Nothing says, “Welcome to Your New Home” better than a THOUGHTFUL present. But what to gift? As May is National Moving Month, let’s start with a look back at how the housewarming tradition got started in the first place.

The term housewarming descended literally from the physical act of warming a new house. Many moons ago, each housewarming guest would bring a gift of firewood & help to build fires in every fireplace inside the house. Fire is a classic symbol of strength & purity, which is why to this day many European traditions involve lighting a fire or a candle on the first night in a new home.

In French-speaking countries, a housewarming party is called a pendaison de crémaillère, which means "hanging of the chimney hook." It’s a medieval expression dating to the 1600’s, when a house was built by everyone in the village. Upon completion of the house, everyone in the village was invited in for dinner, which was prepared in a large pot hung on a hook in the chimney. The hook adjusted the height of the pot, which controlled the cooking temperature, & was usually the last item to be installed in a new home. Todays takeaway? Be sure to feed anyone who shows up to your housewarming party.

Bread & salt represent two cherished symbols of conventional hospitality, so much so that many believe they should be the first two items brought into a new home. A gift of bread is meant to ensure that the home's inhabitants will never go hungry, & salt will provide a life full of flavor. This tradition may have originated in Russia, but has been adopted by many countries & even migrated into outer space! Astronauts ceremoniously brought bread & salt on board both Mir & the International Space Station to celebrate their new "home" in zero gravity.

It’s become an American tradition to bring a bottle of wine or fine food (such as a gourmet cheese & crackers tray) to a housewarming party. Try to find out the host or hostess’ favorite cheese or wine & consider including a decorative wine topper wrapped around the bottle with a pretty ribbon or a cheese knife/spreader displayed in a similar presentation.

What new home can’t benefit from a little greenery? Choose something small & elegant that can be displayed easily on a kitchen table or coffee table. In Feng Shui tradition, three stalked bamboo wrapped with red ribbon is said to bring good luck to a home, making it a classic housewarming gift. Other plant present ideas include jade, aloe, or fresh herbs like cilantro & basil in decorative pots. Fresh-cut flowers, are always a great go-to gift too!

Provide a pineapple? In 1493 during his second sea voyage, Christopher Columbus was said to be the first European to come face-to-face with a pineapple. According to the World Encyclopedia of Food, world travelers found that natives who hung a pineapple in front of their dwellings’ entrances seemed especially welcoming to strangers. This concept was eventually adopted by Colonial homeowners, who began showcasing pineapple shaped decorations at the entrances to their homes. Historically a symbol of extravagance (at one time, a single pineapple could be sold for the equivalent of $9,000 today) pineapples now represent hospitality itself & are considered a universal housewarming symbol.

It’s an old tradition in the South & other parts of the United States to paint your porch ceiling a light blue known as “haint blue”. This particular color is said to prevent “haints,” or lingering spirits of the dead, from getting into the house.“Haint” is another word for “haunt” in Gullah tradition, whose African origins are found stateside in regions of South Carolina, Georgia, & beyond. Legend says that haint spirits can’t travel through or over water, so painting part of your entryway blue is a haint deterrent. Southern homes are also commonly accented with blue around the doors, windows, & shutters. Consider a housewarming gift of an address number plaque, front porch pillows, or a front dock knocker in a true-blue haint shade.

It turns out that people from all corners of the world love celebrating moving into new digs. Certain housewarming traditions are said to bring good luck to the home -- whether true or not -- these traditions can serve as inspiration for modern day housewarmings for family, friends, & yourself! Federal Brace can help you achieve your next level housewarming goals with a Floating Shelf System, Stainless Steel Drawer Interiors, or an Eco-Lucent LED White Hardwired System (for under counter, under & in cabinets, & other accent lighting solutions around the new home kitchen, bath, & office). Check out www.FederalBrace.com or call toll-free (877) 353-8899 8:30AM - 5 PM EST for additional ideas & design assistance.