10 Ideas to Welcome New Neighbors

This PCS season has been bananas for my neighborhood! Our family might very well be the last OGs on block! Crazy, considering that I still kinda feel like a newbie!

We’ve seen the vast majority of our old neighbors go, and have welcomed the new ones with open arms.

This blog has seen no shortage of ideas for welcoming new neighbors to the neighborhood, and today I’ve got even more ideas for those of you wishing to greet new families moving in to your area.

Fresh baked treats

It all started with chocolate chip cookies about two years ago. A warm batch out of the oven, and I was off to welcome a new family a couple of doors down. A fresh homemade is a gift that can be appreciated by most. Easy to make and relatively inexpensive, if you’re welcoming family after family.

Restaurant gift card

Give the new guys a head start in discovering all of the greatest local spots. Treat them to dinner at a favorite local restaurant with a gift card! Best of all, they won’t have to worry about cooking for one night while they wait on their household goods.

Chocolates

When we first got to Hawaii, our neighbor came over to welcome us with a box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts! Hello, yum! I can guarantee you that mama will appreciate the gesture once the little ones are asleep and she sits to relax on a folding chair.

Wine

Looking to make a little bit more of an impact than chocolate?! A bottle of wine is the perfect way to wind down after a stressful move. Bonus points for chocolate and wine!

Dinner

I’ve quickly learned that one of the things I miss most when PCSing, is a nice home-cooked meal. If you’re open to having guests over, inviting new neighbors over for dinner is a great way to get to know your newest neighbors. If not, you can just as easily drop off a meal such as lasagna, that just needs to be popped in the oven to heat up.

Basket of essentials

A gift basket filled with essentials such as cleaning supplies, basic toiletries items, and even cooking utensils, will come in handy while the new family waits on their household goods!

Local Honey

You can likely find several local treats specific to your area. Local honey is one in particular that can be found just about everywhere, but is different in each location. Hey, and who knows, maybe your can help your new neighbor out with allergy issues before they even start! Check a local farmer’s market for plenty of options!

Pineapple

Ah, the universal sign of hospitality. Also a tasty sweet treat easily found at your local commissary.

Plant

I remember reading about Erica giving a plant to her new neighbors, and I’ve been dying to do the same! For a special gift with some Hawaiian flare, I recently decorated a terracotta pot, with a pineapple plant inside. I’ve started growing several of them, and since they take a couple of years to fruit, why not let another family enjoy it! It’s like a two for one pineapple gift!

Heartfelt note

If you don’t have money to spend on a gift, a thoughtful note can also go a long way! Be sure to include your contact information, should your neighbors ever need to contact you. It may be a good idea to list a handful of local favorites and resources that might be helpful to families that are new to the area.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of MSB New Media & Unilever. The opinions and text are all mine.