Your friends or family have just recently moved into a new place and are throwing a house warming party. Being aware that moving is this weird transition of purging items and donating or selling off everything you don't love to pieces, gift shopping can be quite a conundrum. We're here to help with some of our favorite posts from days gone by on what to bring, what to serve and the ultimate question, should you register for gifts?
We have a great deal to say when it comes to housewarming parties! We love the idea of them and also show a great deal of concern when it comes to the gift giving that soon follows. Check out these great posts below that will keep you thinking and examining if your house warming habits need to be freshened up a little!
Posts Bolded Below Are Pictured Above
• Tacky or Tasteful? Registering For a Housewarming
• Great Idea: Address Stamps as Housewarming Gifts
• Favorite Housewarming Gifts: 10 Kitchen Accessories
• Original Housewarming Gift Ideas
• Housewarming Gift Tips and Ideas
• 6 Imprintable Invitations for Your Housewarming Party
• San Francisco Housewarming Gifts
• House Warming Gift Giving
• Symbolic Housewarming Gifts
Do you bring gifts to a house warming party or are many of your friends doing away with the more traditional "party?" Share your thoughts on this gift giving time and it's traditions below!
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Comments (12)
Yes, I bring a gift to a housewarming party. If I really know the couple's tastes (things they collect, etc), I get something along those lines. Otherwise, I tend to give them a gift card from a home improvement store (if they're moving into a house or condo they own) or some place like Target to help them with the little expected things.
i'm with terry i do the same thing
A huge multi-roll package of toilet paper wrapped up is always a welcomed gift. It's something that is always needed and something that is hard to carry home to your apartment!
I'm kind of like a psycho when it comes to my apt. (No one near my walls or you know how bathrooms are left after a party!!).
Most of my life i've had the bad experience that the people that "know me best" give the worst, distasteful gifts, contrary to the ones that i barely talk to. For that i've learned to not ask for gifts of any sort (so for not loosing a friend or just be freaked out everytime i see something i don't like) and i'm pretty ok with that. I do like gifts, not surprises, so i better not get anything at all, and everyone happy.
If i'm giving something most surely it will be a gift card as Terry said (i know they are impersonal and the person will not remember in a while, but that is way better than to have that fountain with resin angels, LED lights and dry ice!) or it would be something specific the person asked me for.
Usually, in my social circle, we just bring refreshments to help supply the party, i.e. beer, wine, alcohol, food, snacks, paper plates, napkins, anything to help supply the party. The feeling is that it's a bit presumptuous to expect gifts from your guests for a housewarming.
We're having a house warming party in a few weeks, but we moved into our house early 6 months ago. We just wanted to get certain things done and bought before we filled up the house with guests. I'm not asking guests to bring anything (though maybe we should ask them to bring chairs..), and I don't expect gifts. Though if they bring liqueur I'd be happy. :)
Our Non-Housewarming evite says some version of: "Please. We just combined two households into one, so the last thing we need is more stuff. If you bring us a gift, you will be asked to leave. In fact, we might be giving YOU things to take away with you (anyone need 47 spare forks?)."
However, I'd never turn down a bottle of wine...
Family ought to bring a small gift, everyone else brig a good attitude and some drink!
My friend who moved a few years back had a "stock the bar party" instead of the typical housewarming party. Everyone brought a bottle of liquor or wine and it was a lot of fun.
My friends never expect any gifts at their housewarmings, but I like to bring a little something anyway. If I know they like plants, I usually get them one - something easy to take care of. Everyone seems to appreciate another plant to cheer up a room. If they don't have a green thumb, a bottle of wine does nicely.
I think registering for a housewarming party would be tacky, but maybe if I ran in a social circle where the host provided a 3-course catered meal at the event, I'd feel differently.
We closed and moved into our new house at the end of May. We've been very busy with a baby and a toddler, new job for husband, and a family wedding on the East Coast. We decided not to do a housewarming party but we still wanted to share with friends our joy, so we planned little gatherings, a brunch here for a friend and her son, a dinner for another couple friend, a BBQ for another cohort of couples, a playdate for friends with children. Its been lovely! We would never expect gifts, we just wanted to give a tour of our house (my husband loves to gives tours!) and have laughter and fun and share our happiness. Our friends have brought books, food,booze, plants and we are thankful for their gestures and their lovely cards are displayed to remind us of how lucky we are to have a house that we love to raise our children and entertain our friends and family!
And no registries here! Hey, we didn't even had a wedding registry, and yes, we just told our mothers suck it and they still love us!
My go-to housewarming gift: a gorgeous bouquet of flowers with a dollar store toilet brush added in... It's always a hit!