What Is A Good Gift To Give Your Neighbour?

Good neighbourly relations, while not essential, are definitely one of the things that can make life a whole lot nicer.

If you get on well with your neighbours you can not only have a nice chat over the garden fence, but you can also have someone on hand to water your plants or feed the fish when you go away on holiday.

You may be wondering how to cement this relationship without seeming weird, by looking into what is a good gift to give your neighbour. Let’s delve into this in more detail!

What Is A Good Gift To Give Your Neighbour?

What Is A Good Gift To Give Your Neighbour

Assuming that you have cordial relations with your neighbours but you are not best buddies, there are a few little guidelines on the best gifts to give them:

  • Don’t make it too expensive. No one wants to be made uncomfortable with a show of wealth, so keep it small and thoughtful. Though no need to give them leftovers that you’ve just bought from a garage sale for one pound
  • Don’t expect to be gifted in return. Maybe your neighbours are short of cash, or maybe they are not the gifting type – just hand over yours without expectations.
  • Always say thank you for services offered. If your neighbours have watched your house for you, be polite and thank them with a small gift.
  • Home made is always best. Everyone loves a hand made present, so break out your cooking or crafting skills!

What Can I Give My Neighbour As A Thank You Gift?

Giving your neighbour a thank you gift for doing something for you, like watering your plants or feeding your pets while you are away, is a lovely gesture (and it may ensure that you have these services in the future too!)

  • Food gifts are always well appreciated. A nice box of cookies, chocolates or a treat from the place you were staying is always a great option. Just make sure you are aware of any food allergies before you buy!
  • Wine is another great gift to say thank you for someone who has helped you. As long as your neighbours are not teetotal, a nice bottle of plonk is a great thank you gift.
  • Personalised gifts are another great option; you can choose from just about anything from candles to tea towels to bottles of wine.
  • Gifts from where you are staying, especially if you have gone somewhere interesting, are a fun option for a thank you gift.
  • Invite them for dinner. Obviously this is only an option if you are close enough to your neighbours to endure an evening in their company, but offering to share your home with them is another lovely thought.
  • Offer to return the favour. If your neighbours have spent their time and energy looking after your home, your plants or your pets, giving your services in exchange is a great way to say thank you.

Should You Give A Gift To A New Neighbour?

Dropping a thoughtful present, like a batch of home baked cookies or a box of chocolates, is a lovely way to welcome a new neighbour.

There is nothing to say that you HAVE to do it, but it is a nice gesture, and can help make people to feel welcome.

It’s also a good way to break the ice and get to know your new neighbours – after all, you will probably be seeing them quite regularly.

  • Try not to overwhelm them by barging in on moving day; after all they will probably be quite busy. Give them a day or two to settle in before you pop over.
  • If it turns out to be a bad time you can just leave your gift on the doorstep – just be sure to include a note with who left the gift and where you live, so they don’t worry that they’ve got a stalker!
  • Don’t go overboard with expensive gifts. Splashing the cash can make some people uncomfortable, so stick to a small gift that says “Welcome to the neighbourhood”.
  • Including a little guide to the neighbourhood, such as the best shops, doctor’s surgeries, refuse collection dates and such like, will definitely be appreciated.

What Should I Get My Neighbours For Christmas?

What Should I Get My Neighbours For Christmas

Now, remember that you don’t HAVE to get your neighbours anything for Christmas. A card dropped through the door, in most cases, will be enough – but if you want to get them a gift but you’re stuck for ideas then read on!

  • Bottle of wine. Everyone enjoys a drink at Christmas, right? Handing over a nice bottle to your neighbours at Christmas is a great idea for a gift.
  • As long as you check what they like and whether they have allergies, giving the gift of a nice box of cookies is always well received!
  • Tree decorations. Provided your neighbours are not related to the Grinch, a nice decoration for their tree is a thoughtful gift.
  • Family board games. This is a great option for a large family of neighbours; something to keep both parents and kids happy throughout Christmas and beyond!
  • Something home made. Jams, chutneys, biscuits, crafts – anything you are good at making and enjoy giving is a great option for neighbour gifting.

It is a good idea to leave a gift with your neighbours a few days before Christmas; that way they have time to get you a gift, if they had not already planned on doing so.

Don’t make it anything too fancy and expensive, as chances are you don’t know their financial situation and don’t want to embarrass them.

Remember, that once you have started giving your neighbours Christmas presents you are pretty much stuck with it, until one of you moves out!

Final Words

Hopefully this will help you get over any potential awkwardness about gifting to your neighbours. Something small and thoughtful is bound to raise a smile, and a gift to say thank you is pretty much a given.

Just remember to not get grumpy if they don’t instantly become your new best friends – they didn’t choose to live next door to you, after all!

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