Weekend house parties, dinners, birthdays, showers you'd never dream of missing -- all welcome invitations. Until you remember: We have to bring something. Something more inspired than a tie or a box of chocolates or worse (Hi! We got you the Sunday Times!). Herewith, 100 ideas that will earn you another invitation.

Country Weekend

• Basket of rolls and breads (Bouley Bakery, 120 West Broadway, 964-8362; or E.A.T., 1064 Madison Avenue, 772-0022).

• Five-hundred-piece puzzle to liven up rainy days (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 879-5500, or the Game Show, 474 Sixth Avenue, 633-6328; and 1240 Lexington Avenue, 472-8011).

• Chestnut roaster with chestnuts (Bridge Kitchenware, 214 East 52nd Street; 688-4220).

• Slipper socks for host, hostess, kids (Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, or Macy's).

• Personalized book plates (Bowne Stationers, South Street Seaport; 748-8651).

• A caviar sampling (Zabar's, 2245 Broadway; 787-2000).

• Set of vintage dessert plates (Bergdorf Goodman).

• Selection of current best-sellers along with a new children's book for the kids (Barnes & Noble, all locations; or Borders Books & Music, 461 Park Avenue, 980-6785).

• Sake cups and bottle of sake (Old Japan, 382 Bleecker Street, 633-0922; sake, Astor Wines & Spirits, 12 Astor Place, 674-7500).

• For a return visit, a blown-up photo of the hosts' house in a silver frame (Tudor Rose, 28 East 10th Street; 677-5239).

  Dinner Guest

• Symphony video tape (HMV or Tower Records, all locations).

• Dessert wine (67th Street Wines & Spirits, 179 Columbus Avenue; 724-6767).

• Kitchen brushes: mushroom, corn, pastry, and potato scrubber (Vinegar Factory, 431 East 91st Street; 987-0885).

• Egg cups (Fishs Eddy, 889 Broadway, 420-9020; and 2176 Broadway, 873-8819).

• Selection of the hottest hot sauces (Zabar's).

• Le Creuset's medical-grade-silicon spatulas (Broadway Panhandler, 477 Broome Street; 966-3434).

• Bundle of cinnamon logs for the fireplace (Platypus, 126 Spring Street; 219-3919).

• Mother-of-pearl spoons in a cotton pouch (Wolfman-Gold & Good Company, 117 Mercer Street; 431-1888).

• Box of Swiss candles (Zona, 97 Greene Street; 925-6750).

  Baby Shower

• Basket filled with baby necessities: lotions, shampoos, sponge, etc. (Bath & Body Works or Crabtree & Evelyn, all locations).

• Toy net filled with onesies (Albee Baby Carriage, 715 Amsterdam Avenue; 662-8902).

• Baby book (Kate's Paperie, 8 West 13th Street, 633-0570; and 561 Broadway, 941-9816).

• Baby monitor (Ben's for Kids, 1380 Third Avenue; 794-2330).

• Comfort Silky, an haute satin-and-flannel security blanket (Baby Palace, 1410 Lexington Avenue; 426-4544).

• Selection of children's classics (Books of Wonder, 16 West 18th Street; 989-3270).

• Rock-a-Bye heartbeat bear (A Bear's Place, 789 Lexington Avenue; 826-6465).

  New Baby

• Dinner delivered from a favorite restaurant for the new mom and dad.

• "Magic lantern" night-light (Mxyplyzyk, 125 Greenwich Avenue, 989-4300; or Penny Whistle Toys, all locations).

• Portable crib (Albee, Ben's, or Schneider's).

• Toastee-Toddler stroller blanket (Albee or Ben's).

• Personalized hooded bath towel (Art & Tapiesserie, 1242 Madison Avenue, 722-3222; or Little Extras, 550 Amsterdam Avenue, 721-6161).

• Today's Kids play yard (Albee).

• The birth announcement framed in silver (Harriet's, 997 Lexington Avenue; 288-2798).

• Photo album (Kate's Paperie).

• Elsa Peretti sterling-silver feeding spoon (Tiffany & Company, 727 Fifth Avenue; 755-8000).

  Special Birthday

  HER

• Makeup bag with Kiehl's shampoo, moisturizer, cleanser, shower gel, etc. (Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, or Kiehl's, 109 Third Avenue; 677-3171).

• Palm Pilot (Staples, all locations).

• Personalized notecards (Cartier, 653 Fifth Avenue;753-0111).

• Computer bag (Kate Spade, 454 Broome Street, 274-1991; or Prada, 841 Madison Avenue, 327-4200, and 724 Fifth Avenue, 664-0010).

• Museum membership.

• Parabolic skis (Paragon Sporting Goods, 867 Broadway; 255-8036).

• Statusy handbag (Chanel, 15 East 57th Street, 355-5050; Fendi, 720 Fifth Avenue, 767-0100; Hermès, 11 East 57th Street, 751-3181; or Louis Vuitton, 49 East 57th Street, 371-6111).

• Certificate for a day or a weekend at a spa.

• Picture album with childhood photos (Kate's Paperie).

• Silver dollars and assorted coins from her birth year.

