Hospitality is Simple and Sweet
We heard they were moving in.
I kept walking down to their house to see if they were there.
One time I went with baked goods – but they hadn’t moved in yet.
The next time they were there! With their new little 3-month old baby.
I brought a canning jar full of fresh-picked strawberries from our yard.
Tied a little string around the neck of the jar.
And welcomed them, listened to their story (how they ended up in our neighborhood), and then I reached behind my back and said, “here’s a little something for you.”
Hospitality is sweet, it really is.
It doesn’t have to be complicated or showy, for which I am thankful.
It’s really about the love that we show our neighbors, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to bring a little treat along as well.
If you have had any new neighbors recently move into your neighborhood, did you take them any kind of simple treats?
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Loved meeting you this weekend. I tried to comment on the napkin post because I am totally organizing and pressing my napkins today, but it wouldn’t let me:( Love the tips, and I totally have a ton of strawberries so this post is also meant for me.
I’m also halfway through the book, and I plan to give it as a gift to a few friends who desperately need it. mwah!
What a sweet post! The strawberries in the jar are so lovely! I DO have a new neighbor, and I think they have a 1 year old little boy. You have inspired me to bake something (I don’t have strawberries in my backyard!) and take it to them!
Oh Sandy, what a perfect gift for you to bring! Thanks for the reminder to keep it simple and thoughtful I’d be thrilled to have a gift like this any day [and so yummy too] !
I remember when we moved to Northern Calif from Southern Calif (where neighbors didn’t really converse for some reason). And the doorbell rang and there was a family with kids and the best pumpkin breadI have ever eaten. They lived 5 doors away and I couldn’t believe they were there with cake! We have sinced moved away from there to Oregon of course but we are still great friends today!
My wife and I moved into our house almost 6 years ago and we are usually the welcome wagon. We are not the kind to set and wait for people to welcome us so we would walk over when we saw our neighbors in there yard and introduce ourselves. It seems the previous owners were nice, but kept neighbors at arms length. Not like us.
We have a tradition of delivering Christmas cookie trays to 6 nearest neighbors. Last year the timing was right to welcome the newest neighbors, just moved in before Christmas.
Recently WE were the new neighbors! An elderly lady who lived around the corner, came by with a few homemade brownies and welcome me to the neighborhood. It made my day! It was also nice to be standing by the moving van as it was being unloaded, directing the workers, and having neighbors stop and introduce themselves. They maybe didn’t have anything in hand, but by the end of the day I had met quite a few people. Hospitality is great if it includes a small thoughtful gift. But, I was grateful for a new name and a warm welcome, too.
Great idea Sandy! We don’t live in a “neighborhood” but the house next to us has been on the market so I’m sure I’ll have new neighbors sometime…I can’t wait to come up with something creative to welcome them.
now THIS i can do!
=)
We have some new neighbors two houses over; they moved in right before having a new baby. I was delighted to see them because I’ve been one of a couple of neighbors who have taken on yard work while the house was empty; I’m glad to be done with that job but they were most appreciative to not move into a home with a dead lawn!
It was fortuitous for me; I had just made a decadent treat and they got a big plate of cinnamon/espresso brownies. He’s a player with the Broncos and we have already established a symbiotic relationship. He has been more than willing to help take sweets off my hands for himself and his co-workers!
We had new neighbors move in a couple of weeks ago while our hydrangeas were in full bloom so I brought a mason jar filled with hydrangeas and some homemade chocolate chip cookies. It truly is fun to make people feel welcome.