Most cultures have traditions surrounding the housewarming. It has always been tradition to bring some sort of housewarming gift to celebrate the purchase or move-in into a new home or apartment!
You could bring a fun, modern gift, but sometimes it’s more meaningful and special to bring a gift with more gravitas. That’s where traditional gifts come in. Whether you need a respectful gift for your boss, your parents, or someone else who is important in your life, we’ve compiled a gift guide that will help you find something suitable and thoughtful.
Our guide includes some super-traditional housewarming gifts, as well as more modern gift ideas that are inspired by age-old housewarming traditions. Whether you’re looking for something simple, thoughtful, or a gift that’s really wild, we’re here to help you find the best housewarming gift possible!
Looking for a house warming gift for the New Age crowd? Consider a housewarming gift that incorporates sage, such as a sage candle or set of sage smudge sticks. Many followers of various spiritual practices use sage to clear away bad vibes and bad spirits.
We really like this purification candle from Art of the Root (pictured above), which includes real sage and loads of other botanicals. If you have a little more cash to burn, another option to consider is this larger sea salt and sage candle from Paddywax, which comes in a decorative bowl.
Keep in mind, a sage candle isn’t a replacement for “smudging” or other native cleansing rituals. Additionally, not all Native peoples used sage burning during their rituals, so do your research before gifting sage to your intended recipient to make sure it’s a good fit for their beliefs.
In some Jewish traditions, it is common to bring bread and salt to a new home. This virtuous act ensures that the home’s new occupants will be well fed.
If you’d like to echo this ancient tradition, we recommend grabbing a crusty loaf from your local bakery, and pairing that bread with this elegant collection of “finishing salts”. With fun flavors like alderwood smoke and Spanish saffron, these salts are ideal for elevating humble desserts and appetizers into fancier fare.
A simple housewarming gift with a nice history that’s bound to be a hit!
Wine is a traditional housewarming gift in many cultures. However, not everyone feels comfortable buying wine as a gift, since different people have different palates. If you’d like to get something wine-themed, you can never go wrong with some new wine glasses.
We love the look of these champagne flutes, and they’re perfect for celebrating special occasions! These glasses are laser etched to ensure a constant flow of bubbles, and can be used for wine, champagne, beer, or soft drinks.
This is a bar set packed with useful bar tools. It’s a nice gift for new homeowners who like to entertain. If you need a housewarming gift for a mixologist friend, it’s hard to go wrong with this traditional housewarming gift.
An 18.5 ounce shaker, strainer, double 1 ounce and half ounce jigger, ice tongs, mixing spoon, can opener and lime knife are all included. This set also comes equipped with a sharp looking stand – nice!
For centuries, Europeans have viewed the pineapple as a symbol of hospitality, meaning that a pineapple-inspired gift is the perfect thing to bring to a housewarming party. Instead of bringing an actual pineapple, we recommend housewares with a pineapple motif.
These pineapple coasters are an awesome affordable option. Every party can always use more coasters, especially when it’s a housewarming and people are inherently being extra respectful of the surfaces of the new home.
These are handmade, perfect for those who appreciate items crafted with attention to detail.
Need a housewarming gift for someone of Irish blood? This Celtic-inspired gift is a really thoughtful option. The blessing on the print is done in the style of the calligraphy from the famous Book of Kells.
The text reads: “May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.” Absolutely one of the best housewarming gifts you could buy for someone who’s enthusiastic about their Irish heritage!
Throughout the Middle East, the hamsa or “evil eye” symbol is used to ward off ill intent. This small wall hanging is a thoughtful, decorative housewarming gift meant to ward off bad people and bad energy.
A fun fact to share with your intended recipient: If this evil eye cracks over time, or is damaged when it falls from the wall, this is a good thing. It is believed that if the evil eye is broken, that happened because the evil eye successfully blocked some sort of bad energy from reaching you.
If the evil eye hanging does break, it should be replaced in order to remain effective at protecting against evil intent. If you need traditional housewarming gifts for someone superstitious, this one’s hard to top.
Wood is the OG housewarming gift. In the old days, a bundle of firewood was a traditional gift that would literally keep the house warm.
These days, firewood isn’t the most practical gift for the average homeowner or apartment dweller. However, home goods made from wood remain a popular gift idea, and one that harkens back to wood’s traditional role at a housewarming.
This housewarming gift set includes a bamboo cutting board and kitchen utensils. While bamboo is technically a grass and not a wood, we’re still recommending it here because it’s a cheaper, sustainable option for kitchen goods. Some of the best housewarming gift ideas are of course items that help to stock the new home with essentials, this is a thoughtful gift option that does just that!
Speaking of bamboo, this living “lucky” bamboo is a great housewarming gift for anyone who needs a little luck on their side. We love the spiral shape and the interesting design of the pot, as well as the uplifting idea that it’s a “lucky plant”!
Pair it with a money tree, and you’ve got a one-two punch that will knock their socks off. Plants make the best housewarming gift!
Okay, so this gift is a little out there, and a little macabre. But it’s also one of the most traditional housewarming gifts on our list.
There’s an English/European tradition of putting a mummified cat into the walls of a new house, presumably to ward off ghosts and other ghoulies. Is this a super weird gift? Absolutely. But maybe the people you’re shopping for are a little offbeat and would get a kick out of something wacky like this.
This cat skeleton is produced by a scientific supply company, so it’s also suitable for singles or couples with an interest in biology and the hard sciences. A bizarre housewarming gift for your bizarre friends, this one will be talked about for years to come!
