NBR: "Housewarming" Party etiquette (kinda long)
Hi Ladies!! I am normally just a lurker but I had to share this with you all because I thought you would get a kick out of it. And just to make sure that I am not crazy in thinking that it is COMPLETELY tacky.
A girl I know who I used to be good friends with (we are totally different people now and just went our separate ways and grew apart) has recently been in touch with me. We have started talking on FB casually. She has been filling me in on her new boyfriend that she met in February and just life in general. Well she had posted a couple weeks ago that she had moved in to her new BF's apartment.
Then last week she messaged me on FB asking for my address because her and her BF are having a housewarming party. I was kinda taken aback because they didnt buy a new house or any house for that matter. She just moved into the apartment he already had. So I gave her my address anyway (I just HAD to see the invitation). I got it in the mail yesterday and it states on the bottom that they are REGISTERED at Target and Wal-Mart.
Now I am no etiquette expert by any means but I am pretty sure you don't register for a housewarming party. And usually you have a house warming party for buying a house. This is tacky, right?
Re: NBR: "Housewarming" Party etiquette (kinda long)
It is tacky, but I might choose to look past this and attend the party anyway. If she is someone you want to spend time with, then go. Otherwise just reply that you regrettably can't make it.
Housewarming parties are not something people typically register for. Anyway, I think it is pretty standard to bring a bottle of wine or candle and be done with it. It's not about getting stuff as much as it is about spending time with family/friends and checking out their new place.
Thanks for all the replies! I probably wont be going anyway because we are just not that close anymore. I just wanted to see what your ladies' take was on the whole thing was. I just thought it was all very weird to say the least lol
I have not heard of a housewarming registry. I have heard of simple wine, candle, etc. for apartment housewarmings. I know it is also fairly common to get people leftover registry items for a "house" housewarming post wedding, especially if the wedding was within the last 18 months or so.
Ridiculous.
A few years ago I received a high school graduation party invitation complete with registry information from BB&B for the girl's dorm room. It was utterly ridic.
While still tacky, this to me is almost more acceptable than a registry for a housewarming party. Graduation is a gift-giving event. People usually send cash, but it's not totally far-fetched. I still wouldn't do it though.
I have always had housewarming parties when I buy a new house, or even when I moved to my first "adult" apartment after college. But there were no registries. They are not gift giving events. I didn't even mail invitations. It was just another excuse to have a party.
I think this is tacky too. I have only ever read about it on the nest.
Why should others stock your bar for you? Can you not afford alcohol? (not YOU, sass, just in general).
I just don't get it.
I'm glad to know I am not crazy! LOL
I mean it might be different if they had moved to a new place together, even if it was an apartment. But the fact that she just moved into his existing apartment that he had before she came along. That's just weird to me!
Your post made me laugh because we got an invitation to DH's cousin's "housewarming" party a few weeks ago (they are moving to a house, but renting, not buying) and she also listed that she is registered at walmart! I think it is completely ridiculous!! You don't register for housewarming parties, they don't even make registries for that purpose.
When I went on to walmart to see what she had registered for (I just had to look) it sais "bridal registry" and "baby registry". Then I saw something that said "wish list" so I checked under that. Nope. Nothing there. So I tried the bridal registry. That's where she is registered - only she is not married and not getting married. Ridiculous.
DH and I had a housewarming party after we bought our house. Some people brought things like wine or candles, some people just came to hang out. It is not an automatic gift giving event, it's supposed to be an occasion to show people your new place. Anyway, we still need to decide whether we are going and if we are going to buy them anything. Good luck deciding what to do about your friends party.
Well that's a new one (for me, at least). She couldn't cash her gift checks and haul her own wire shelving and plastic crates home from the store? lol
I see your point. I may not have minded because it involved alcohol. ;-)