As someone who just moved into a new place, the next best thing to living in a place of your own is having all the things you need to live comfortably in it. And in times when you are unable to afford that fluffy couch or that overpriced shelf on Instagram, getting housewarming gifts is always a close alternative. They could come from friends, family, love interests, enemies – I honestly wouldn’t know as I didn’t receive any when I move – but regardless of who they come from, they certainly hold a special place in your house.
Below, we spoke with 7 Nigerians on the best housewarming gifts they have ever received and what it meant to them.
Olorogun, 29
The best housewarming gift was having sex with this girl I really liked. This was in 2018 and she was living with family out of town and so logistics made it hard to see each other often. But when I told her I was getting my own place, she was willing to fly down and have sex the night I moved into my current place. How it made me feel? I mean, it was good knacks so I was pleased I’d “launched” the new apartment appropriately.
Nana, 21
The best housewarming gift I received was 75k. It was from a really nice woman and it was my first house. I was 18 at the time and I had just moved to a new city to start school and I didn’t really have friends because of queerness. I wanted to find queer friends first, so I met this woman one day on my way home. There was traffic and it was raining a bit I think. She was driving and she picked me up and offered to drop me at home. We became fast friends even though she was almost twice my age, and I started to tell her a lot of stuff (she was my only friend) one day I told her I needed to shop for my house and she drove me and helped me carry the stuff to my house and when she was about to leave she gave me a cheque and said that was her housewarming gift to me. I was very happy and it is honestly still the most thoughtful gift I’ve gotten.
Meredith, 24
So the best housewarming gifts I’ve ever received were from my in-laws and husband’s friends. Everyone knew that I’m a very picky person so when we were moving into the house, we decided to get new furniture and everything since we were still going to keep the old house. A friend of my husband got us the set of 8 Cast iron cookware from Nancy Umeh (Radiance). My mother-in-law got us wooden kitchen utensils with my name customized on them. My father-in-law got us a bar, literally, stocked with expensive wine and stuff. Someone gifted us 2 expensive artworks and another person gifted us bedding from Charlotte Thomas. Others gave a lot of expensive wine and other stuff. This was around 2018/19 and the gifts meant a lot to me. I was very overwhelmed because I had never seen such.
Amaka, 25
The best housewarming gifts I received were in January of last year. A lot of the people I told I was moving to my own place were very helpful. Someone gave me $2000. Another sent me 2 Air conditioners. Then a friend of mine who’s a builder came to check the place out, and he did a complete remake of my bathroom — changed the tiles, put a tub and a rain shower head in, all the works. Naturally, this made me happy and thankful.
Wura, 28
As housewarming gifts, I’ve gotten, a new 4 burner gas cooker with oven, an Air Conditioner, a center rug, a big dresser with a mirror then during my NYSC, my ex actually furnished my apartment then, bed, small gas cooker, those collapsible wardrobes, and foodstuff.
Kasa, 25
One of the best housewarming gifts I’ve ever gotten was from a friend of mine. He not only helped me move but also helped me completely unpack all my boxes and followed me to get groceries, cooked, and fed me. He’s a huge grump so he doesn’t do gifts and presents but his time and his efforts and sacrifice were just so amazing to receive.
Ife, 24
I moved to Lagos and lived with my mom’s younger brother for over a year because I didn’t see the need to get an apartment. Lived with him and his family for over a year and one day, when Nigeria was you know, ‘Nigeriaing’, he and his wife decided to relocate. In a month or so, they were gone – the power of a burgundy passport. Before they left, I got an apartment and moved in – bought a bed and the basics, with the plan to furnish gradually. The week I moved in, my uncle and his wife gave me a couch set, curtains and blinds, a shelf, tv console and some other things to help set me up as housewarming gifts/goodby gifts. My mom came to visit the week after and brought me a fridge, water dispenser, and a microwave as house warming presents. They were things she had at home and wasn’t using, but it saved me so much money.
Essentially, my family gave me things that literally made my house warm and I love them for it.
