Making Meals Special

If you have new neighbors they may be feeling a little overwhelmed. It can be stressful moving to a new area, and it is even worse if you do not know anyone in the neighborhood. Below are some tips on how you can make them feel welcome.

Gift Wine Basket

Before you knock on their door, send them a gift with a note attached saying welcome to the neighborhood. This is much better than walking in on them in the beginning, as they are likely still unpacking and getting their house set up.

One great gift you could send to them is a gift wine basket. Choose a red wine and a white wine to make sure you send something they'll like. Include a bottle of non-alcoholic wine just in case they do not drink alcohol.  Put the wine in a nice basket filled with a cloth lining. Include a note welcoming them to come to your home when they are ready to meet their neighbors. Contact a company like Sand Castle Winery for wine basket gift ideas.

Info Binder

Gather together a list of the phone numbers for your local fire department, police department, water department, doctors in the area, as well as phone numbers for schools in the area.  Include the link to the National Safety Directory on one of the pages in the binder. This website will help them learn how to prevent burglary, show them safety tips for them and their children, a disaster relief guide, and resources for national crime prevention. It would take them a lot of time to gather this information on their own, and they will be very pleased to receive this.

Add some fun to the binder by putting in some takeout menus to your favorite restaurants, addresses for the library, gym, and theaters.

Basket of Treats

Put some treats in a basket and send it over to your new neighbors. You should be careful, however, as they may have food allergies. Some people have an allergy to gluten or dairy products, so do not include anything like cookies or cake.

Include a map of the neighborhood, as well as some coupons for local food stores, etc. Include a small houseplant in the basket, such as an African Violet, to give it some color.

If your new neighbors move in during the winter months, send them a basket with a variety of mittens, scarves, and hats, along with a mason jar filled with homemade hot chocolate mix.