<p>My two juniors did overnight visits (arranged through a college) and just as I was saying goodbye to them and pointing out to them the building in which they were to meet their hosts (as H and I fully intended to make ourselves scarce), I had this last minute fleeting thought ... Should they have something to give to their hosts as a thank-you for hosting them? I didn't mean anything glamorous or expensive -- I was thinking more along the lines of a tin of homemade cookies or brownies. My H laughed and thought I was being silly, that a sincere thank-you at the end of the visit was all that was needed. Maybe I'm old-school in the whole "hostess gift" phenomenon. Am I?</p>
<p>It’s hard to go wrong with a tin of homemade brownies. Your children’s hosts will not think you are old-fashioned at all!</p>
<p>My son has played host or tour guide to more than a dozen campus visitors, and while he hasn’t mentioned the thank you’s he’s received, he has definitely mentioned when the kids or parents are demanding or unreasonable (I don’t mean to imply that you or your kids are among these). Maybe getting a nice treat would soften those harsh experiences for frequent hosts, and keep them from quitting.</p>
<p>Text them and suggest that they buy dinner/dessert or coffee or something tasty/appreciated as a “thanks a lot” jesture. Unless these college hosts have a big personal spending budget, this will be more appreciated than just a note (although you may want to suggest that a note be sent as well)</p>
<p>Nobody ever says no to a Starbucks gift card (can be $5). When the wallet is empty and it’s three days before payday, your kids hosts will think of your kids fondly as they redeem their mocha latte.</p>
<p>Haha - this was at an LAC in the middle of nowhere, where there is no Starbucks for miles! But I get you on the concept and that’s a good idea to keep in mind (easy for them to hang on to). Thanks!</p>
<p>We usually sent along cookies or $ for ordering out pizza. Even schools in the middle of nowhere usually have at least one local place that delivers.</p>
<p>I don’t think you’re old school at all; I know my kids appreciate little gestures like that, now that they’re hosts instead of guests.</p>
<p>…Wow. I feel like a sucky propsie. I just friended my host on FB. xD;</p>
<p>As someone who hosts prospective students at my LAC, I’d love something like this!</p>
<p>My daughter took along cellophane bags of homemade chocolate chip cookies for her host and her host’s roommate when she did an overnight. They also love candy - Skittles, jelly beans, red hots - not as perishable as cookies.</p>
<p>I usually send money for ordering Pizza or going out for breakfast, but I like the Starbuck’s card (for places there is a Starbuck’s!). I would send cookies but I doubt they would make the plane ride in the luggage and probably would get tossed/eaten by TSA. Guess what Pizza, I must be “old school” too or gift with visits has turned into a midweset thing. I still bring “something” when our friends invite us over to their houses.</p>
<p>The handful of times I hosted an overnight guest I never received anything, and didn’t really think much of it. On the other hand, tours I gave to prospective students for my department usually wound up with me either getting a free lunch/ice cream or some cookies in the mail a few weeks later!</p>
<p>I never thought of giving something for the tour guides, I think cookies or a Starbucks card is a nice thing to bring.</p>
<p>A few times people on tours sent the admissions office a note saying what a great tour my D gave. Admissions mentioned this in their (monthly?) newsletters and it helped my D get promoted to Senior Tour guide. D really appreciated that people took the time (without any prompting) to send admissions those notes!</p>
<p>I think gifts for tour guides might be seen as culling favor - but my S just went on a visit this weekend and brought a nice bag of See’s chocolate hearts (valentines day you know) made sure to say they were from his mother which made for a good bonding moment over “crazy mothers” - who cares! These kids do a lot hosting a complete stranger, I imagine the visitors are not all fun! (although, I’m pretty sure my S was!)</p>
<p>I guess I should specify that I wasn’t a tour guide for the school itself. As in, I wasn’t employed and wasn’t based out of the Undergraduate Admissions office. I did tours as a favor to my department whenever students asked for a tour of our department-specific facilities. We were a pretty small department and our buildings are kind of tucked away, so you really needed a personalized tour in order to see what the department had to offer. These were also one on one tours, usually with the prospective student and their parents.</p>
<p>If I was giving a general campus tour on the payroll of the school then I certainly wouldn’t expect any sort of thank-you from people in my tour group.</p>
<p>I tucked a couple of boxes of girl scout cookies (saved in the freezer for 6 months) in my son’s bag for his hosts at WUSTL and, by all accounts, it started a riot since kids had been without thin mints and samoas for months. This year I have ordered cases from my daughter since I figure they will be good in care packages starting in September. While we all love home made stuff, something about thin mints sends teens into a frenzy.</p>
<p>Oooo, love the GS cookies idea.</p>
<p>I asked ds to notice what kinds of things his host liked and then sent a care package to the host along with ds’s thank-you note. I included popcorn, gum and some kind of mints the kid liked.</p>
<p>That’s a great gesture. My parents sent a thank-you email when my older brother stayed overnight at campuses, but a care package is much nicer.</p>
<p>Rather than start a new thread, I’ll bump this so as not to lose the great comments already on point and ask for more thoughts on this in general as well as appropriate gift ideas for someone visiting colleges who is not with a mom (we’re overseas) or near an oven (not that my S could bake). And, also, does it make a difference if the overnight is arranged through the admissions office or is with acquaintances?</p>
<p>D’yer maker–
Rather than baking I would just suggest to my son—strongly suggest—that he send later, or bring with him, a couple of boxes of anything kids like to eat – cookies, popcorn, cheese & crackers – and any of these are obtainable at a supermarket or convenience store on the way to the school. Cheese & crackers might be a good one as they are not available regularly in the cafeteria, and cookies usually are.</p>
<p>I think the Girl Scout cookies are an excellent idea! My dau is A Sr this year & will be doing a couple of these overnight visits, and we will order some with that plan in mind. I know how much kids love thin mints & samoas! </p>
<p>I think it is appropriate to bring such gifts no matter who is doing the hosting. It is because they are your hosts/hostesses that you are doing it. And a great opportunity to install the habit in our offspring.</p>