Spring is here and change is upon us. I don’t know about you, but every spring I tend to see more houses for sale or rent than normal and always have a handful of new neighbors move in. It’s the prime time for transition, with a school year wrapping up. The summer gives just enough time to get moved, adjusted and prepared for the next school year ahead. On my jog this morning, I counted five homes for sale or rent just in my little nook of a master-planned community! While I will be sad to see good friends depart, it’s always fun to get new neighbors. Where I am in life, I am always hoping for families with children of similar ages as mine or families with teenagers. Hello possible babysitters! Regardless of who moves in, I always like to bring a housewarming or “welcome to the neighborhood” gift so our new neighbors feel welcome and at home in their new community. It’s a great excuse to meet the family, tell them a little bit about the area and see if they need any help in their transition.
I tend to experiment with new housewarming gifts from year to year, but there are a few gifts that never disappoint. They are my go-tos and are always appropriate. The first no-fail housewarming gifts are homemade goodies. Who doesn’t appreciate homemade cookies, muffins or a delicious spring cake? I love to give a loaf of my homemade bread (hot out of the oven) with my husband’s famous strawberry jam to new friends. We tie the bread and jam up with twine and take it over in a wicker basket.
The second winning housewarming gift idea is fresh flowers. When I don’t have time to bake or am running busy, I love to pick up a bouquet of beautiful flowers to give to my new neighbors. They help spruce up a house that is typically filled with moving boxes. I will be using flowers for my housewarming gifts this spring, along with a tag that reads, “Welcome to the Neighborhood, We Hope You Bloom Here.” Because I have a few neighbors moving in, I picked up a whole bushel of fresh tulips from the florist (so much cheaper than buying arrangements from the grocery store), split them up in mason jars and attached the tag. They are bright, cheerful and (hopefully) a warm spring welcome to our new neighbors.
I thought you may be interested in replicating this springtime housewarming gift idea and have provided the “We Hope You Bloom Here” tag as a free printable.
You can download the tag here.
What about you? What do you like to give your new neighbors to welcome them to the neighborhood?