A housewarming party is a party

Party

A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....

 held within approximately 90 days of moving into a new residence

House

A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...

. It is an occasion for the hosts to present their new home to their friends, and for friends to give gifts to furnish the new home. Housewarming parties are generally informal; usually there are no planned activities besides a possible tour.

Etiquette

It is considered proper etiquette

Etiquette

Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...

 to invite guests at least a few days, and up to three weeks, in advance.

Gifts are customary but not necessary. They usually consist of something for the new house (such as a potted plant

Plant

Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...

, a vase

Vase

The vase is an open container, often used to hold cut flowers. It can be made from a number of materials including ceramics and glass. The vase is often decorated and thus used to extend the beauty of its contents....

, or a picture frame

Picture frame

A picture frame is a decorative edging for a picture, such as a painting or photograph, intended to enhance it, make it easier to display, or protect it.-Construction:...

) or something to be enjoyed during the party (such as a bottle of wine

Wine

Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...

, a bouquet

Flower bouquet

A flower bouquet is a collection of flowers in a creative arrangement. There are different kinds including nosegay, crescent, and cascading bouquets. Flower bouquets are often given for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries. They are also used extensively in weddings. Traditionally...

 of flower

Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...

s, or a gift basket

Gift basket

A gift basket, or fruit basket is typically a gift delivered to the recipient at their home or workplace. A variety of gift baskets exist: some contain fruit; while others might contain dry or canned foods such as tea, crackers and jam; or the basket might include a combination of fruit and dried...

 of food

Food

Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...

stuffs). Bluebirds were once given as they were believed to bless the new house with happiness and good luck, but in modern day it is more customary to provide bluebird-themed paraphernalia such as china.

Origins

The term, housewarming is descended literally from the act of warming a new house, in the days before central heating. Each guest would bring firewood, and build fires in all the available fireplaces, offering firewood as a gift. The reason being - aside from warming the house, was that it would repel evil spirits by creating a protective atmosphere of warmth. Uninhabited houses were considered targets for vagrant spirits, and therefore required a certain level of cleansing before a house was safe to be occupied by young children.

Variations

• A housewarming party may be thrown upon completion of renovation
  Renovation
  Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
  
   or remodel
  Home improvement
  Home improvement, home renovation or remodeling is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home.-Types of home improvement:...
  
  .
• A housewarming party may be presented as an "open house" where people are free to come and go during a fixed window of time on a given day.
• A housewarming may involve a potluck
  Potluck
  A potluck is a gathering of people where each person or group of people contributes a dish of food prepared by the person or the group of people, to be shared among the group...
  
  meal.
• Some people invite all of their new neighbors to their housewarming. This allows the hosts to meet their new community.
• In some communities, neighbors may bring the housewarming party to the new residents to welcome them.
• While people try to host a housewarming party within the first 3 months, a lot of people wait until they are completely settled in. The time frame is flexible, and a party can qualify as a housewarming anytime after the move-in date.
• In Thailand the traditional Thai housewarming is a Buddhist ritual where monks, family, friends and food all play an important part.
• In India, this ceremony is known as "Griha Pravesh" or "Gruha Pravesh" literally meaning "Entering New House" (for the first time).
• It is usual to bring a gift to a housewarming party.