So your friends have bought a lovely new house and have invited you to come to their house-warming party. Great! But you can’t show up empty-handed. Here are some housewarming gift ideas that are sure to inspire and will actually be appreciated by the new homeowners (none of those cheesy shell-shaped soaps will be found on this list). We have the top 10 housewarming gifts for 2021, some of which are modern spins on traditional gifts. These gifts are thoughtful and useful and will leave a positive lasting impression.
1. Welcome mat
What’s more welcoming for a new home than a welcome mat? Gift your friends with a cute mat to brush their shoes and greet their guests. Doormat themes can be flowers, a cute greeting message, an upcoming holiday, or if you really want to impress, personalize it!
– A hello/goodbye multi-directional doormat from Target
– A cool customizable tile mat that you can get creative with from Letterfolk
– A personalized doormat with their last name on it from Etsy
2. Candles
Candles are actually a traditional housewarming gift, having been given to new homeowners for generations. It’s said to bring tidings of “a home full of light and happiness.” No one really knows where this tradition began but you can’t go wrong with gifting candles. For a more modern spin on it, you can gift a candle with a meaningful scent. For example, if your friends are moving further away from the beach, gift them with an ocean-scented candle to remind them of where they came from. Candles can be personalized for an extra special touch, too. A set of nice beeswax taper candles are also often appreciated, especially if they are for Easter, Christmas, Hannukah, or other important holidays.
– A personalized “Our First Home” candle from Bed Bath & Beyond
– Candles that are the remedy for feeling “homesick” with a signature scent from each state from Uncommon Goods
– A set of 8 beautiful beeswax handmade taper candles from Food52
3. Cocktail-in-a-box
If the new homeowners have a bar area in their home, help them stock it up with a cocktail-in-a-box kit. Do a Moscow Mule themed box with vodka, copper cups, ginger beer, limes, and mint. Make a Bloody Mary gift box with Bloody Mary mix, a jar of pickles, a little bottle of their liquor of choice, lemons, and salt. Margaritas, Martinis… the options are endless! Add in some swizzle sticks and cocktail napkins as fun additions. Wine is a great gift, too, but we’ll get to that later in our list. Are the hosts not cocktail drinkers? This idea can be done for milkshakes or hot cocoa, too.
– A pre-assembled Manhattan cocktail kit from Whiskey Bear
– This multi-use bar mat from Amazon makes a nice addition to a cocktail-in-a-box gift set
– An essential guide on classic cocktail mixing from Amazon pairs nicely with cocktail ingredients
4. Bread and Olive Oil
Traditional gifts for new homeowners— in addition to candles— are bread and olive oil. Bread, so that the house may never know hunger, and oil to represent health and well being. Sure, you could put together a little bread basket with some nice olive oil, but you could also get creative with it! Try gifting them with a set of nice olive oils from different regions (you can usually find these at kitchen supply stores or specialty markets) and instead of a standard loaf of bread, switch it up with focaccia or cinnamon buns. If your friends enjoy baking and you do too, gift them with a jar of some bread starter. Be sure to present it in a cute basket with linen and twine for a rustic gift that will certainly warm their new home.
– The “Baker’s Best Basket” takes the work out of this gift for you from Harry & David
– A set of 4 infused olive oils from Williams Sonoma
– A lovely woven bread basket from Crate & Barrel that will match any style of kitchen
5. Coffee or tea
Coffee and tea drinkers can NEVER have too much coffee or tea! A nice bag of fancy coffee beans or a box of assorted teas is something that will certainly be appreciated. Make it a more complete gift by adding in some cute mugs, a tea strainer, a small handheld milk frother, and any other beverage accessories they might enjoy.
– A fun coffee scoop from Amazon
– A box to store teabags from Etsy
– A handheld milk frother from Target
6. Honey, sugar, and salt
As you can probably guess, these are some more traditional housewarming gifts that will never go out of style and will ALWAYS be appreciated! Salt so that life will always have flavor, and honey or sugar so you can always appreciate the sweet things in life. How can you gift things like honey, sugar, and salt without it being boring? Spice up your gift: gift them spices! Put together a little set of some lovely spices for cooking or baking and include these items with them. Try finding some locally-made honey for your friends. Salt doesn’t have to be plain– what about pink Himalayan salt? How about adding a cute salt and pepper shaker set? The options are endless if you get a little creative with it!
– A set of fancy sugars for decorating drinks and treats from Fancy Sprinkles
– A salt-and-pepper shaker set that makes a statement from Wayfair
– Italian honey from World Market
7. Plants
There’s something about a plant that helps a house feel like home. Gift the hosts with a fabulous new houseplant (or maybe a few small ones). Succulents are pretty low-maintenance to care for and look great. A small potted flower bush will surely bring smiles. Herbs can be gifted for little kitchen plants and it’s a gift that keeps on giving! Another great idea is a small citrus tree, but you may want to make sure your friends have a green thumb before giving them something like that. Add a cute or fun pot for each plant and you’ll definitely impress them.
– Cute animal shaped plant pots from Walmart
– A small Meyer lemon tree plant from 1800Flowers
– Assorted succulents from The Home Depot
8. Wooden gifts
A longstanding tradition is to gift something made of wood to the happy new homeowners, symbolizing a home of stability and peace. There are plenty of wooden household objects that make for a lovely gift, such as a rolling pin, set of wooden spoons, a muddler, or a cutting board. Wooden items can also be easily personalized for an extra special touch!
– Olivewood utensil set from Crate & Barrel
– Laser-cut rolling pins with snowflake designs from World Market
– A personalized cheese knife and cutting board set from LA Print Co
9. S’mores kit
Perfect for a family with kids, or just kids at heart, gift them with all the essential ingredients to make s’mores! If the homeowners have just leveled up to a home with a backyard, gifting a s’mores set is a great way to get them excited for nights in their backyard around a cozy fire. Plus it’s simple to assemble: graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmallows, plus you can throw in extras like metal marshmallow skewers or a comfy outdoor blanket. Have fun with it, and they just might invite you over for their first bonfire at their new place to say “thanks!”
– For the more refined palate, give this artisan s’mores kit from Grommet
– A 4-piece campfire skewer set from Target
– For the homeowners who don’t have a backyard but would still love s’mores, get this indoor s’mores maker from Amazon
10. Wine
A classic gift to give new homeowners, a bottle of wine is a great go-to. Wine is also traditional, and it is given so that joy and prosperity will reign in the home. How do you know what kind of wine to gift? If you know their favorite type of wine, stick to something you know they’ll enjoy. If you’re not sure, share a wine that you personally love, and they will appreciate your suggestion. Sparkling wines also make nice gifts, because they feel celebratory and festive. Add a new bottle opener or a pair of nice wine glasses to round out the gift. For those friends who don’t drink wine, you can still uphold the tradition by gifting a small bottle of cooking wine.
– Personalized stemless wine glasses from Etsy
– Personalized wine box gift set from Etsy
– A selection of 6 California wines from NakedWines.com
BONUS ideas!
But wait, there’s more! Feel like you need to add in one extra little touch to their gift? Add a personalized key chain (to go with their new house keys) or a personalized rubber stamp with their new address on it for their outgoing mail. Those are two thoughtful small options that can be combined with anything else on this list to make it extra special! Oh, and are you a real estate agent? Find some of the above-mentioned gifts in our closing gift boxes, and then some!
Did we just make gifting a little easier for you? What types of gifts would you want to receive most? Let us know which idea you love the best in the comments below. Be sure to sign up for our emails below for even more tips.
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Contributor, designer & admin for JohnHart Gazette.
