Houseplant as housewarming gift ideas?

[monstro]

@Shot_From_Guns

You insist on giving people fruitcake every year for Christmas, too, don’t you.

No, even though I actually like fruitcake as long as it’s not dry and ancient.

But I think if everyone I knew seemed to like fruitcake and I saw them constantly eating it, it wouldn’t worry too much about giving my own sister a fruitcake for a present. She might belong in the minority of people who do not like fruitcake, but housewarming gifts aren’t really like birthday presents or Christmas gifts–personalized and specific to someone’s expressed desires and wishes. They are given just to say, “Hey, I think this might be a cool addition to your home!”

I don’t cook very often or ever host dinner parties, but my aunt once got me an expensive dinner set as a housewarming gift. I’ve made use of some of the things, but she’d probably be surprised at how many things are still wrapped up in plastic, completely unused. Honestly, I feel absolutely no guilt about this and if my aunt were offended to find me making partial use of her gifts, then I would worry about her sanity.

I’d much have rather had gotten a plant. But I’ll take anything that’s free–that’s my motto!

[Steophan]

@Shot_From_Guns

@monstro

A beautiful plant helps make a place a home, so it’s a perfect housewarming gift.

And the fact that you hold this opinion to be a universal truth is why you will never understand why some people would hate to be gifted with a plant.

I wouldn’t like a plant as a gift, simply because I’ve nowhere to put it. If I move somewhere larger, at some point I’d like houseplants, but if I were given them as a house warming gift, even the tiny amount of added stress on top of the stress of moving wouldn’t be greatly welcome. Many other people will, of course, feel differently, but checking if your gift would be welcome is not a bad idea.

[monstro]

@Steophan

@Shot_From_Guns

And the fact that you hold this opinion to be a universal truth is why you will never understand why some people would hate to be gifted with a plant.

I wouldn’t like a plant as a gift, simply because I’ve nowhere to put it. If I move somewhere larger, at some point I’d like houseplants, but if I were given them as a house warming gift, even the tiny amount of added stress on top of the stress of moving wouldn’t be greatly welcome. Many other people will, of course, feel differently, but checking if your gift would be welcome is not a bad idea.

How exactly does one do this?

“Hey, do you like plants? 'Cause I’m thinking about getting you one as a housewarming gift.”

Seems to take the “surprise” out of the whole thing. But I guess if a plant might be a stressful thing to some people, it would be wise to do this.

[Shot_From_Guns]

@clipper

I personally do not like having houseplants

@Steophan

I wouldn’t like a plant as a gift, […] even the tiny amount of added stress on top of the stress of moving wouldn’t be greatly welcome.

You’re clearly both insane and wrong. *Everyone *knows that *everyone *loves plants.

@monstro

How exactly does one do this? “Hey, do you like plants? 'Cause I’m thinking about getting you one as a housewarming gift.” Seems to take the “surprise” out of the whole thing.

Who says a housewarming gift needs to be a surprise? Or that it has to be a surprise on the day of the housewarming visit, as opposed to beforehand? And yes, I think that the question as phrased would be a perfectly acceptable way of checking.