Housewarming party for an apartment?

[WebLady]

I have always heard that a housewarming is only for like your first home ... is it "OK" to have one when you move into an apartment, even if it is not your first? Then do you throw such a party for yourself? Do people bring gifts?

I was just curious if others have heard of housewarming parties with apartments. I found mixed feelings on it online.

[SkippyNXC]

i think a small party would be OK... i mean idk ur friends history but it could also be celebrating independence etc.

[amisteratwisterandme]

I don't know either. I would say if it is something you want to do to help her out, I don't see anything wrong with that, but on the other hand, I just refused to go to my friend's house warming who is now on her 7th house, been married 17 years and invited 57 people plus their families.

I REALLY felt it was a gift grab, and wanted nothing to do with it.

If it's a case of her being down on her luck and it's close friends who all know her situation, I think that would be acceptable.

[mitch]

Someone mention party!! :winktongue:

We've had house warming gatherings at every property we've lived in. And even when we move back to our old house. The bar will be open and no doubt our friends will turn up. When we moved to the cottage. DH was talking to a friend online who lives in Germany. He mentioned in passing that we were having a gathering on the following Saturday. Saturday afternoon, there's a knock on the door. Opened it to find our friend standing there carrying beer, a pot plant and an overnight bag. :)

Found this online.

It is considered proper etiquette to invite guests to a housewarming party a few days to three weeks in advance.
Gifts are customary but not necessary. They usually consist of something for the new house (such as a potted plant, a vase, or a picture frame) or something to be enjoyed during the party (such as a bottle of wine, a bouquet of flowers or a gift basket of foodstuffs).

Variations:

A housewarming party may be thrown upon completion of a renovation or remodel.
A housewarming party may be presented as an "open house" where people are free to come and go during a fixed window of time on a given day.
A housewarming may involve a potluck meal.
Some people invite all of their new neighbours to their housewarming. This allows the hosts to meet their new community.
In some communities, neighbours may bring the housewarming party to the new residents to welcome them.
While people try to host a housewarming party within the first 3 months, a lot of people wait until they are completely settled in. The time frame is flexible, and a party can qualify as a housewarming anytime after the move-in date.

[fireprincess2009]

I'm pretty sure I've had a housewarming party in most places I've lived (except college of course) It's more of an excuse to get together with friends and family rather than expecting gifts. Some people brought wine or a small gift and others didn't. Either way, I wasn't expecting anything. It's nice when you're in new surroundings to have friends to warm it up and make it feel more like home. That type of gathering is more than acceptable and I say go for it. If her motivation is just the gifts, then you might want to take a step back.

[FFC]

I like Breckan's idea for "Open House". I'm a first time homeowner, so I think it'd be appropriate for me to do a housewarming party. However, Matt is not, so when we do our "new house" party, it's not going to be a 'housewarming' party.

I do think it can be appropriate in an apartment if it's like the first place a teenager moves into from their parents' home. However, if it's your tenth time moving, a party would be fine, but scratch the registry idea.

[Brian's Bride]

Can you make a registry for housewarming gifts?!? LOL, I had no idea! Yes, we do NOT want presents, since this is technically both of our second house (I never did have a housewarming on my first one, though). I dunno, I just feel weird about people bringing me stuff because I have a new house.

Maybe you could bring a six-pack of beer and call it a day? Although, apartments aren't usually that big, so I would think the invite list would be pretty short. I've NEVER heard of an apartment housewarming party!

[Ninedays9]

I think it's ok to have a party for moving to another place, whether it's an apartment, a house, a rented house, etc. We had a party here and didn't expect gifts. FH's friend actually got us a card and a gift card, which was very nice of him. It is kind of nice just to have everyone over to see the place... and an excuse to get together.

[Heywie]

I guess I've never put too much thought into this subject...

We're moving in 2 weeks and once I get the place all put back together, we'll have friends over. I think "Housewarming" is just an easy term to tell everyone we're having a party in our new place... I would never expect gifts or anything! Hmmm now I'm thinking if this is a weird title, I'll just call it something else and invite our friends over nonetheless.

[mitch]

I guess I've never put too much thought into this subject...

We're moving in 2 weeks and once I get the place all put back together, we'll have friends over. I think "Housewarming" is just an easy term to tell everyone we're having a party in our new place... I would never expect gifts or anything! Hmmm now I'm thinking if this is a weird title, I'll just call it something else and invite our friends over nonetheless.

That's why everytime we moved house we had a "Gathering". We never got gifts apart from a plant or two for the house or garden. Everyone turned up carrying vast amounts of alcohol that they helped consume. I laid on a few nibbles. I drank tea. Friends in a band had a jamming session. And at one gathering a friends boyfriend did a quick demo of fire juggling and flame eating / blowing.

[NOTKT]

I think if she wants to have one or was asked enough times, its appropriate. Any time anyone moves, we always ask when the party is!I don't think it's right to throw a party for gifts, though. Never ok.

[sandy03]

Personally I'm not a fan of housewarming parties period because they always strike me as a gift-grab. I know that traditionally someone else is always supposed to host it, and it just seems off to have someone else hosting a party in YOUR home. And housewarming registries are in really poor taste in my opinion!

Now if you want to host a sort of open house and invite people over to see the place I think that is ok, but I don't think it should be called a "housewarming". To me, that implies "bring me a gift".

[gwenshack]

I've been to several apartment warming parties, but they've all been excuses to drink and have people over. I've never been to any where people were looking for gifts though.

Edit - Actually, the only gifts people have brought to said parties were bottles of liquor or wine. LOL...:)

[Nekochanpurr]

I've never heard of a house warming party for an apartment.. I thought that they were just when you got a house.. I'd be partying too if i could afford one. LOL

[flyerso6]

we had a house warming party when we moved into our house (1st house), we may have had a party when we moved into our apartment, actually we had several parties while living there, but just invited friends over etc. I believe when we moved into our house we actually had a cookout and fed all of our guests and didn't expect gifts, as a matter of fact I don't think anyone brought any either. I don't really remember because it wasn't a gift party.

If she just wants to have a get together at her new apartment there isn't anything wrong with that, but if she is expecting gifts that is a another story.