Someone you know is moving into a new home. Whether it is your child’s first college apartment or your best friend moving into a newlywed retreat, you want to get a gift that says congratulations! Below is our selection of traditional housewarming gifts.
The idea of giving housewarming gifts is not new. According to Wikipedia, the term housewarming literally means to provide warmth for a new home. Long ago, friends and family would bring firewood to help warm the new house. Over time this tradition grew to include other necessities and symbolic gifts. Although many traditional gifts may be considered outdated, (are you really going to give someone salt?), you can still keep tradition alive with these modern twists on symbolic gifts.
1. Bread Machine
Traditional housewarming gifts so they never go hungry
The gift of bread is meant to assure they will never go hungry in their new home. Of course you can get them a symbolic loaf of bread, but why not give them a gift that will keep on giving? With a bread maker they will be able to create their own delicious bread even with a busy schedule.
Add a bread cookbook to take their creations beyond the basic recipes that come with their machine. Who knows? You might be lucky enough to receive one of their masterpieces as a gift!
Another useful accessory is a bread slicer. This is a life saver when it comes to cutting uniform pieces of bread.
2. Free Standing Wine Cellar
Traditional new home gifts to fill their lives with joy and prosperity
The gift of wine symbolizes joy and prosperity, so why not give them a place to house all of their joy with a wine cellar. They come in different sizes so you are sure to find one that fits their new space. While you don’t need to fill it, it would be nice to start them off with a celebratory bottle. Then you can provide a toast.
If you are looking for something for a smaller budget, choose an elegant wine decanter. These make lovely gifts without breaking the bank.
Or, if this is their first place, you might want to get a nice wine opener along with a bottle of wine. There is nothing worse than receiving a bottle of wine, and then realizing you have nothing to open it with. Don’t let this happen!
3. Salt & Pepper Mill Sets
A new take on traditional housewarming gift ideas
Salt, so life will always have flavor. While you might not want to give a box of salt as a gift, you can choose a fancy salt and pepper mill set. Instead of plain old table salt, choose one with pink Himalayan salt and colored peppercorns.
As an alternative, you can get a spice rack for flavoring all that delicious food they will be cooking now that they have their own kitchen. For the person who already has these things, give them a spice cellar. Then they have their most used seasoning within convenient reach.
4. Bowl Candle Holders
Traditional housewarming gift so they always have light
Whether as romantic lighting or for use during a storm, bowl candle holders make useful but traditional gifts. Bowls also keep wax from dripping everywhere. Yuck!
Do they already have a lot of candleholders? Then give them a candle snuffer so they don’t get worn out trying to blow out the candles.
Or you can make a traditional housewarming gift basket by giving both these gifts along with a scented candle. This is the perfect housewarming gift for couples moving into their own love nest.
5. Hydroponic Garden
Living traditional gifts for new homeowners
Plants symbolize life. Not only that, but they improve air quality. A hydroponic garden will fulfill both these wishes and provide them with fresh herbs and vegetables for cooking.
If their yard space is limited you can give them a Bonsai kit to nurture a tree indoors.
No green thumb? No problem. Succulents are easy to care for and don’t take up much room. Plus they can be kept indoors or out, and they add whimsy with their cute containers.
6. Electric Cordless Broom
Best traditional housewarming gifts for sweeping away evil spirits
Brooms are thought to sweep away unwanted spirits in a new home. Even if they don’t believe in malevolent souls, brooms come in handy for sweeping up dirt and crumbs. With so many people choosing to have pets instead of kids, an electric broom will easily suck up all that excess fur.
For tighter budgets get a broom & dustpan set. These sets have dust pans with long handles. They will thank you for this because they won’t have to bend down to use the dustpan.
Put a twist on the gift by giving them a swiffer wet jet. These clean floors in a more sanitary way than with a traditional mop.
7. Olive Oil Gift Set
Housewarming gifts for health
My mom once told me she read that Sophia Loren preserved her looks by using olive oil on her skin. I don’t know if that is true or not, but olive oil does have health benefits. According to Healthline, olive oil contains large amounts of antioxidants and can protect against heart disease. Bless the new homeowners with the gift of health by delivering a gift set of flavored olive oils.
If you want a gift they can use again and again, give an olive oil dispenser or a dipping dish.
8. Honey Gift Set
Housewarming gifts so life may always be sweet
A friend with a sweet tooth will appreciate a honey sampler full of tasty flavors.
However, nobody likes the sticky honey that drips down the side of the container. Give them a honey dispenser to cut down on the mess.
Do they enjoy a cup of tea? You can give them honey spoons for an extra treat.
9. Pineapple Drinkware
Bless them with good cheer, warmth, and celebration
Can you think of a better way to celebrate and spread good cheer than by sharing cocktails in a set of pineapple glasses?
To add to the festivities, give them a pineapple kitchen towel set. Then give them a Pineapple Corer and Slicer Set along with a pineapple, of course. With these gifts they can create a backyard luau to christen their new abode!
10. Rice Cooker
Gifts to make love multiply
While you probably don’t want to show up at someone’s new home with a bag of rice, you can give them a rice cooker. Rice is a staple food in the diet of many cultures. However, most people don’t have time to stand over a stove waiting for rice to cook. This handy kitchen wizard will make fixing meals in their new home a snap.
If they already have a rice cooker you can get them an organic rice gift set or a set of rice bowls with chopsticks to add pizazz to their meal.
11. Set of Wooden Spoons
Gifts for stability, harmony, and peace
While the traditional gift of wood refers to firewood for heating, you can modernize the gift to include something useful for this day and age. A set of wooden spoons will still promote stability, harmony, and peace by helping keep tasty meals on the table.
If they like to entertain, give them a wooden charcuterie board. Or give them a wooden salad bowl set.
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