Welcome gift for new neighbours

[jenkel]

We have always been fortunate with lovely neighbours, we are having some new neighbours shortly and I suggested that we buy them a welcome gift of a bottle of wine I just thought it was a really nice welcoming gesture, dh things it’s a bit cringey. Obviously dont want to come over as cringey or pushy, what’s others views?

[Chumleymouse]

It’s weird....... full stop. All you have to do is say hello if you see them, and leave it to them if they want to make conversation/ or just say hello back.

People who want to shove little cards through about coming over to introduce themselves are just nosey and want to have a look in the house and find out as much as they can about you.

People who say the neighbours are friends....... all they do is gossip about you and slag you off behind closed doors........the less contact with them the better.

[Cantstopthewaves]

The card through the door idea is awful.
I'm introverted and the thought that I was expected to come over and say Hello would set me on edge.
It's all a bit awkward.

[Mumdiva99]

We got cards and a flower and people knocked to say hi. We have a lovely neighbours. We are not all best friends but we are all friendly. We have a street party once a year. We have a what's app group- started during covid and used for things like - did the bin men come today, where can I get petrol, does anyone want this....etc There is concern and offers of help if needed. But no one has to get involved. New neighbours are welcomed and left to decide how much they want to interact.

I was touched when one of my neighbours dropped over a bottlenose wine when we got married. Completely unexpected but lovely of them.

[Chumleymouse]

A wattsapp group for “did the the bin men come today “ ? It would be pretty obvious if they had been as your bin would be empty . 😂.

This has got to be a wind up ?

[Mumdiva99]

Nah....the different bin lorries come at different times and the neighbour on the end often asks if he's missed one.....(he usually has). 😄 No wind up and doesn't take a second to respond.

Over the last 2 years like lots of areas things have been disrupted, changed, stopped and started. I always follow the local council on FB/Social.media etc so know what's going on. Other people don't and prefer to ask neighbours.

[Timetoretiretospain]

@hotmeatymilk

Only someone charging merrily towards insanity would interpret a CARD saying “welcome and introduce yourselves in your own time” as an order to do so.

😂😂 yep!!!

[Horriblewoman]

We moved into a little road and the neighbours gave us a bottle of fizz and a card signed by them all with their house numbers next to names which was really helpful!

[SwedishEdith]

It's a nice thing to do. We got a few cards and immediate neighbours knocked and introduced themselves (one with a small box of chocolates). It's a perfectly fine and normal thing to do.

We have a street WhatsApp group much the like pp's. It's useful, you don't have to respond, you can mute it but it's still useful.

[BasiliskStare]

Well I have been handed my arse on a stick there - my intention was - a card to say welcome & I probably said come and say hello in your own time ( just typing said introduce yourselves - I am not Lady Mary & do not need a calling card - ha ha ) but even so the point was - I know moving and settling in is hard work and stressful. The point was to leave it to them. For all I know they don't want to have a single thing to do with their neighbours.
It was a gesture which they could take up or not. At which point wine etc could have been given.

I just know the last time we moved the last thing I wanted was people turning up to introduce themselves when I was wrestling stuff out of boxes. But just me.

Ha ha - you can't do right for doing wrong can you .

[wonkylegs]

We loved it when we moved in
One neighbour brought us milk and flowers and the other brought us a really nice bottle of champagne (they life in a really big grand house and it wasn't intimidating, it sort of just matched them)
We also got cards from loads of people in our bit of the lane, telling us about the village, useful numbers and welcoming - we were the first new people to move in this bit of the village in over a decade.

[RosiePosieDozy]

Yes, definitely give the wine or a card. That would be really lovely. Would definitely make me feel welcome.

I would always give a new neighbour a card or bottle of something.

[TheShades]

I'm very happy for anyone to buy me wine!

[Starseeking]

I would just get a card and pop that through the door with your name, door number and phone number on it saying welcome to the neighbourhood. If they're nice people, they'll knock on your door when they're ready to say thanks; at least that's what I did when my old neighbour put a card through our door when we moved in. I'm still friends with her now, even though I've moved away; it was a lovely gesture.

