So your friend has picked an auspicious date to move into their new home, booked a trusty moving service and has set the date for a housewarming party?
It’s time for you to look for that auspicious housewarming gift for maximum positive vibes.
Read our quick guide to choosing a present that brings good luck, prosperity, and joy to your friend’s lovely new home.
In many cultures, housewarming gifts have deeper meanings tied to fortune and fate, and are more than just thoughtful gestures. Especially in predominantly Asian Singapore, where many people still hold strong traditional values.
Navigating this in multicultural Singapore can feel overwhelming. You don’t want to inadvertently offend anyone, right?
However, one thing remains the same across cultures. New homes represent new beginnings. You won’t go wrong by choosing gifts that symbolise harmony, peace and prosperity.
When choosing an auspicious housewarming gift for someone in Singapore, think of the wishes you want to convey with your gift. Positive vibes like good fortune, peace, harmony, and unity are universal wishes for new homeowners.
Different colours and motifs bring good luck in different cultures. As a rule of thumb, you can stick with bright colours and gifts that represent new life and new beginnings.
When in doubt, go for plants and fresh fruit. Living gifts like plants and fruit bring freshness and growth.
Avoid dark colours and items that are linked to endings or misfortune. This includes knives (the sharp blade can sever ties), clocks (time running out), and mirrors (can attract negative energy).
If you’re unsure about what your friend would like, giving them cash in a red packet will never go wrong. Pick a lucky number for extra good luck (anything that ends with the number “8”, and avoid all variations that include “4”).
Want to present your local friend with a housewarming gift that will bring them good fortune and prosperity? And are you unsure what would work in multicultural Singapore? We've got you covered. Consider these gifting ideas for different cultures.
Plants are considered great housewarming gifts for the Chinese. This is because they symbolise new life, rejuvenation, and health. Go for plants that are considered auspicious, representing wealth, resilience, and fertility, respectively.
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Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of harmonising the living environment by balancing the flow of energy.
While some modern Singapore residents no longer subscribe to Feng Shui beliefs, many still do. Even those in the younger generation.
Gifting an item that will improve the feng shui in the house would be much appreciated by those who still believe in it.
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In the Hokkien dialect, pineapples are known as “wang lai”, which is a homophone for “incoming wealth”. This is further enhanced by their golden colour, making pineapples a very popular symbol of wealth, fortune, and prosperity.
Gold pineapple figurines are a straightforward feng shui item to present as a gift. You can consider pineapple-themed household decor items like:
If you’ve been in Singapore for a while, you may have been greeted by an adorable smiling cat with a waving paw in some shops. That’s a lucky cat, the Japanese maneki-neko that is believed to bring good luck, good fortune, and just all-around good vibes to the owner. Gifting one to a new homeowner is a great idea!
The majority of Malays in Singapore practice Islam. Gifting some art with Islamic virtues and teachings would make a very meaningful gift. If you’re unsure, always shop at a trusted Islamic art store and ask the shop what the verse or motifs symbolise. They’d also be happy to recommend some art for your new friend’s home.
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If you really want to gift your Malay friend a practical gift for their new home, you can consider giving them a beautiful prayer mat or prayer beads. These can be used for prayers in the home, which is always important for the Malays who practice Islam.
Be sure to buy these from an Islamic shop where you can clear up any uncertainties. They can also advise you on what type of mat or beads would make a good gift.
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Gifting a hamper with halal-certified food items is thoughtful and will be well-received. These include Malay kueh (bite-sized desserts)and sweet treats, as well as food that has cultural significance, like dates and nuts.
Nothing haram is included, so your friend will be able to enjoy all the goodies with perfect peace of mind. Haram items include alcohol, pork and pork-derived products, and meat from animals not slaughtered according to Islamic law.
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Spices play a big part in Indian cooking and cuisine, and would make a very thoughtful gift for your Indian friend’s new kitchen.
Intricate spice boxes known as masala dabba are traditionally gifted by the bride’s mother on her wedding day and kept in the family. You can also gift your friend a beautifully packaged box of spices that can be added to their kitchen.
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Lamps and lights are significant to the Indians for the symbolic triumph of light over darkness. Oil lamps and candles are a wonderful gift for your Indian friend’s new home. Gifting a lamp is akin to wishing positive energy, purity, and wisdom for the home.
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Eurasians in Singapore typically have both European and Asian heritage and often embrace traditions rooted in Christianity.
Gifts that have the meanings of abundance (bread), joy (wine), and new life and longevity (fruit) make thoughtful gifts for your Eurasian friend.
Harkening back to their Asian roots, you’ll want to pick fruits that have auspicious meanings, especially among the Chinese.
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Gorgeous dinnerware is always welcomed as a housewarming gift in many Western cultures. It’s no surprise that the Eurasians consider porcelain ware a great gift to receive.
Porcelain has its origins in China and is still very much associated with the Chinese, a culture that many Eurasians have ties to.
Choose porcelain ware with auspicious motifs like dragons, birds, and flowers in bright, happy colours.
Avoid anything that looks like the number “4” or in dark colours, which are associated with death.
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