• Spiwak gym backpack filled with 30 or 40 golf or tennis balls (Equinox, all locations).

  HIM

• Panasonic DVD Palm Theater (S & S Sound City, 58 West 45th Street; 575-0210).

• Series of cooking classes (French Culinary Institute, 219-8890; or Giuliano Bugialli's Cooking in Florence, 813-9552).

• Prince Thunderstrike long-body racquet (Paragon Sporting Goods; or Princeton Ski Shop, 21 East 22nd Street, 228-4400).

• Vintage wine bottled the year of his birth.

• Small leather box with knotted-silk cuff links in every color (Paul Stuart, Madison Avenue, at 45th Street; 682-0320).

• Co-Pilot digital auto compass (Sharper Image, all locations).

• Stack of favorite vinyl LPs: rock, blues, or jazz (Bleecker Bob's, 118 West 3rd Street, 475-9677; or Midnight Records, 263 West 23rd Street, 675-2768).

• Gym bag outfitted with shorts, tank top, and socks (Sports Authority, all locations).

  Important Anniversary

• Weekend in Paris.

• Tickets for a ballet, opera, theater, or concert series.

• Monogrammed linens (Polo/Ralph Lauren, 867 Madison Avenue; 606-2100).

• Series of Italian or French classes (Italian Language School, 744-4793; or the French Institute, 355-6100).

• Copper sauté and sauce pans (Bridge Kitchenware).

• Towel warmer (Gracious Home, 1220 Third Avenue; 517-6300).

• Capresso programmable coffeemaker (Hammacher Schlemmer, 147 East 57th Street; 421-9000).

• Matching Montblanc pens (Montblanc Boutique, 595 Madison Avenue; 223-8888).

• Arrangement with a photographer for a family photo.

  Bridal Shower

• Wedding organizer (Borders Books & Music).

• Boxed set of champagne flutes (Cartier).

• Silk robe (Barneys New York or Bergdorf Goodman).

• Set of Oxo kitchen utensils (Lechters, all locations).

• Gold bracelet with an umbrella charm (Fortunoff, 681 Fifth Avenue; 758-6660).

• Cookbook classics: Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Kitchen Arts & Letters, 1435 Lexington Avenue; 876-5550).

• Series of massages.

  Wedding

• Engraved monogrammed stationery (Dempsey & Carroll, 110 East 57th Street; 486-7526).

• Featherbed (Down & Quilt Shop, 1225 Madison Avenue, 423-9358; and 518 Columbus Avenue, 496-8980).

• Vintage sterling-silver soup ladle (James II Galleries, 11 East 57th Street; 355-7040).

• Personalized his and hers terry bathrobes (Hoofbeats, 232 East 78th Street; 517-2633).

• Canon ZR digital camera (B & H Photo, 420 Ninth Avenue; 444-5020).

• Illuminated shaving and makeup mirror (Gracious Home).

• Mandoline slicer (J.B. Prince Company, 36 East 31st Street; 683-3553).

• Matching Tumi weekenders (Bloomingdale's or Macy's Herald Square).

  Graduation

• Bose Wave radio (Hammacher Schlemmer).

• Canon Elph camera (B & H Photo, 420 Ninth Avenue; 239-7500).

• LapPak computer backpack (P. Chanin, 152 Eighth Avenue; 924-5359).

• Electronic address book (Nobody Beats the Wiz, all locations).

• Oregon Scientific's Time Machine alarm clock (S. Feldman Housewares, 1304 Madison Avenue; 289-7367).

• North Face Base Camp duffel (Paragon Sporting Goods).

  Birthday Gift for 9-Year-Old Boy

• Timex Expedition watch (Lord & Taylor).

• Gift certificate for rock climbing (Chelsea Piers).

• Professional-quality magic tricks (Unique Science, 410 Columbus Avenue; 712-1899).

• Strobe yo-yo and holder (Marsha DD Boys, 1326 Lexington Avenue; 876-9922).

• And 1 duffel bag (Marsha DD).

• Subscription to Sports Illustrated for Kids.

• Adventurers or Ninja Lego (Toys 'R' Us, 24-32 Union Square, 674-8697; and 1293 Broadway, 594-8697).

• Family weekend at Cooperstown.

• Kitchen Table chemistry set or slide-making kit (Store of Knowledge, 1091 Third Avenue; 223-0018).

  Birthday Gift for 12-Year-Old Girl

• Groove Camp T-Shirt with key chain attached (Infinity, 1116 Madison Avenue; 517-4232).

• Rainbow feathered blow-up pillow or chair (Infinity).

• Baby G-Shock watch (Tourneau Time Machine, 12 East 57th Street; 758-7300).

• Subscription to Seventeen or YM.

• Transpak ski board shoulder bag (Paragon Sporting Goods).

• Smell This body lotion or fragrance in Cake Batter or Soda Pop Fizz (Marsha DD).

• Spiwak messenger bag (Marsha DD).

• Mehndi henna kits (Hudson Street Papers, 357 Bleecker Street; 229-1064).

Related:

• Archive: “Cover Story”
• Articles by Corky Pollan
• Table of Contents: Sep 28, 1998 issue of New York | Subscribe!