Unique Homemade Housewarming Gifts
Do you know how the custom of a 'housewarming' party came to be? In old times, before central heating was invented, neighbors and family members would turn up with firewood when somebody bought a new house. The idea was to light a fire in all the fireplaces in the house so that the house would warm up and become nice and cozy. The warm atmosphere was also believed to ward off evil spirits. If a house had been uninhabited for a long time, it was believed to be occupied by ghosts and evil spirits. In order to get rid of these, before a new family moved into the house, the house was 'warmed-up'. 'Wood' remains to this day, one of the traditional gifts. However, gift etiquette has come a long way, so that many people give all kinds of housewarming gifts these days.
| 9 Novel Homemade Housewarming Gift Ideas |
For your convenience, I have listed out 9 homemade housewarming gift ideas, divided into three sections. You can jump to the section of your choice!
1. Utility Oriented Housewarming Gifts
2. Decoration Oriented Housewarming Gifts
3. Personalized Housewarming Gifts
| Utility Oriented Gifts |
Sometimes certain gift ideas fail because they have absolutely no utility. They just become another piece in the showcase. You do not want your gift to be that, do you? Go through these utility oriented housewarming gift ideas. Your hosts will love you for these!
Fruit Bouquet
They say "If you can't say it with words, say it with flowers!" But I say, why not say it with fruits instead? A fruit bouquet is pretty easy to make at home. It is a refreshing and healthy housewarming gift! You can make a small fruit bouquet in a basket. All you need is floral foam, some clean twigs and lots of fresh fruits. You can pick a color theme for the fruit bouquet.
Remember: Wash the fruits thoroughly before cutting them up and making the bouquet. Make the bouquet on the day of the housewarming party.
Assorted Jams
If you love making jams at home, you can pack a basket of assorted homemade jams for your friend. Chances are your friend is moving into a new locality and may take time to figure out where the grocery store is and how to get there. How nice if he/she found a collection of homemade jams in their housewarming gifts.
Remember: Pick those fruits which your friend likes. If you do not mind disclosing your recipe, you could accompany the gift hamper with a hand-written journal of recipes of each of the jams.
Hand Embroidered Pillow and Cushion Covers
Pillows and cushions work wonders to improve the look of a room and embellish it. If embroidery is one of your many hobbies, you can gift your friend a set of six pillow or cushion covers. If you are better at fabric painting, you could even opt for that instead of embroidery.
Remember: Select the proper size of pillow or cushion covers. Also make sure you think of neutral designs and colors that will go well with any wall color and furnishing.
Wooden Key-Holder
First there are the house keys. Then car keys. Then perhaps office keys. The garage keys. Without a key-holder, all these keys are bound to go missing! Keys especially have a tendency to go into hiding when you are desperately looking for them. You can save your friend from this unnecessary agony by gifting them a personalized wooden key holder. Wood is also one of the traditional housewarming gift, and so will be especially appreciated.
Remember: Choose an attractive and out-of-the-box design, not something your friend could have easily bought from a shop.
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| Decoration Oriented Gifts |
A new house is most definitely an occasion to celebrate. There are a lot of decorative and yet thoughtful gifts you can give your friend to help them decorate their house. Here are a few ideas.
Homemade Candles
Candles are another traditional housewarming gift. If you want to go really creative, you can make a set of aromatherapy candles as a housewarming gift. Aromatherapy candles are a utility cum decoration oriented gift. They can be used to turn an ordinary bath into an aromatherapy bath, or they can be simply used in the dining room for a romantic dinner for two!
Remember: Choose the right fragrance. The fragrance should not be so strong that it sets your head throbbing, nor should it be so mild that you can hardly enjoy it.
Quilted Wall Hanging
This is the perfect idea for those who like to decorate their homes with wall hangings. If your friend is particularly fond of wall hangings, a quilted wall hanging will be the right housewarming gift. Making a quilted wall hanging is not so difficult. It is an inexpensive and yet unique gift idea.
Remember: Take into consideration the room for which you intend to make the wall hanging. Too big a quilted wall hanging can look quite out-of-place in a small room. Plan and execute.
Handmade Bird Feeder
Gardening enthusiasts are quite ambitious about their gardens and like to embellish it in whatever way they can. A homemade bird feeder will make a wonderful housewarming gift for such a person. Bird feeders come in a lot of attractive designs and shapes. They make sure the garden is always visited by birds. Oh, what a delight to spend a lazy afternoon in a garden to the background music of chirping birds.
Remember: You can even make a squirrel-proof bird feeder. Take a look at the different bird feeders available in stores to get more ideas about the design.
Wind Chime
There is something very relaxing about the sounds of a wind chime. They almost act like a lullaby and put you off to sleep. Wind chimes add delicate music to a room and can really help you relax after a long, hard day, and hence they make it to my list of unique do-it-yourself housewarming gifts.
Remember: The wind chime should be easy to clean and hang. Do not make one with too many delicate parts that could come off due to a strong wind! The wind chime should be sturdy and durable.
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| Personalized Gifts |
These are not strictly 'homemade' gifts, but you could get personalized gifts custom-made for your friend's housewarming party. Personalized gifts can include photo frames, a crockery set, a coaster set, a yard stake or street sign, bath towels and/or bathrobes, etc. The best part about personalized gifts are that they make the receiver feel really special, honored and cherished. The gift also appeals as being a thoughtful gift, and not simply something that is picked off the shelf. Many gift shops and websites offer a wide range of gift options, with several ideas on how to personalize them. Make sure you research enough before you settle down for a particular shop/website and a particular gift item.
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A gift is more than just a custom or an etiquette. A gift is your way of telling someone they are really close to you, they mean a lot to you, and that you really like them. Make sure the gift you settle down for reflects your emotions for friend.
