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History of housewarming<\/h3>\n
Housewarming parties have a long tradition. Some say they started in medieval France, with a custom called \u201cpendaison de cr\u00e9maill\u00e8re<\/a>,\u201d or \u201changing of the chimney hook.\u201d A chimney hook holds pots or kettles over a fire, so as a thank-you to everyone who helped build their house, new homeowners would invite them to dinner.<\/p>\n Over the years, cultures around the world have celebrated a new home with similar gatherings and gifts<\/a> such as bread, salt, brooms, candles, olive oil, sage<\/a> \u2014 even roosters and acorns!<\/p>\n Nowadays, plenty of new homeowners have christened their new address by hosting a dinner party of close friends, a holiday party, or a backyard barbecue where they proudly point out renovations, like the terracotta tile floor in the entryway (as friends of mine have done).<\/p>\n \u201cWe all live different ways and have different budgets and comfort levels,\u201d says Lizzie Post<\/a>, co-president of the Emily Post Institute<\/a>\u00a0in Burlington, Vermont, an organization that etiquette authority Emily Post<\/a> (Lizzie Post\u2019s great-great-grandmother) created in 1946 to promote civility and good manners. \u201cI could see myself having a housewarming with my closest girlfriends coming over.\u201d<\/p>\n One boon of a housewarming party is that guests don\u2019t expect your home to be picture-perfect. It\u2019s fine to have just a few rooms together, with boxes still left to unpack stored out of sight. But make sure to set the bathroom to rights<\/a> and ensure it\u2019s accessible, with a nice hand soap, air freshener, toilet paper, and extra hand towels.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to have enough established so that when people come over, they have a place to sit,\u201d says Lizzie Post, who also is co-author of Emily Post\u2019s Etiquette 19th edition<\/i><\/a> and co-host of the weekly Awesome Etiquette podcast<\/a> with cousin Daniel Post Senning.<\/p>\n Even if some rooms feel unfinished, that can add a casual vibe \u2014 and open you to some creative seating ideas<\/a>. Guests can perch on dining chairs, even without a table, or on an entry hall bench in the living room. Add cushions on the floor by the coffee table. Unpacked but sturdy boxes (like those schlepping books) also work as makeshift seating, especially if you drape them in fabric.<\/p>\n It\u2019s best to schedule an official housewarming within the first six months to a year of your move-in date. That gives you enough time to get your new space comfortable while letting people know that the house you\u2019ve bought is still new to you<\/a>, according to the blog Fabulous Hostess, owned by Priority Home and Design of Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember receiving an invitation for a housewarming party six years after they moved in, and I thought that was a little far off the mark,\u201d Post says.<\/p>\n A housewarming party is a bit like an open house<\/a>, except you know the guests. Georgie Smigel<\/a>, a real estate agent with 30 years of experience who serves Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and its northern suburbs, recalled attended a clients\u2019 housewarming, as well as a house blessing.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was kind of an all-day open house, where people come and go. Probably 50 people there,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Housewarming parties traditionally are \u201cdrop-in parties,\u201d Post says, so your guest list can be shorter, as can your time frame \u2014 think two to four hours on a weekend afternoon or evening for guests to pop by and wish you well.<\/p>\n A clear start time and end time<\/a>, like 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., spreads out the flow of traffic so people can move freely and spend more time with you, notes Containing the Chaos, a blog from the moving and storage company PODS. An after-dinner event, say, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., also is a good option.<\/p>\n As for invitations, this is one type of party where pretty much anything goes: a phone call, email, regular mail, or text message.<\/p>\n However, while there\u2019s traditionally not an expectation for guests to RSVP, hosts of past housewarming parties suggest a digital invite<\/a>, even for friends, followed up with a personalized text if you like.<\/p>\n This keeps your event from appearing too casual to the point that people feel OK about dropping out at the last minute, leaving you with perhaps too much food and wondering what happened.