Invited to House Blessing Ceremony--not a clue!!

[dianne]

I have never been to a House Blessing Ceremony.
Do I bring a gift?
How do I dress?
What exactly happens?
I know these must be crazy questions for some of you but I geniunely don''t know...and I''m too embarrassed to ask the homeowner especially if gifts are expected. It would be almost like I was forcing him to say, ''Oh yes, and bring me a gift"...know what I mean? Thanks in advance!!

 

[D&T]

get a housewarming gift anyways... I don''t know either but I would suspect its some kind of house warming party...no? If I throw a house blessing/warming party, I don''t expect gifts, just friends to come hang out with us, but when I get invited to other''s I feel obligated to get something anyways

After you go, do tell us how it went and what it all entails.

 

[Haven]

Is this friend of yours religious? I know that different religions and cultures have different expectations about these things.

 

[princesss]

Date: 7/13/2009 6:37:22 PM
Author:dianne
I have never been to a House Blessing Ceremony.

Do I bring a gift?

How do I dress?

What exactly happens?

I know these must be crazy questions for some of you but I geniunely don''t know...and I''m too embarrassed to ask the homeowner especially if gifts are expected. It would be almost like I was forcing him to say, ''Oh yes, and bring me a gift''...know what I mean? Thanks in advance!!

If I don''t know what to expect and it could be religious, I go with more conservative clothes - calf-length skirt, nice blouse with sleeves, maybe a light cardigan.

On the other questions, I really don''t know. Sorry. I am interested to see if this is a religious thing or not.

 

[dianne]

Date: 7/13/2009 6:56:50 PM
Author: D&T
get a housewarming gift anyways... I don''t know either but I would suspect its some kind of house warming party...no? If I throw a house blessing/warming party, I don''t expect gifts, just friends to come hang out with us, but when I get invited to other''s I feel obligated to get something anyways

After you go, do tell us how it went and what it all entails.

Well, I already have other plans but am going to try to fit this in since it''s early afternoon...if I make it I''ll be glad to post details. Whether I go or not I thought if gifts were expected I would still get a gift and deliver at a later time. I tend to feel obligated to bring gifts, too...

 

[swingirl]

It's a housewarming party where someone official will offer a blessing. I think of it as religious but is it also a cultural tradition?

I want to a garden blessing once. Newly landscaped yard got a blessing. We all got to pick up a rock from a pile and put it in the garden where ever we wanted. We held hands in a circle and called in the good spirits from the North East South and West. I'm a good in-law!

 

[dianne]

Date: 7/13/2009 6:56:55 PM
Author: Haven
Is this friend of yours religious? I know that different religions and cultures have different expectations about these things.

He is religious and while I was cooking dinner I was thinking that it may have been helpful if I would have stated the religion...duh!...it''s Presbyterian, btw...I know this house blessing is very important to him and, while he would be the first to get a laugh if I did something really crazy, I want to be respectful.

 

[dianne]

Date: 7/13/2009 7:36:09 PM
Author: princesss

Date: 7/13/2009 6:37:22 PM
Author:dianne
I have never been to a House Blessing Ceremony.

Do I bring a gift?

How do I dress?

What exactly happens?

I know these must be crazy questions for some of you but I geniunely don''t know...and I''m too embarrassed to ask the homeowner especially if gifts are expected. It would be almost like I was forcing him to say, ''Oh yes, and bring me a gift''...know what I mean? Thanks in advance!!

If I don''t know what to expect and it could be religious, I go with more conservative clothes - calf-length skirt, nice blouse with sleeves, maybe a light cardigan.

On the other questions, I really don''t know. Sorry. I am interested to see if this is a religious thing or not.

Hi princesss, hope you are doing well! I agree with conservative attire, as well, just to be safe and not appear too casual. I''ll let you know if I get to go. I truly feel it is a religious ceremony of some sorts. Maybe just a special prayer from a....preacher?...not sure of the Presbyterian term. I''m Baptist and we say Preacher...lol! I may follow D&T''s advice and get a gift, regardless, maybe something with a spiritual saying.

 

[dianne]

Date: 7/13/2009 8:05:35 PM
Author: swingirl
It''s a housewarming party where someone official will offer a blessing. I think of it as religious but is it also a cultural tradition?

