Housewarming Gifts in Germany: Bread, Salt and Other Traditions

Moving into a new home is a big event, and in Germany it is traditionally celebrated with friends at an Einweihungsparty (housewarming party). Guests rarely arrive empty-handed. One gift in particular has a long history: bread and salt. Here is what the tradition means and which other gifts, including flowers and plants, make a new home feel welcoming.

The bread and salt tradition

Giving bread and salt to people moving into a new home is a custom found across Germany and much of Central and Eastern Europe. Bread stands for the wish that the household will never go hungry, and salt for a life that is prosperous and full of flavour. Salt was once a valuable commodity, which made it a meaningful gift.

Today the gift is often given with a wink: a fresh loaf from the bakery and a nice jar of salt, sometimes with a small poem. It is cheap, charming and always understood.

Plants for a new home

A plant is one of the most practical housewarming gifts. It lasts, it makes empty rooms feel lived in, and it grows along with the new home.

• Easy green plants: robust and forgiving for busy people. See pot plants.
• Orchids: elegant and long-flowering. See orchids and our orchid care guide.

Not sure whether to choose a plant or a bouquet? Read cut flowers or a potted plant.

Flowers for the party

Flowers are a lovely host gift for the party itself. One practical point: people who have just moved often have their vases still packed in a box. An arrangement that needs no vase, such as a bloom box or a table arrangement, saves your hosts a search. Read our flower etiquette guide for more on host gifts.

Other good housewarming gifts

• Wine or sparkling wine: for the first evening on the new sofa. See wine gift baskets and wine and flowers gift ideas.
• A food hamper: fills the empty kitchen cupboards. See gourmet hampers.
• Something for the household: good tea towels, a doormat or a house plant all fit the theme.

Card messages for a new home

• Alles Gute im neuen Zuhause! All the best in your new home!
• Brot und Salz, Gott erhalt's. A traditional rhyme often said with bread and salt: "Bread and salt, may God preserve it."
• Auf viele schöne Jahre in der neuen Wohnung! Here's to many happy years in the new flat!

Related reading

• Flower Etiquette in Germany: What to Bring and What to Avoid
• Cut Flowers or a Potted Plant: Which Makes the Better Gift?
• Wine and Flowers: Gift Ideas That Always Work