Present Traditional Housewarming Gifts

Have you ever been invited to a housewarming party and wondered what to bring? Most people bring food and drink fit for a party, but it's a safe bet that few people have thought of bringing the traditional list of gifts or, much less, know what they mean. The modern housewarming stems from the traditional Hogmanay, meaning Cake Night. Among the Norse this forms part of the 12 days of Christmas. Traditional housewarming gifts are given to the man and the woman equally. The more of these gifts that are handmade, the better, in order to ensure greater success and wealth in the coming year.

List of gifts

  • Bread, especially black bun, a heavy fruit cake that is sometimes used
  • Broom
  • Candles
  • Coins
  • Honey
  • Knives
  • Olive oil
  • Plants
  • Rice
  • Salt
  • Wine
  • Wood

Steps

  1. Step into the house and give the wife the broom at the door. Always give the blessing with the gift. "May your house always be clean and free of evil spirits."
  2. Give the man of the house the knife. This serves a dual purpose. He provides his wife a tool to make the meals, and he keeps it to defend against intruders. In ancient times this would have been a dagger with which they could cut meat and defend the house. "May your home always be protected from intruders."
    • Be aware that some people believe it is bad luck to gift someone a knife, as it represents cutting and could cut the friendship or create loss. If this is of concern, attach a penny to the knife, which the recipient can then return as "payment" for the knife.
  3. Step right on to the trapdoor of the root cellar, or go to the pantry, and give the salt to the couple. "May there always be flavor and spice in your life." Any kind of salt will do. Even the orange decorative salt is acceptable.
  4. Walk over to the sleeping area. This is especially important if it is a new couple with no kids. Give them the rice. "May the love in your home multiply." This is for fertility and/or a long, blessed marriage.
  5. Go to the kitchen. This is often called the heart of the house. Present the bread to the couple in the kitchen, and say "May those in your home never go hungry."
  6. Give the couple the wine. "May you always have joy and never go thirsty." It may be symbolic. Any juice will do.
  7. Move into the dining room. If the couple doesn't have a dining room, you can do this in the kitchen. Give them the honey. "May you always enjoy the sweetness of life."
  8. Give the couple the olive oil. "May you be blessed with health and well-being."
  9. Move into the living room. Give the couple the coins. "May you receive luck and good fortune."
  10. Remind the couple of the stability of wood. Give them the wood. "May your home have stability, harmony, and peace."
  11. Give the couple the candles. If possible, they should be Make Candles. "May you always have light through the darkest times."
  12. Give the couple the plant. Caring for a plant gives them practice in caring for each other. If they can keep a plant alive together, they can keep a relationship together. This takes teamwork. "May your home always have life."

Tips

  • In the "Old Country", each gift had a specific and meaningful significance to the well being of the family. The house had one room. The front door was in the middle of the front wall. When you walked inside there was a loft to one side where the kids slept. Under that was mom and dad's bed. Against the back wall was the "kitchen", a big fireplace with the pots and pans hanging from the pegs and hooks. The broom leaned against the mantle and the candles were on top. To the right was the living area and a big table with benches. In the middle of the floor was the coat and mud-room, or sometimes sitting area. There was a trap door down to the pantry and root cellar.
  • The luckiest time to present gifts to a new house was the stroke of midnight while the New Year was rung in. This is called First Footing on Hogmanay.
  • These are the old traditional gifts. You might want to be more modern. But then again, anyone can be modern.
  • There are additional gifts that may be added, though not as traditional. Coal for warmth, shortbread, or oil and flour, instead of bread, soap for washing and for fragrance and whiskey are among them.
  • Number the gifts or label them and present them in order.

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