VH…I’ve had this happen with a good friend. But with a good friend, I wouldn’t be too bothered. In fact, with a good friend, I would expect them to say something!
That is very different than taking a housewarming present to brand new neighbors who you don’t know at all. To be honest, I would hope a new neighbor would just be gracious and say thank you.
Our last neighborhood was near a wonderful bakery and we would take a box of their cookies or scones to new neighbors along with the bakery’s business card. Always appreciated.
When we moved, we left a binder with all owner’s manuals, list of repairmen that had serviced the house and paint colors used in the rooms. We also left a bakery box, bottle of wine from a local winery and note wishing the new homeowners wonderful memories in the home our family had loved. They were very touched.
Our new neighborhood was having a block party the day before we closed and an invitation was passed along to us through the realtors. It was a wonderful way to meet and be welcomed by our new neighbors. We have been very fortunate to have lived in some great friendly neighborhoods.
OP here…thanks for all the great ideas! I realized I have some info that they would really like to have like the names and numbers of reliable service people and the back way to the post office that took me years to find! I am so happy to have young people move in…our neighborhood needs that infusion of youth!
And BB, my screen name is kind of a joke…as a little girl, all I wanted was a playhouse with yellow gingham curtains and a white picket fence. Never happened so I vowed my daughter would have that. I had sons. Neither had interest in a playhouse with curtains of any color. I have a print by Michelle Kennedy called “white picket fence” and it just kind of stuck in my head.
You all sound like lovely neighbors!
I live in a townhouse style condo. 6 units to a bldg. I’m raking my new neighbors roof (snow) and she is shoveling my patio … pretty funny actually
I hope those bottles of wine don’t get tossed, just pass it on!
Our neighborhood association usually brings by a welcome package. It will have the last newsletter, it used to have cards with watercolor paintings of our local pond done by me, and I expect some other stuff. The committee in charge varies on how active they are. We never got welcomed! I know we said “hi” and introduced ourselves to our next door neighbors, but I can’t remember what else we may have done.
@GreatKid, how far do you carry this policy of not eating food prepared by someone you don’t know? Would you eat a gift if it came from a bakery? What about restaurants? Or is it home kitchens you have a problem with?
Someone once told me that a friend gave her a dozen eggs laid by her own chickens, and she threw them out! She said she only wanted eggs from box in the supermarket. (She seemed to think they were safer or something, when in reality it is quite the reverse…)
Our gift to new neighbors is to be good neighbors. Which in my case means waving hello, bringing in their trash cans if you know they left on vacation, not letting your dog poop on their lawn, not being loud on your back porch late into the night, and occasionally having a nice chat about the weather.
The 'hood is all on NextDoor, so a lot of the socializing goes on there in terms of info.
“not letting your dog poop on their lawn”
Will you be my neighbor please?
My H just told me that he was walking D’s dog this evening and the dog simply was dying to have a good poop.
H made her walk all the way up a steep hill to a vacant lot before allowing her this pleasure.
Hope the neighbors appreciate this! even though we always clean up anywhere.
Our newest neighbors are lovely and I stopped and talked with them while out walking. Gave some information and such. Did not feel right to invite them over --just different stages of life. Many great conversations since they
have moved here when out walking.
Another couple moved in a few years after we joined the neighborhood. They are 4 houses down.
When we were out walking we greeted them and tried to be friendly. They are at the same stage of life as we are and
our kids were all college age. When we mentioned having them down for a glass of wine the H immediately
announced that “I do not drink wine!” I answered that we would have lemonade then.
Gads, the tone was so rude. He could have said how wonderful and once arriving asked for a nonalcoholic drink.
Not surprisingly, everyone on the block have had issues with both him and his wife.
They have reprimanded my GF for parking in front of their house (?) Yelled at S’s friend for the same!
It is a public street.
Then had their own S park in front of the next neighbors house which prevented the garbage collection.
When H talked with them she screamed at him.
Ok, that was a rant!
Just think that any new neighbor can say thanks and leave it at that.
Stopping to give information about the neighborhood and local city is a nice thing to do.
If a good vibe exists then adding something more is great.