You’ve just bought a home. Your furniture is all set up. Everything has been put in its proper place. All of the empty boxes have been put away. You have finally settled into your new surroundings. You have met your (hopefully friendly) neighbors. What’s next on the list? Throwing a housewarming party, of course! This is a fun, yet important, step in your transition to your new home because you want your neighbors to know you are fun and outgoing. With that in mind, here are some tips on how to host a fun housewarming party.
We’ll start off with what you definitely need to have: food, and lots of it. Yes, guests will come to the party for the people, but food is always one of the top attracters. For appetizers, have a decent assortment of finger food, such as chips and dip or antipasto, to tide over your guests until dinner. Now that the weather is much more pleasant, having your party outdoors can allow you to show off your grilling skills, so make sure to buy plenty of food for the fire if you intend to grill. For dessert, consider a platter of cookies, a tray of brownies, a chocolate cake, or anything sweet to cap off a delicious dinner.
If you’re hosting an outdoor party, your guests will be spending most of their time in the backyard. Although that may be the case, take some time every so often during the party to give small groups of your guests a tour of the home. This is a way to show that you are proud of your new home and excited to show it to your neighbors. It is a housewarming party, after all.
A party isn’t a party without music. Make sure to have a fairly diverse collection of genres, as a way to please the varied tastes of your guests. If the party is outdoors, be considerate and have your music play at an acceptable volume, just so you’re not disturbing anyone on your block who may not be at the party. Also, although this is a party, it’s not a dance party or a rave, so as far as music is concerned, go with anything that doesn’t seem too abrasive for a housewarming occasion. Maybe think about sticking with the classics, such as music from Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, or Elvis.
To provide your guests with something to do when they’re feeling active, consider setting up a badminton net or a horseshoes court. It will add some more fun to the get-together and encourage friendly competition among the guests.
Although you obviously should never ask your guests to bring a gift, some of them might. If that’s the case, make a list of those who bring a housewarming gift and what they brought; then, begin writing those “Thank You” notes. Don’t let too much time pass between the party and sending them out. Timeliness will let your guests know that you really appreciate the gifts that were given to you.
You want your neighbors to have positive first impressions of you, and putting on an enjoyable party will certainly help in establishing friendly connections with your neighbors. Remember, you’re going to be living near these individuals for however many years, so you want to make sure they form a favorable opinion of you. With all of this being said, once you’re done unpacking, start making friends!
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