Housewarming Party Etiquette You Should Follow
If you have a housewarming party on the horizon, you may be unsure of how to plan or attend appropriately. These aren’t the most common occasions, but the last thing you want to do is to host or show up unprepared. For those in need, here’s the housewarming party etiquette you should follow.
For New Homeowners
If you’re a homeowner breaking in a new house, you’ll want to hold your housewarming party over several hours as a sort of open house affair. Apart from this basic structure, here are two more points of etiquette.
Invite Old Friends AND New Neighbors
When you’re crafting the guest list, your first thought is to invite your beloved family and friends, the people you have a long history with. While inviting them is a must, you’d do well to prioritize inviting your new neighbors as well. A housewarming party is an ideal opportunity to chat with neighbors without any pressure. A five-minute conversation with the family next door can serve to begin a nice relationship in the future.
If you’re worried about being around so many people during this current pandemic, introduce physical distancing measures and hold your party outside.
Please, Don’t Make a Registry
Though there are sites and articles about creating a housewarming party registry, resist the urge. Giving your registry out can seem pushy for a party that isn’t quite as serious as a wedding or baby shower. Also, you want to set the tone that, while gifts may trickle in, this party is more about spending time with others than getting something from them.
For Housewarming Party Guests
Meanwhile, there are some alternative housewarming etiquette tips to follow if you’re a guest.
Bring a Gift
Don’t come empty-handed. While making up and sending out a registry is tacky, you as a guest should bring a gift because you want to—not because you have to. There are many options for giving great housewarming gifts. One goal in doing so could be to give them a little piece of their previous home, town, or state as they make their transition.
Don’t Take a Solo Tour
When you get to this open house-style party, introduce yourself to the host from the get-go. It’s likely, if they have a second, they’ll offer a short tour of the place. Whatever you do, don’t venture off and take your own tour, even if they don’t offer one. Doing so can lead to some uncomfortable surprises for the host or, at the very least, distract from the party a bit. It’s much better to let them take charge. After all, they’re likely excited to be the one showing people around.
