invitations to lunches and dinners multiply. Here the eternal question arises, what gift do I bring to the host?

For starters, it is not strictly mandatory to bring a gift, but, in my opinion, it is more than convenient. Bringing a gift or detail is an elegant and polite way of thanking that person who has wanted to share a special moment with you in their own home for the invitation.

Unfortunately, there is no “standard” gift that will get us out of “trouble.” Nor do I think it was reasonable that there should be. Here many factors come into play and the most important, the degree of proximity and knowledge of the host. Because it is not the same to be invited by your boss or a childhood friend.

What we can do is follow some general guidelines. And is that the protocol is, basically, common sense.

• The gifts should not be too personal, especially if the one who invites you is your boss. Wearing clothes or perfumes, for example, is an almost certain way to miss the mark.
• The traditional gift, wine, I do not consider to be a good option. When a person organizes a lunch or dinner, they already have the right pairing for the menu. So avoid putting him in the commitment to open or not the bottle you just brought. If you still want to bring something to drink, it is better to opt for a liquor that can be serve at the end of the meal and that can combine well with desserts or coffees.
• Sweets yes, desserts no. Unless the host is you trust and you have discussed it previously, do not show up with a dessert. That detail will have already foreseen. You can opt for sweets that can be served at coffee time such as chocolates, macarons or gourmet truffles. Now at Christmas you can take the opportunity to bring sweets such as artisan marzipan.
• If you know his hobbies, a book will always be welcome . Lovers of cinema, photography, cooking … will thank you.
• The flowers or plants. They are an elegant detail. The downside, if you do not know the hosts well, it may happen that one of them is allergic.
• Something that does not usually fail are gourmet products. A good aromatic oil or an elegant box of teas are details that will make you hit the mark.

In the end, the basic rule is that the gift is simple, but beautiful and tasteful.

Once the gift has been chosen, you have to pay attention to the presentation. The packaging says a lot about the interest you have put in pleasing, which in the end is the goal.

And last but not least, it is the thank you card or note that must accompany the detail.

As the last guideline to be the perfect guest, do not forget to deliver the gift at the time of greeting, in the hall, just before going to the room with the rest of the guests.

Read more: This dictionary contains 61 cowardly quotes and proverbs :