What should a college student bring to friend’s beach house as gift?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love to send Omaha steaks. And I always love something personalized with the name of the beach house- napkins, dish towels. You can send something later with a thank you note.

Reminder: this would be coming from a college guy.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for a bouquet of flowers. I don't give wine unless I know what they like.

[Anonymous]

Nothing! He’s a poor college kid and the parents are rich. Just a polite attitude, and gave him mail a thank you card after the fact.

[Anonymous]

Wine is way too tricky to buy — summer beach house makes champagne an easy go-to, maybe a rosé?
Veuve Clicquot Rosé is like $70 a bottle?

[Anonymous]

Bottle of local liquor, Cirrus vodka

[Anonymous]

How about berries? If there's a farm or a u-pick nearby, bunch of fresh fruit would always be welcome.

[Anonymous]

Unlikely a college kid is 21 (maybe a 25% chance) so I am not loving all the alcohol responses. I'm not stupid and I know kids drink but I wouldn't be thrilled at a wine gift coming from a 19 or 20 year old.

I think it's totally appropriate to give a consumable. Something like an olive oil and vinegar duo, or baked goods, or fresh produce picked up at a farmstead. Also totally appropriate to say "Thanks for having me, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. My mom really likes this olive oil so I thought you might too, she helped me pick it out." Super thoughtful, not weird or awkward, no reason he has to pick this on his own. This is how you learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A great, flexible attitude, not being on their phone constantly, especially at meals and group conversations. Good Manners. He should make dinner one night if they have a kitchen or buy them ice cream. And bring extra liquor if it’s that kind of party.

I picked up a family dinner tab once in a similar summer beach house situation and the dad got unhinged. It was so weird.

There is no way I would ever let my kid's friend pay for our entire family dinner!

+1 paying for the full family is SUPER weird. It’s insulting to the family and shows poor manners. I have invited kids with us and never received nor expected a gift. My DDs BF did bring a gift to be when he stayed at our house the first time. The girls never have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A great, flexible attitude, not being on their phone constantly, especially at meals and group conversations. Good Manners. He should make dinner one night if they have a kitchen or buy them ice cream. And bring extra liquor if it’s that kind of party.

I picked up a family dinner tab once in a similar summer beach house situation and the dad got unhinged. It was so weird.

There is no way I would ever let my kid's friend pay for our entire family dinner!

+1 paying for the full family is SUPER weird. It’s insulting to the family and shows poor manners. I have invited kids with us and never received nor expected a gift. My DDs BF did bring a gift to be when he stayed at our house the first time. The girls never have.

We've let our teen beach guests pay for ice cream for the kids (not the adults). That is about as far as I would be willing to go.

[Anonymous]

As a mom whose kids bring kids to our beach house all the time, I find it so bizarre that so many suggest that college kids bring me a bouquet of flowers when they are visiting our family. Please don’t.

We get lots of gifts. Consumables are the best. Sometimes people bring snacks on a really fun serving dish and I love that. We’d never accept an offer of dinner or even ice cream.

[Anonymous]

Oh god here comes the f$&ing olive oil people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Son is staying with a buddy’s family for a week. He will arrive tomorrow morning. Flowers for the mother…bottle of wine? The parents will be paying for everything for the week.

Why promote alcoholism when study after study is advising against it? A small gift card or flowers or box of nice cookies should be nice.

[Anonymous]

bring a bag of groceries. Snacks, nuts, crackers, things to share.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing! He’s a poor college kid and the parents are rich. Just a polite attitude, and gave him mail a thank you card after the fact.

Just be a good guest, be polite, offer help, say thank you. That would be good enough for most hosts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he’s old enough to buy a bottle of wine, he should figure this out himself.

But yeah, a bottle of wine is fine. Flowers, chocolates, stick to consumables and something easy to use up and discard during a week at the beach.

How does an average 21 year old know what kind of wine to buy affluent parents?

They do what I did at that age, and walk into a wine store and go up to the person working there and say "Hi, I need to bring a bottle of wine to fancy people's house, can you recommend one? I want to spend around $30 (or whatever)."