A Sweet Welcome: Housewarming Traditions around The World

Presenting a friend or relative with a housewarming gift in honor of their A SWEET new home is a practice that dates back centuries and spans cultures worldwide. Back then, neighbors would show up at your new digs with WELCOME firewood to literally warm up your house. Today, most of us are happy to receive an assortment of cheeses or a beautiful bottle of wine. This symbolic gesture is a tradition that has been-and will continue to be-upheld for many years. Here is a look at how cities around the globe celebrate and warm up a new home. HOUSEWARMING TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD The symbolic теалing оf your gipt: HONEY for a sweet life. 111111. BREAD so they shall never go hungry. Rome, llaly MOSCOW, RUSSIA BERLIN, GERMANY A housewarming is an informal celebration among friends The tradition of a housewarming A housewarming is a cause for celebration and a chance to is thought to originate in Russia, when a villager named Boris and his wife Yelena presented a gift of bread and salt to dignitaries who BROOM to sweep welcome friends and family and family. away evil. to the new home. SALT had just arrived to the village. so their life will always have flavor. COIN for good fortune. CANDLE so they will always have light. ROOSTER to keep trespassers away from the home. BLUE BIRD for good luck. OLIVE OIL to keep a loved one faithful. FRUIT for a hospitable home. Washington, DC. United States NEW DELHI, INDIA Bangkak, Thailand PLANTS for prosperous life. Housewarming ceremonies typically take on the form of a casual party for friends and family. The Griha Pravesh ceremony. meaning "entering new house," is conducted by a Housewarming, called Keun Ban Mai, is done in two parts. First, a family moves WINE so they never go thirsty. all the furniture into the house. Then they Brahmin's performance of a sacred prayer, or Pooja. spend their first night in the house on a chosen lucky day (usually a Friday or Saturday). SOURCES: GLOVALPROPERTYGUIDE.COM, EHOW.COM, BRIGHTHUB.COM, myimove EMILYPOST.COM, TEMPLEOFTHAI.COM, ITALIANSRUS.COM