[BasiliskStare]

@Chumleymouse - for the avoidance of doubt I had no interest in seeing their house - - otherwise I would have knocked on the door. The whole point of a card was to give them their privacy

I need to get back to finishing school.

I am lucky to have nice neighbours. We have got on for nearly the best part of a decade.

[BasiliskStare]

@Timetoretiretospain Thank you - I did not word the card exactly like that - it was meant to be Welcome and come and see us if and when you want to - It wasn't a summons - Otherwise I would have hired a butler with a silver tray & a calling card - which I have not got - it was meant to be considerate in that they would be busy - so to say "Welcome" & come round if and when suits you.

Not sure why that was so horrid but it was meant kindly.

I have taken my kicking so will lick wounds and carry on - but thank you

[FusciasBright21]

I think it's a lovely idea and would be very welcome by me and my DH! I also don't think there's anything wrong with the card idea by pp above

[minipie]

I would just do a card saying “Hi and welcome to the street! From your neighbours Bill and Jill at number 34.”

[Datafan55]

@BasiliskStare I got you :-)

A card through is a lovely idea. Anything to say hello, welcome, and see you sometime (and not to distract from the moving day hassle).
It's very easy to fall into patterns of rudeness, so just acknowledging someone is there is nice.

A gift would also be lovely, although as people have said, you don't know if people drink, eat nuts etc. However most would appreciate the thought!

[WeatherwaxLives]

I wouldn't give alcohol in case they don't drink for religious or addiction reasons.

But a card, with your names in and the number you live at (because no one remembers which neighbours are which and I'd be having a which check of the card before I knocked on your door for a good 12 months!) would be lovely. Maybe a bunch of flowers if you want to give something.

[Timetoretiretospain]

[quote BasiliskStare]@Timetoretiretospain Thank you - I did not word the card exactly like that - it was meant to be Welcome and come and see us if and when you want to - It wasn't a summons - Otherwise I would have hired a butler with a silver tray & a calling card - which I have not got - it was meant to be considerate in that they would be busy - so to say "Welcome" & come round if and when suits you.

Not sure why that was so horrid but it was meant kindly.

I have taken my kicking so will lick wounds and carry on - but thank you[/quote]
It was the responder to your post that I thought was horrible. Not you . A wee card to say hello is lovely ! X

[TwoLeftSocksWithHoles]

@TroysMammy

I gave my new neighbour tomatoes and a cucumber from my greenhouse.

I do hope that they weren't presented in a 'rude configuration' or they will be still wondering what sort of neighbourhood they have moved into..!

[saleorbouy]

When we last moved house our new neighbours brought round some home cooked curry, it was delicious and a lovely welcoming gesture.
We renovated the house doing most of the work myself. The neighbour appreciated my help with some of his DIY house repairs and car issues and always delivered a curry for our efforts afterwards.
It was a great symbiotic relationship, I miss that house and the curry!

[TroysMammy]

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles you've got a filthy mind . A rude configuration would be the least of their worries as our very peaceful, friendly part of the street had a stabbing a few months prior to them moving in. It was some drug addicts passing through. I've been living there 32 years and the worst thing that happened was someone dumped 10 black refuse bags outside my house when the limit is 3!

[simitra]

My neighbours sent workmen onto the property without notice of or permission to do work on their gutters. You can guess how well that went down. The claimed "We did not knowthat anyone has moved in" so you just didnt happen to notice four burly men carrying furniture in over the course of 2 days. Yeah, right!

If they had come around next day with a bottle of wine, a box of chocs or just a very humble apology I would have accepted it. But they didnt.

Needless to say the relationship went from bad to worse.

[MotherOfCrocodiles]

I'd think a card saying "hi, these are our names, this is my phone number in case you need it" is fine and gives people an opening to say hello in the street. But we live on a friendly street where the kids play together etc. Actually pretty surprised that people find that intrusive!