New Home Gift Basket

My best friend just bought a new home. I was lucky enough to get to visit her new beach house with her, for their first visit to it. I made up a Welcoming Basket to give to her. This is something that I think a lot of people are now doing. However, my Dad has been doing this for each of us kids, every time we move. For me, then, this is continuing a family tradition, and I was so excited to get to do it. This is my basket in her front entry way.

There are many different sayings that you can find online. I liked this one, so it was what I used for the tag on the basket.

New Home Blessings Basket

May your home be blessed each day and each year
May your family live safe and happily here.
May joyous events fill each of your days
And help build new memories in many new ways
Please accept these gifts as the symbols of
Good wishes for you, your home, and your love.
By Betty Dewille
Another one is:

Home Sweet Home©

Contracts were drawn,
papers been signed,
It’s taken so long,
thought you’d go blind?
Open the door, breath it all in.
Finally here, a new life to begin.
A picture here, flowers there.
How ‘bout the phone? Where, oh where!?!
A gift for you to use with glee.
With thoughts of joy for you from me.
Best wishes in your new home!

As I said before, this is a beach house. My friend grew up as a Surfer, and is so excited that now her kids will get to be Surfer kids, too. So, I knew that I had to do a Surfer themed basket. I have that awesome paper stack from Joann's that has 5 coordinating Surfer papers. I cut each paper into 2 inch strips, and then a few 1 inch strips for the tag. Then, I picked a plane paper in a coordinating paper (I liked the red from the patterned papers), as well as a sand patterned paper. I ran the sand paper through the printer, to print all the sayings right onto the sand paper. I cut the red paper into 3 inch strips. I cut out the sayings into smaller tags to go on the front of the strips. I then distressed each of the sayings by running ink and chalk around and across them. I ran everything through my Xyron machine and just stacked it on top of each other. I even ran the finished strips through the Xyron machine so that I could just stick them right onto each of the items going in the basket. There are many lists of things that you can put into the baskets. I chose these, because they are the same ones that my Dad did. Each item is a symbol of something else. I went with; Sparkling Apple Juice (in place of Wine, so the kids could have it), Vodka (also in place of Wine because my friends would prefer to have Vodka for mixed drinks, and I knew their Realtor left them some really nice Champagne and cheeses), Salt, Sugar, and Bread.
These are other symbols and sayings to use with them:

Rice: That there may always be food in the home
Bread: That there may always be friends and family to share with
Salt: That there may always be a little spice in your lives
Sugar: That sweetness may touch even your worst of days
Candles: That you may always find your way back home
Wine: That there may always be reason to celebrate.Wine- so that you will always have joy, Bread- so that you will never know hunger, and Salt- so that your life together will always have flavor.
I had bought another basket for this, but found that with 2 glass bottles, the bottom was not strong enough to hold it all. Then, of course you just add the tag and a nice large bow to it! She loved it! Next time I will pick a smaller loaf of bread, as this one overwhelmed the basket. However, I knew my friend would not have any food in the house and I figured she could use it for sandwiches. Congratulations, on your new home, my Wonderful Friend!
Rebecca