I want to a garden blessing once. Newly landscaped yard got a blessing. We all got to pick up a rock from a pile and put it in the garden where ever we wanted. We held hands in a circle and called in the good spirits from the North East South and West. I''m a good in-law!

Really? Never heard of a garden blessing. I have heard of house blessings before but never been invited and, to tell the truth, I always thought it would involve the Catholic faith...not sure why I thought that, though...

 

[VRBeauty]

I don''t think it''s a Presbyterian thing necessarily, but the only house blessing I''ve attended did happen to be for a Presbyterian friend. In her case there was finger food, and a pastor there who offered a blessing. Most people brought a card or a small gift. It was kind of like an informal open house with a blessing thrown in. I know that in some cultures a house blessing includes burning sage or incense to to purify the house (aka to drive away any bad spirits!)

 

[Hera]

maybe it''s a smudging ceremony? My friend and I performed one when I bought my house to rid it of it''s negative energy and sadness(foreclosure). I made sure to do a little circle around my mom too

 

[HollyS]

You take your cue on dressing from the people who invited you: how do they normally dress? Is this a Christian house blessing, being performed by the couple''s minister? How do they dress for church? Is it a (for lack of a better word, please don''t be offended) pagan ceremony where someone goes from room to room burning sage and banishing all but good spirits?? How do those types of friends usually dress?

As for a gift, you are not expected to bring something to most of these ceremonies, but a small token gift, in keeping with the nature of the proceedings, would be thoughtful. For Christians, any small item that denotes their faith is perfect, i.e. small crosses or crucifixes, framed Biblical verses, a book of devotions, etc. For non-Christians, how about windchimes, a tablescape water fountain, or sand pendulum, or beautiful coffee table book. Everybody loves candles and photo frames. Nothing too big, too expensive, or too wedding present-ish.

How do you act? Like yourself.

Well, unless you normally ''act the fool''.

 

[Lanie]

I went to one of these a year ago and it was soooo cool! It was an Episcopal family. We didn''t bring a gift, and it didn''t look like anyone else had either. We walked through each of the main rooms, and the priest did a special prayer, and they lit a candle in each room (living, kitchen, nursery, master, and master bath). It was really interesting to watch. My sister married a guy from Indian and they did a pooja (not sure of spelling) of it, which is a blessing done by their temple. They pooja cars too when they buy them.

 

[Elmorton]

I had a house blessing (Episcopal). Lanie basically explained what ours was like: the priest asked different people to do a reading in each room (he had printed out a bulletin/program type thing, though it''s also in the prayer book) and then he led the prayer, then he used holy water in each room, and then we moved on to the next room. It was super simple - we were all wearing jeans/khakis because DH and I had a BBQ right after. Even if the one you''re attending isn''t as informal, I''d think you''d be fine wearing casual pants and a nice shirt.

For gifts, I''d think of it as a typical housewarming - maybe bring a bottle of wine, a candle, a picture frame - something small - IF you''d like. Some of our guests did bring small gifts, but really, most didn''t - it''s certainly not expected nor required in any way.

 

[dianne]

Thanks to all for the responses. Considering my friend, I would think it would be a Christian ceremony, simple, nice but casual dress...maybe like Elmorton''s. I''m trying to put myself in the mindset that some of the other ceremonies mentioned, or similar, could happen. I would be surprised but it''s best to be prepared and I think you all have opened my eyes to more possibilities. I really hope to attend and will post details afterwards. Thanks for the gift ideas, too!!

 

[dianne]

Just wanted to update everyone on the House Blessing Ceremony. Well, it was religious, very simple, and very quick. There was a gathering from 2:00 – 4:00…with the blessing taking place at 3:30. There were light appetizers and punch. People dressed in various ways, from dresses and skirts, dress pants, and shorts. Very casual and comfortable atmosphere.

The blessing was for specific sections of the home but so many people were there it would have been difficult for everyone to move from place to place. Instead, the minister (not preacher, lol) performed the ceremony in the center of the family room. She lit a candle, and stated which part of the house was about to be blessed (entryway, living room, kitchen), read scripture and had a short prayer for each section.

I did take a gift, a plaque that said Bless This Home, and put it in a really nice brown, woven basket-like container that had a matching lid…I’m all about nice storage containers that can be left out as decoration.

 

[D&T]

Thats cool Diane, sounds like everything you thought of was appropriate for the house blessing