Good Life

House Warmers

Four out-of-the-ordinary gifts that will instantly make you the star of the party

Sure, you could bring candles or champagne to your next gathering. But wouldn’t it be nice to bring the host or hostess something a little more unexpected? Here are four gifts to give that will practically guarantee you a repeat invite:

Save a Banana (or Two)

You aren’t supposed to put bananas in the refrigerator to keep them from spoiling, but here’s an inventive idea: These banana hats are designed to preserve your favorite tropical treat. Simply place the silicone cap over the banana stem to slow the absorption of ethylene gas, which causes them to turn brown. Then, secure the silicone cap with one of these cute knit hits (choose from unicorn and viking or watermelon and pineapple) and, voilà! Bananas stay fresh longer.
($25, uncommongoods.com)

Home Sweet Home

Help friends commemorate the purchase of their new home by giving them a hand-drawn house portrait of their new digs. This elegant letter-pressed house portrait custom-made is simple to order. Upload a photo of a home, send proofs for approval, and then print your letter-pressed piece in the color of your choice. With a number of color and framing options available, the only difficult part of the process will be deciding what combination to select. ($178, minted.com)

Make-Your-Own Matcha

Matcha is the delicious, ceremonial-grade green tea sourced from Japan. But why shell out big bucks buying it from the local coffee house when you can have fun making your own at home? This kit has everything you need to make the perfect matcha. Just add eight ounces of your favorite milk for an instant latte, hot or iced. The set includes a tin of Pure Matcha and a traditional bamboo whisk, plus a quick tutorial for beginners. ($48, golde.co)

Sweet Surprise

This enameled Le Creuset honey pot in bright yellow with an embossed bee icon adds both color and sweetness to any table. The lidded honey jar contains a silicone dipper to swirl up a touch of honey for tea, charcuterie presentations, drizzling desserts and more.
($52, crateandbarrel.com)