The Perfect Gifts for a Housewarming Party

Oooh, we love a good housewarming. When a friend or family member has made a new place a home, it’s a special honor to share the occasion and celebrate a new season of life. Fair Trade has a great role to play in this occasion too. Here are our pics for the perfect gifts for a housewarming party.

You would like to be remembered as the creative and meaningful gift-giver, correct? Fair Trade gifts from around the world are often handmade, always unique, and may even be one-of-a-kind.

Wall Art

Your host’s new home may need some beautiful decorative items to grace its walls, and you can help with Fair Trade. There are numerous metal art pieces, carved wooden statues, and cloth wall hangings to fit any style, and many even convey encouraging messages.

If they enjoy nature and natural fibers, your recipient will definitely love the mindful living message on our This Moment jute wall hanging from Vietnam, complete with a Gandhi quote to bless the home.

Decorative Pieces

If the housewarming party is at a home with a grand mantle or impressive library, you may want to choose a conversation piece for the room or something that reflects the resident’s interest.

Where are our cat lovers? If these are your people, then these are your gorgeous housewarming Playful Cat Bookends. Skilled artisans carve soapstone from Agra, India, by hand into these gorgeous and elegant shapes. This gift will be the talk of the party for years to come!

Throws and Blankets

For a cozy and warm house party feeling, a blanket or throw that compliments the décor may be in order. Especially for a party near a fireplace in the winter, pair it with a mug and hot chocolate mix (Fair Trade, of course!), and you have an entire experience in one gift.

We love the Sacred Sari Throw from artisans in Bangladesh who are working with the Prokritee group, rebuilding their lives after a departure from the sex trade industry. What a gift with an incredible story!

The Sacred Sari Throw is also a symbol of hope, made with recycled sari fabric and patched with love to be repurposed.

Wine and Bar Accessories

Wine is a traditional gift for a wide variety of occasions. Have you checked whether your favorite varietal is Fair Trade? Many wines come from regions of the world with credible labor laws, but for those that do not, you can support workers in developing countries when you make a purposeful choice to buy Fair Trade wine. This can be difficult to find, but it is not impossible. The Fairtrade Foundation has good information on this if you would like to learn more.

To accessorize your wine gift, Fair Trade companies have wine and bottle carriers, corkscrews, or reusable stone ice cubes for cocktails. You can find a number of creative gifts if you look and ask questions about their sourcing.

Housewarming Party Tips

- If you would like to purchase a decorative gift, ask some questions ahead of time about the home’s colors and theme (or check social media for photos), so that you can attempt to match the style of the host with your gift selection.

- If you don’t know the host very well, you might be wise to choose a more basic gift rather than an interest-specific item (like cat bookends). This has a greater chance of ensuring that the gift will be enjoyed.

- If you’re just not sure what gift to purchase, consumable products are an easy selection (Fair Trade wine, chocolate, coffee), as long as you make sure to avoid any known allergies.

- While you’re at the party, be sure to notice unique furniture or decorative pieces. If something stands out, it’s probably intended to, and your host will appreciate that you noticed if you give a compliment.

- You can assist your host by making conversation with other guests, especially those who came alone or who are less familiar with the group of guests.

Housewarming parties can be a wonderful time to gather and build friendships. We hope you will add Fair Trade into your next one and find the perfect gifts for a housewarming party.