Give guests a warm welcome to your new humble abode with a festive housewarming party.
Invitations
Invite your friends to your housewarming with an Evite invitation, like the premium open house invitation below or this free, birds nest invitation. Check out more designs in our Housewarming invitation gallery.
Decorations
You’ve just moved in, so the pressure is off. Still, a housewarming party is your time to bask in compliments and delightful oohs and aahs as your guests revel in the beauty of your new digs.
Candles set the mood, while an eclectic and punchy party playlist invites conversation and encourages relaxation. Leave a guest book by the front door and encourage everyone to leave you welcome notes before they leave.
Make sure you have plenty of spots for people to perch, lean and sit. Set out little bowls of delectable treats around the house and make sure you have an endless supply of food, drinks and music.
Etiquette
Splurge on accessories for the kitchen or bath — or if there’s room for outdoor entertaining, go for citronella candles, a decorative wall-hanging or plastic glasses and plates for lazy afternoons.
If you’re the one having your house warmed, a small gift to guests is always appreciated, especially at a housewarming, as people are likely to be bringing you a gift too. But let’s be realistic. You’ve just moved in — you’re exhausted and strapped for cash. So keep it simple. Just leave a basket of chocolates by the front door and a note thanking your guests for coming. Your guests can help themselves as they leave.
Activities
Priority #1: Breaking in the new home, whatever that means to you and your friends — dinner party, game night, dancing until dawn. It’s up to you. To keep the focus on your fabulous new place, ditch a party theme and spend your time and money on good food, beverages and party music.
Priority #2: Not breaking your new home. If floors are new, ask people to take their shoes off. Just put down white carpeting? Stick with white wine instead of the stain-likely red. Create a designated smoking area outside where errant ashes won’t collect on furniture.
Food
Spending time with friends and family is the reason you’ve invited everyone to your housewarming party. So bite-size, room-temp food will keep you out of the kitchen and in the mix.
Start with assorted olives, nuts and cheeses. For a hearty but still easy-to-make meal, put out platters of meat skewers and sandwiches. For dessert, stick with cookies or make a decadent cheesecake.
Your best bet is to keep your meal informal and casual; you can have a more formal sit-down dinner once you’ve had a chance to fully stock the pantry and figure out all of your new appliances and kitchen accessories.
Drinks
Cafe Royal
- 1 ounce Brandy
- 1 ounce Kahlua (optional)
- 1 spoon sugar
- 10 ounces hot coffee
Pour coffee into a warmed mug. Add Kahlua if desired. Float 2 teaspoons brandy on top of the coffee. Put the remaining 2 teaspoons of brandy into a tablespoon with a sugar cube then warm the spoon over the hot coffee. With a match, carefully ignite the brandy in the teaspoon. Slowly lower the spoon into the coffee to ignite the floating brandy. Wait 1 minute after the flame has died down before drinking.
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