<\/p>\n While various stores<\/a> offer \u201chousewarming registries,\u201d traditional housewarming party etiquette says not to start a gift registry. For one thing, it places guests on awkward footing, with longtime friends and neighbors you\u2019ve just met both feeling obligated to a purchase.<\/p>\n A housewarming party also isn\u2019t on the same level of life event as getting married and having children, where registries are more common.<\/p>\n \u201cThe tradition of a housewarming is to warm the space with your family and friends so that it doesn\u2019t feel so unfamiliar to you. The idea is not to warm the house with gifts and things,\u201d Lizzie Post says. \u201cPeople move very frequently. I think that\u2019s why it\u2019s traditionally not a gift-heavy event.\u201d<\/p>\n Leave off any mention of gifts from your invites, unless you want to specify some variation of \u201cno presents but your presence,\u201d such as, \u201cThe key ingredients in making a house a home: lots of love, plenty of laughter, and the presence of friends and family<\/a>!\u201d<\/p>\n (Incidentally, if guests want to bring a gift, a congratulatory card is \u201clovely,\u201d Post says, as is an indoor or outdoor plant, a simple picture frame, or something to eat.)<\/p>\n A basic invite keeps the message short but sweet, with options that work for close friends, acquaintances, and neighbors, such as:<\/p>\n There\u2019s no reason you can\u2019t display a sense of humor, though, such as:<\/p>\n Inviting neighbors based on your budget and comfort level \u2014 whether those who are attached to your property, the whole block, or just those you\u2019ve waved to in passing \u2014 has several advantages.<\/p>\n First, an invite is a nice way to say that this is a community where you\u2019re happy to be. It also helps short-circuit any troubles down the line. \u201cAnytime you can reach out to neighbors, it can go a long way toward addressing any problems you might have to address in the future. If you\u2019ve been inclusive, it makes it easier to address any other topics you might have to broach,\u201d Lizzie Post says.<\/p>\n More immediately, an invite is a tactful way to let the neighbors know about any hubbub that day. You might phrase that like so: \u201cEven if you can\u2019t make it, we just want to give you a heads-up that we\u2019ll have some traffic on the street from noon to four.\u201d<\/p>\n A paper invite in their mailbox is a nice touch, but you also can invite them verbally while introducing yourself<\/a> while you\u2019re taking out the trash, collecting your mail, or walking the dog.<\/p>\n Hors d\u2019oeuvres are ideal for a housewarming party, although some people do set out a buffet, along with a variety of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Imagine guests grabbing a small plate of food, talking a bit, then going on their way.<\/p>\n Again, it\u2019s a light and easy atmosphere, not a sit-down deal. Entertaining experts recommend finger foods<\/a> and mini desserts, such as:<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget a variety of drinks, including fun cocktails such as:<\/p>\n Guests will want to \u201cooh\u201d and \u201caah\u201d over the features that inspired you to buy your new home, so expect to point out what you\u2019ve liked \u2014 perhaps several times, depending on the ebb and flow of your company.<\/p>\n You also can cue guests to give themselves a tour by saying, \u201cPlease feel free to explore the house,\u201d or something like, \u201cI\u2019ve closed doors to rooms that aren\u2019t set up yet.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s a polite way to hint that you have some unpacking and arranging<\/a> left to do. A good guest will be able to pick up on that.<\/p>\n![\"Glasses](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/housewarming-party-etiquette-glasses.jpg\")
<\/a>Housewarming parties today<\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/housewarming-party-etiquette-planner.jpg\")
<\/a>Pick a date within six months to a year<\/h2>\n
Schedule a few hours in the afternoon or an evening on the weekend<\/h2>\n
Think presence, not presents<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/housewarming-party-etiquette-invite.jpg\")
<\/a>What to say on your housewarming party invites<\/h2>\n
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Invite the neighbors as a way to say hello<\/h2>\n
![\"Appetizers](\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/housewarming-party-etiquette-appetizer.jpg\")
<\/a>Serve a variety of drinks and some light bites<\/h2>\n
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Expect to give a tour<\/h2>\n
Never mind settling on a theme<\/h2>\n