Perhaps just a genuine thank you (which you, of course, will), and then offer to treat her to lunch.

So many gift=givers just want a genuine appreciation of the gift, and a heart-felt thanks. No reciprocity expected. After all, Christmas is the season of giving, not getting!

Oh Annie - how sweet of your friend to gift you. But I know how awkward that can be. My neighbor stopped by yesterday with home made spiced nuts and peppermint bark. I shouldn't worry about not having something for her since DH bakes bread and we give her a loaf every now and then. But I still felt like I should have been prepared to reciprocate. I have 2 other friends who usually bake something and I'll probably be on the receiving end. So now I'm trying to think of something to make for them.

I'll be watching this thread for other ideas.

^What HU posted. I think a heart-felt thank you is just fine. Yesterday a very nice gift from a friend was delivered from Kansas City Steaks. We didn’t get a gift for her, and I just called and let her know how very much we appreciated it. I’ve just gotten to the point where I can’t worry about it like I used to.

Pretty darn nice!

I’m sure she’ll love it, especially since you made it. Pretty yarn colors!

I have received a few small gifts I really liked.

One was a fir-scented votive with a cute box of holiday matches. Who doesn't have a place for a votive? And the scent is *exactly* like fresh pine.

I also got a waxed amyrillis bulb, with holly on it. It was pretty and no one can have an issue with these as they require no care and can't rebloom so you are off the hook.

We always have a few tins of Nyakers Gingersnaps on hand for just this reason.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the neck scarf! Brilliant gift! I have plain ones in fleece, one that's angora...they are awesome!

^^^ mtn, I beg to differ about the waxed amaryllis not reblooming. There are videos on YouTube that show how to remove the wax and then re-plant them. Give it a try!

@annie, we also have a few boxes of Wi Fi Flameless Candles we purchased at a big discount to give away as well.

I have a friend who keeps bottles of wine already wrapped to hand out if necessary...and if not, they have the wine!

It was really stupid of me as the day before I was at the gift shop where I buy lots of consummables as gifts and I could've easily gotten something for her, but I was too slow on the uptake, and she only gave me about 5 min notice before dropping off the gift. The store is full of stuff made in our state including salsas, jams, salad dressings, soup kits, lotions, candles, soaps and more. Those make great gifts as they work even for people who have everything and, like the wine, if wrapped and ready to give away, if it doesn't happen, you still have the stuff to enjoy yourself.

How dare anyone give a surprise gift!!!

The Japanese traditionally give soap as a thank you gift.

I seriously need to learn how to knit. An aunt taught me how to crochet when I was five, but I did not keep it up.

Lars, crochet is so much easier and faster. So I'd start with that first. But I prefer the product produced by knitting better in general. If you don't have the patience for crochet, you won't for knitting.

That scarf is a lovely gift! Nice job!

Nice scarf!

I'd go with consumables over tchotchkes like candles though. I don't have any candles in my house - I have a firefighter friend, and he put the fear of fire in me something fierce.

I definitely have the patience for knitting, and I always had the patience for crocheting as well - I just did not spend enough time with that aunt to keep it up, and at five years old, I did not have my own needles, but I did make doll clothes that I sewed by hand, which took more patience than sewing by machine. I still hand finish a lot of sewing projects by hand. What takes a lot of patience is re-threading the four thread serger, as this takes longer than the serging.

I love that scarf, Annie. So cozy. If your friend doesn’t like it, I can send you another address. 😎

Sometimes, I think it is a gift to let someone give you something without expectation of anything in return. Your scarf is lovely and I am sure she will treasure it. I would never have a stash of gifts to grab when someone unexpectedly brings something to me as it requires no thought for what one or another person might really appreciate. I don't think gifts are a quid pro quo situation.

I understand, but if streets between friends are too much one-way, it can hurt the friendship.

Some time in the future I may need to rely on a friend for serious help. I don't want to "burn out" their generosity ahead of time IYKWIM.

This NY Times article was in my FB feed: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/gifts/cheap-just-in-case-gifts/?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&fbclid=IwAR1D8RyldG81XLY-rSdWY-JRJrhpKhbNVrQiwLrsqgjpU_Nps3qFQtzURpw

Suggestions for "just in case" gifts

I do keep "just in case" gifts on hand, and I buy a lot of them when I am traveling. If I see something that I want for myself but also think it might make a nice gift, I buy it when I see it, and often I keep it for myself, but it does also save me from having to do any frantic shopping.

Your link shows refrigerator magnets, which I hate, but I do like these magnetic hooks, which I use on my refrigerators. My kitchen here in Cathedral City is tiny, and these hooks have given me a lot more storage on the side of my fridge - I think I have about 15 of them. I hang things that I use most often, such as oven mitts, spatulas, etc. and then I can reach them quickly.

Love Wirecutter for their ideas. Thanks for sharing that Annie. I’m set for this year but will have to bookmark that for another time as there are a couple of good ones. I sometimes keep a cute set of coasters as a last-minute gift. Or a new holiday pot holder and kitchen towel. Surprising how well-received these can be.

I’ll let you know about ’Exploding Kittens’. My great niece asked for that game, I bought it, and I’m sure we’ll play it on Christmas Eve at our family get-together.

Annie, wow I can't believe you whipped out that beauty in a few hours. It took me well over an hour to wrap a huge gift last night and does not look like I spent that long!

That is very kind and thoughtful of you. She will love it. She will love it even more bc you made it.