OT- Housewarming Gift Ideas Needed

[Jen841]

$30 price range

Best friend is purchasing a house with her boyfriend. I am hoping that there will be other occassions for gifts sooner rather than later, so I don't want to go overboard (but they could build on each other.) Engagement and wedding we hope to come soon (0-6 months?)!

Thanks!

[bunnisa]

Standards: Williams Sonoma soap & lotion dispenser ( http://tinyurl.com/8rutm ) some high-end, good smelling cleaning products (I love Mrs. Meyers), and quality cotton dishtowels. The WS soap/lotion thing always goes over well because the scents are so nice ( I believe Caldrea makes them), and there is a color/scent to match any decorating scheme.

For someone I don't know well, I make a loaf of bread (maybe olive sourdough or something similarly yummy), wrap it in a nice dishtowel, and include some gourmet preserves or tapenade.

Bethany
mom to William 6/03
and another little one due late Feb '06!
http://lilypie.com/days/060226/0/8/1/-6/.png

[jadamom]

Well, I can tell you what we've received. A flower wreath, a set of glassware with plastic colored ice cubes and bottled lemonade, BBQ rubs/sauces and meat thermometers, fancy soaps and candles. You can also go to williams-sonoma.com and crateandbarrel.com and redenvelope.com and click on housewarming gifts for other ideas.

[HGraceMom]

How about a beautiful hanging plant for their front or back porch? and then you could do a garden-themed engagement gift (trowels, a gardening book, flower seeds, & a rose bush for the romantic touch) and a beautiful crystal vase for cut flowers as a wedding gift...

Or you could buy a baking cookbook for a housewarming... a silver cake knife for an engagement gift, and a crystal cake stand for a wedding gift...

Cloth napkins for a housewarming, a matching tablecloth or table runner for engagement, and candlesticks for the wedding...

I adore winton armatalle pieces - you could buy a small piece for the housewarming gift (maybe a wine bottle dish) a small bowl for an engagement gift, and a large platter for the wedding, all in matching patterns...

a bar theme: a bag filled with cocktail napkins, olive sticks or a cheese board for the housewarming, bar items (shakers, etc.) for an engagement gift, and crystal barware or decanters for the wedding

I love theme gifts...
Renee

[bostonsmama]

I've given a basket of coordinating his/hers rolled towels (bath, hand towels & washcloths x2), a box of dishes (we called & asked their tastes...and they were perfect & reasonably priced), some Tupperware starter pieces, a set of 4 wine glasses or champagne flutes (to build their barware).

I've received a blender, an iron, a medium all-purpose flower vase, scented candles (Yankee jars and singles), a matching cannister set (for flour/sugar/coffee), and a bottle of wine and some nice crackers & cheese. Only one person brought a gift card attached to a 12-pk of microbrew beer, but we really liked it (and it was a hit w/ my DH).

ETA: Yes, as another poster pointed out, don't bring wine if you don't have to b/c it really is a common gift. We got 4 bottles that night, but we also drank them then and there fortunately.

[muskiesusan]

I really like Penzey Spices. They are really good spices and they tend to package everything nicely.

www.penzeys.com

Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01
& Alex 04/04

[Sillygirl]

The ultra-traditional gift is bread and salt. Bread so there will never be hunger, salt so their lives in the new home will always have something to savor. If you get an artisanal loaf from Whole Foods and some really great quality sea salt, you can spend about $15-20. Then you can throw in a platter (I always get them from Chinatown, they have really colorful pieces for about $10.)

[DebbieJ]

Whatever you do, don't bring wine! LOL! We got SO many bottles of wine at our housewarming party and I was pregnant at the time!!! Ugh. We eventually got rid of it all (drank it, brought it to potlucks, etc), but it was really just way too much.

I like to give windchimes as a housewarming gift.

~ deb
DS 12/03
And a niece or nephew arriving in early August!

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/10029.gif

[Jen841]

Isn't this from It's a Wonderful Life? Don't I need a bottle of wine too? I like this idea, and down the road I can do the platter/knife,...

I forgot to mention, I have to ship what I buy b/c she is 1/2 way across the country.