Do you know if the hostess consumes nuts? If you aren’t sure, stay away from nut oils and macaroons. I like the idea of a good quality olive oil or balsamic. I am also partial to nice quality kitchen towels (Crate & Barrel usually has nice ones.) Even if someone abhors clutter, it is so nice to be able to pitch worn/stained kitchen towels and replace them with fresh ones.
That is one of my pet peeves when I am entertaining a large group and am cooking myself. Well meaning guests arrive with cut flowers that need a vase, appetizers/cheeses that are not plated or desserts that are boxed and tied shut. Sounds like a really petty thing but those few extra things to do can throw me off. Plus everyone insists on congregating in my kitchen. So I am attempting to deal with these things, cook and converse at the same time.
We always set up the bar and the appetizers in a lovely gathering space off the kitchen, and in the winter months have a roaring fire going. It is an attempt to get guests out of the kitchen. It never works!
Well, this is from the other thread - we thought the box of chocolates that is wrapped / tied was for you to enjoy later. Or re-gift. What do we care 
I saw that coffee/tea were mentioned earlier. Does anyone have any favorite places to buy a coffee or tea gift? Nothing huge just a tin or two of coffee/tea? Would love a bricks and mortar store here in the DC area, but this is still far enough away that I have time to order online.
When people say macaroons – do you mean (i) those beige colored coconut snacks that are round ball shaped and sometimes dipped in chocolate; or (ii) those little cookies being sold everywhere in malls etc. – in colors like hot pink, lime green etc? What’s the difference between those two things?
Also I know a hostess gift isn’t “necessary,” but I’m living in a new city, this is one of the only people I knew when I moved into town a few months ago, and she has been a great friend. I’d feel odd going to her home for the very first time empty handed esp around the holidays. Even though I know that the hostess doesn’t often want more “stuff.” That’s why I’d like to get something consumable so she won’t have it forever . . . if I can find a good GF option.
That makes sense that you’d want to bring something since it is your first visit to her house. As far as the cookies, people are talking about the brightly colored meringue confections known as macarons (one o). They are made of meringue (apparently made with a little bit of almond powder in addition to egg whites and sugar) with a thin layer of ganache or fruit jam filling. They are totally different than macaroons (two o’s) which are coconut cookies that are likely not gluten free. (I have no idea if all of the meringue macarons are by definition gluten free). If you could confirm the gluten free status, they’d be a great gift. (Other folks on here may be able to confirm).
For tea, I don’t know if these are still popular but I used to always receive these tea bags by Forte as a hostess gift. I am not really a tea drinker but when I served them to people they really liked the tea.
Traditional macarons ARE GF. However, in the US, some bakeries might modify the recipe to include godknowswhat.
This is how they are made:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/223234/macaron-french-macaroon/
I remember getting those little pyramid boxes with tea bags as hostess gifts, too. For a while they were popular as favors at weddings. Glad to have the brand name.
The best thing about Forte tea IMHO is the delightful packaging. 
Agree that they make a good gift.
Re the bottle of wine, is she serving alcohol at the party? If so, bottles of wine are likely to come in handy.
A GF cookbook. Go to Trader Joe’s. They have lots of small packaged treats that are GF and would look cute in a basket (dark chocolate caramels, toffee, nuts, brownie mix, etc). A card and gift card with a note suggesting it as a GF source would work well also.
Here is a macaroon recipe as well. http://www.onceuponachef.com/2014/12/coconut-macaroons.html Gluten free, and easy. I usually make them at Xmas for my celiac friend. We jointly host a Caroling party and is nice to have something she can eat.
My local high end chocolatier, and her gluten free options. http://store.gailambrosius.com/gluten-free/ These are serious dark chocolate and the truffles are intense, as well as beautiful.
There are gluten free bakeries in many large cities now. In Columbus, OH Cherbourg Bakery is excellent. In NOVA, you could try The Happy Tart which is in Alexandria.
How about an amaryllis ? A hostess gift does not have to be food.
Amarylis is an amazing plant–we have one that we neglect that just keeps blooming, time & again! It produces a nice vivid spash of color with the bright red bloom.
Forte! That’s what it is. Thanks!
Thanks, HarvestMoon! Amazon delivered the Swiss chocolates you mentioned in this thread. It was one of the daily deals on Monday. We will see tonight if they are good - we have a family member who knows how authentic Swiss chocolate should taste.
If I have time this week – I will likely end up getting coffee and hopefully picking up a few GF snacks to put in the bag s well. Otherwise, it’ll be macarons from a bakery on Saturday morning.
Question - I’m not (really) a coffee drinker. When you buy someone coffee and you don’t know what coffee “equipment” they have at home, what kind of coffee “grind” do you get? Do most coffee drinkers have a “regular” coffee pot at home? I wouldn’t get whole beans, right? As I assume not every coffee drinker can grind beans at home?