If you’re on this site, there’s a good chance you’re interested in a new place to live. In fact, more people in the United States moved last year compared to any other in the last decade. Whether renting or buying, FultonGrace has you covered. And whether you’ve just moved in, about to move, or you have some new neighbors…the best way to introduce yourself is with a gift! In this article, we’ll give you five great gift ideas for meeting new neighbors or becoming better introduced to old ones.
Gift Idea #1: Wine
Simple, yet extremely effective. You can get crafty and wrap it, you can go local (if you’ve recently traveled to an area known for good wine), you can go upscale and buy Champagne, the options here are limitless. Plus, if the person doesn’t really drink wine (or drink at all) it’s easily re-gifted. You can usually go with a ‘blind buy’ here; any budget or level of wine knowledge is usually okay. If you really want to score points, hit up a specialty shop for your purchase. Small wine stores usually have great gifts at all price ranges. Pro tip: it helps to do a little research and see what your neighbors like, or even if they are drinkers at all. Extra credit here for adding things like nice glasses, or maybe even a decanter or cocktail shaker.
Gift Idea #2: Local Food/Local Delicacies and Gifts
This idea’s great, especially if the neighbor in question just moved from out of town. Know about a great local bakery, or where to get great local produce? Share it with your neighbors! As with the wine idea, you can get crafty here if so desired and make a basket full of small items or a nice little gift box. This way, you’re more assured that there’s something in there that they would like. A small bag of locally roasted coffee, some towels or knickknacks from a local producer, gift cards for local restaurants or cafes…these are some of many options for a ‘locally sourced’ gift box!
Gift Idea #3 Flowers or Plants
Yeah, it sounds a little boring. But who doesn’t like flowers? It’s not a bold choice, but it’s also a gift idea that has a very low chance of failure. If your neighbors just moved in…nothing really brightens up a new place (especially one without a lot of furniture) than a bouquet or a lovely plant. Pro tip: make sure to bring flowers with a vase, or a plant with a halfway-decent pot. Maybe your new neighbors don’t know where the vases are packed, or maybe they don’t even have any. This way you’re covered no matter what. You can give these or even just leave ‘em at their door with a nice note and contact information. Talk about welcoming and friendly!
Gift Idea #4: Candles/Soaps/Kitchen Gifts
These are for sure classic welcoming gift ideas. Almost everyone’s into some nice-smelling candles or high-class soaps/toiletries! As mentioned above, you can go local if you know about shops in your area that make or source these types of things. If you’re crafty, make your own. If you’re not a candle or fancy soap sort of person (or think your neighbors might not be) you can always go with a practical kitchen gift. Think aprons, oven mitts, even a knife or bottle opener. Lots of people associate homes with entertaining, so these kinds of gifts usually go over well. (Of course, all of these gift ideas can be combined!)
Gift Idea #5: Homemade Baked Goods/Foods
Coming over to your neighbors’ new place with a piping-hot pie or some fresh bread might be the most stereotypical gift scenario. But there’s a reason for this; it’s pretty darn cool. If you, a friend, or someone in your family is a good cook; this is the time to get it popping/enlist them. You can go a lot of directions here; a lot of people like sweets, while other would prefer bread or even fresh veggies. If you’re not a good cook, it’s okay to grab something from a bakery or café. This is another good low-interaction gift; it’s totally okay to just leave it at their door with a note.
Any of these ideas are honestly super nice! Hope this article has inspired you to meet new neighbors, or get to know existing ones.
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