A friend or relative just purchased or moved into a new home. This calls for a big celebration. So, they’re throwing a party.
If you’ve been invited to a housewarming party, but you’re not sure what to bring, what can you do? Possibly the person is hard to buy for, they already have everything (in your estimation), or you just don’t know what’s appropriate for housewarming parties. Let a housewarming gift basket come to the rescue.
Gift baskets are capable of saying just about anything – and saying it well. They can be shipped to their destination or carried in your hands and presented to the recipient on-site. Few things beat the look on the face of the person receiving a gift basket. They’re always a welcome offering.
Congratulations On Your New Home
You’ve started shopping for housewarming gift baskets, but you’re having a hard time finding them specifically. No worries. Simply look under the “Congratulations” category on a high-quality gift basket site. You’ll find a number of congratulatory gift baskets available. Your choice will depend largely on the tastes and preferences of the person receiving the basket. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Wine or champagne basket (choose from red wine, white wine, or quality champagne accompanied by truffles, or some other decadent offering)
- Chocolate-themed gift basket (gourmet selections)
- Spa indulgence and/or luxury gift basket
- Snack set
- Gift basket designed with a specific cuisine in mind – such as an Italian gift basket with antipasto, wine, etc.
- Coffee-themed gift basket
- Fresh fruit gift basket… and many more
Gift Basket Messages
Most gift baskets come with the option of a card, a ribbon, or some other way of personalizing the gift basket itself. There are gift baskets available that even have a cookie decorated with a message on it: i.e., Thank you, Congratulations, etc. In the case of a corporation being involved, logos can often be printed on ribbons. Check with the company you’re ordering the gift basket from to see if you can get specific messages, such as “Happy Housewarming”.
Ribbons come in various colors, just in case the person you’re giving the basket to has a favorite. Some colors may be considered more appropriate for certain occasions than others: Light blue to congratulate a family on the arrival of a baby boy, pink for a baby girl, etc.
Contents of a Housewarming Gift Basket
The contents of the basket you give someone can reflect any number of things including their hobbies, favorite foods/beverages, a particular occasion, a season, and more.
Specifically for housewarming, here are some suggestions for the contents of the housewarming gift basket you bring:
- Crackers with jam, or sausage and cheese
- A few hand towels with clever quotes
- Bottle of wine
- Slippers
- A good book
- Candle
A traditional offering for housewarming consists of the following contents:
- Wine
- Rice
- Knife
- Houseplant
- Honey
- Olive Oil
- Bread
- Something made from wood
Choosing What’s Right
Aside from sticking with tradition or going with the simple crackers, slippers, good book, etc. basket, here are a few factors to consider when choosing the right gift basket for a special someone:
- Dietary restrictions – Dietary restrictions are very important when picking out a gift basket that will contain food and/or drinks. For example, you wouldn’t want to give someone a fancy nut and dried fruit tray if they have an allergy to peanuts. A sugar-free gift basket would be more appropriate for a person with diabetes than would one loaded with sweets. Kosher gift baskets for Judaism practitioners, nondairy gift baskets for lactose intolerant people, and more are available.
- A few of their favorite items – Hopefully, you know the person you’re giving the gift basket to fairly well so that you can list off a few of their favorite things. These are items that can either be included in the gift basket, or the entire basket can be themed around them. If they are a huge coffee drinker, for example, make the gift basket all about coffee and things that go with it; or products that have coffee in them (such as coffee beans covered with chocolate). If they’re big into gardening, the gift basket could have seeds, small gardening tools, work gloves, etc.
- Your budget – How much you have to spend on the gift basket you will be giving could have everything to do with your choice. You may not go with a gift basket containing Don Perignon if you are on a strict budget, for example. But you might be able to go bigger than just a few pieces of candy if you have a little more to spend. There are some very nice gift baskets available for reasonable prices. Additionally, always check a gift basket website’s “specials” and “sales”. Free shipping may be an option, as well, if you don’t plan to present the housewarming basket in person. That will help save money, too.
What to Avoid
There are no hard and fast rules as to what to avoid when it comes to housewarming gifts, but generally speaking, gifts that may present a problem for the recipient should be avoided. One example would be the above-suggested houseplants. While it is a traditional offering as a housewarming gift, some people just don’t do well with plants. They require maintenance and care, which the recipient of the gift basket may not be willing or have time to give.
Art is another item that is difficult to give to someone else successfully. Art is a very personal choice, so unless you know that the person you’re giving the gift to has been looking for a specific piece – and you found it – it’s best to let them pick out their own art.
As suggested above, you’ll also want to make sure you’re not giving the recipient anything they can’t have. In some cases: Sugar, alcohol, nuts, dairy products, etc.
The bottom line is this: A housewarming gift should not only consist of something you would be happy to receive, but something that suits the personality, tastes, likes, hobbies, etc. of the person receiving it. Few things cover all the bases as completely and successfully as a gift basket.
