Housewarming Party (Clueless Me)

Yeah, people do that, but I think that it's tacky. Make it what you want it to be. The people who want to gift you with something will.

Housewarming parties are a fun time you have friends over and have a party. you lay out food and stuff to drink and show off the house. You absolutely don't register that is the absolute tackiest thing ever. People will bring stuff it is usually stuff like a plant for the yard, a gift for the house etc but not big stuff. Tell her that's tacky and you don't register for a housewarming. Unless it is something new going on in another part of the country I would not do it.

I'll bet your friend was a bridezilla. If she's not married yet, do everything you can to avoid being in her wedding party. LOL!

Seems like some people just have that "gimme" attitude, and will use any occasion as an excuse to gift-grab.

If you'd like to have a housewarming with gifts, just tell people you're having a housewarming. You will probably get some of the small gifts other posters have mentioned. If someone wants to get you something larger, they will ask you what you need.

If you don't want gifts, just say "no gifts please" on the invitation.

A housewarming party is NOT something you register for.

It's a party that you invite friends and family to, AFTER you get unpacked and settled in, to show off your new place. Some people might bring along a little gift, but it's certainly not mandatory and it's tacky as heck to ask for gifts.

Throw a party to show off your new place. Don't register. That's super tacky (IMO). If they want to buy you something, great. If not, no worries. I wouldn't even call it a housewarming party.

Maybe you wait a bit (since you're still putting stuff up) and host a holiday get-together. That will give you a date to look forward to and a deadline to get your stuff up on the walls and in place. That always helps me get my stuff done. :)

UMM I have never heard of that - the "shower" gift thing. Usually we bring food and a bottle of wine to celebrate the new house, but it is usually a party thrown by the couple who moved in for their friends to check our their new digs.

We were invited to a housewarming that included the owner's "gift suggestions: Target gift card, etc" -- I was put off by that but it was my husband's teacher assistant & we really liked her. What I brought was a basket with a red checked towel, loaded with green and yellow veggies from our garden. I think I also included some potholders. So, I had fun with it & totally ignored the gift suggestion (I know, passive-aggressive).

So, I think you are on the right track: a get-together. You will no doubt get some nice things, however. I just googled housewarming etiquette & one site said "no gifts are expected but most guests will bring something..."

You can, but if you are more comfortable with a get together when you are unpacked, just do that. No real need to have a registry.

No...you don't "register" for a housewarming party!
If you're lucky your guests might bring a plant, a bottle of wine, a welcome mat, a new broom (traditional new house gift), or another small household item.
And YOU provide the food and beverages!
LOL at your friend--that's just nuts!

Sadly, I have heard of it. When I worked at Pottery Barn we occassionally had people come in to register for their housewarming party. I thought it was very tacky, and it was VERY rare that we had anyone actually come in to buy a gift from a housewarming party's registry. We did have a ton of people who'd come in to buy gifts to bring with them, but they were of their own choosing--not like a shower.

Most people in my family didn't even acknowledge our new house when we moved in 6 years ago, but my husband's family's culture always brings a gift to a home that they are visiting for the first time.

"Please help us warm our home with the gift of your presence and friendship. No gifts please."

Yes, they are get togethers.

In this economy...

Some may bring something, if they can. Some will come and probably be glad you mentioned "no gifts."

Then again, if you are on a budget, you could have a potluck party and call it a "Come warm our house with the smell of good food and good friendship. Bring your favorite dish or drinks to share." and have it at lunch or dinnertime.

If it's your first apartment/house, gifts are generally appropriate for housewarmings. If it's simply a move, then a housewarming is simply a get together to "christen" the new place.

In the post college years, when we were doing the first apartment circuit, we would bring TP (that's right, toilet paper), beer and plants to house warming parties. Mind you most were in 5th story walk ups. TP was so appreciated. Everyone can use it, it matches all decors, its quickly gone, etc etc.

Do what feels right to you, and congrats on your new house.

I had a house warming party as a fun way to let people know we've moved/bought a house. No, I did not register for gifts. In fact, I told people not to bring gifts. Most people brought a bottle of wine anyway. Most people were curious about our house. It was a good way to have people over to see our new place all at the same time.

We had a housewarming party when we bought our house. It was really kind of a casual barbecue that we invited all of our friends & some family to. A couple of people brought a bottle of wine, a good friend of my mother's sent a pretty placemat & dishtowel set plus a candle/centerpiece thing, 1 friend gave us a nice barbecue tool set, & we were also given a gift card to Home Depot. I want to say that's about it in the way of gifts from friends. I've never heard of registering for a housewarming, either. Seems weird to me. We just wanted to celebrate managing to buy a house with 2 kids while we were still under the age of 30, ha!

I usually think of them as get-togethers, but sometimes people will bring a small gift. Although, I usually would think of the gifts as being something like a bottle of wine or something like that. I've definitely never heard of actually REGISTERING for one.

My ex and I had one YEARS ago and we registered at Lowes (wasn't our idea). I feel it's more of a 'get together', no gifts.

People I work with consider them to be parties that have gifts. We were going to buy a house and I was told to make sure I register and have a dinner for housewarming. I would have had a get together eventually, maybe just some appetizers and such with close friends and family and maybe a blessing but nothing big. I would not feel comfortable registering for one though.