New home Christmas gift

[storminabuttercup]

My sister has just had an offer accepted on a house, will be her first time away from home, her boyfriend will be living with her too.

I had an idea to put together some sort of hamper of things for the new home, nothing that they will need straight away as they are likely to be in before Xmas but im stuck for ideas ....

Hmm that's tricky as they will presumably have all the essentials already. It might be good to try and get some little things that may have been overlooked - potato masher, garlic press etc?! But then, if she already has one, having another is pretty useless really.

I am also trying to think of stuff as my friends will have moved in to their house by Xmas, and my parents who are divorcing will also have moved into their respective flats too.

For my parents I will probably get the DCs do a couple of personalised plates or something but I don't know if that's the sort of thing your sister would like?

That's a lovely idea for parents but I don't think DS will be impressed with that. I will get DS's nursery photo in a nice frame.

One idea I had was to fill a box with shampoo, shower gel etc as I know money will be very tight.. But seems a bit naff

Well, a nice bathroom hamper with lots of everyday things they would use anyway, but also with something permenant for the room could be nice. Say a toothmug and soap dish, or a set of towels (we got LOADS of towels when we got married - or lamps - but we have used them all over the years). You could get a nice bundle of 2 matching bathsheets, 2 matching hand towels, 2 matching facecloths, matching bathmat (you know the kind for the floor) and some nice handsoap that would match colourwise too?

A lovely lovely idea for a couple getting their first home together is a German collection of ornaments for their tree. I have the explanation below saved on my pc as I am gathering them again for my 2 bros and DH's sis (gave them to a cousin when he got married a few years back too). You can get heirloom types, or pick up very cheap versions, but if the explanation is there, it makes it very meaningful:
^There is a German tradition that a new couple's Christmas tree should include 12 special ornaments to ensure their happiness during the coming years. Package the following ornaments in a special box for young couples in your family!
House for protection
Rabbit for hope
Teapot for hospitality
Bird for joy
Rose for affection
Fruit Basket for generosity
Fish for Christ's blessing
Pine Cone for fruitfulness
Santa for goodwill
Flower Basket for good wishes
Heart for true love
A glass grape ornament is also a German symbol of friendship. Giving this special ornament to a friend is a pledge of friendship, and makes a treasured keepsake as well.
I also think any of the bride's ornaments above would make special gifts on their own when wrapped and given to family and friends with a note explaining their symbolism.^

And while they might have the basics for living there, another idea might be to get a few less basic things for the kitchen (maybe something fun like a quirky corkscrew or something useful but less urgent and basic - a whisk, a mixing bowl, extra pot or pan or casserole?) and put that together with a hamper of ingredients, like herbs and spices that can cost a bit to set up but make a huge difference to stretching a budget and making plain basic food interesting, so if they like curries or mexican or italian, you could theme it to that, but otherwise a nice basic range of things and could include some things for desert/baking if they might do anything like that too.

Those are great ideas biddy

I love the ornament idea!