Traditional Irish housewarming gift

Psylent9865

Greetings! I'm a newbie from Illinois, USA with a question I hope you will be able to help me with. A good friend's family is moving to a new home and I would love to get them a very traditional Irish housewarming gift. The problem is I don't know what that would be. I've heard everything from a lump of coal to a Bridig's Cross. I respect this family very very much and would like to be able to give the history of the gift at the time of giving. If anyone has a suggestion, I would be grateful. Hope you all are well and thank you in advance for your time.

Patrick

c - 13

Alot of "Traditional" Irish gifts in general can be hideously stereotyped and not have any real relevance to anything other than to try con tourists e.g. - Remind them of home with "Genuine" Sods of Irish Turf etc.

Off the top of my head a common enough housewarming gift could be one of those "Bless This House" style plaques, generally though these would be more suited to an older home owner.

Personally I usually go with a nice bottle of wine (or spirit if I know what the home owner drinks).

Hope this helps a little.

prospect

The first time you visit someones house you should bring a box of teabags. Not quite the same thing, but I thought I'd mention it.

jos28

A Dublin tradition that my Granny did for my Mam and then my Mam did for all of us when we moved into our first homes :
A bag of food (bread, milk, meat and other essentials), a bag of coal and a purse with a small amount of money. As far as I know it is a Dublin tradition and the gifts are given in the hope that you never go hungry, cold or penniless in your new home.
You could update this idea and bring a nice basket of tempting posh foods, a Bord na Mona firepack and some shiny coins. Hope this helps.

yellowellie

jos28 wrote:

the hope that you never go hungry, cold or penniless in your new home

That's lovely!

Don't forget a 'good luck in your new home' card.