Scottish Housewarming Gifts

Though the usual housewarming gifts include cleaning products, appliances and decorative items, it can be entertaining to pay homage to the homeowner's roots. For Scottish homeowners, or homeowners fascinated by Scottish culture, traditional Gaelic gifts would be most appropriate. Those familiar with Celtic culture will appreciate items of good fortune for many years.

In addition to being an expensive and essential ingredient in ancient Scotland, salt was thought to be an aphrodisiac. Newly married couples would often receive a new chamber pot filled with salt. The seasoning was supposed to help the couple be fruitful, both with children and with wealth. Salt also symbolizes the wish for the new homeowner to have a full, well-seasoned life. Give this gift today by filling a rubber-stopped ceramic or glass jar with salt. Include a few other dry cooking ingredients with it to make the gift especially useful.

According to Scottish tradition, the Picts (ancient Scots) held frogs in very high regard. These little creatures could live both in water and on land. Some bury themselves in mud at the bottoms of ponds to hibernate for the winter. Its strong nature led to the frog becoming a traditional Scottish good luck symbol. Gift your friends and family with a painted ceramic frog to decorate their front stoop or other surface in their home. You can find plenty of frog-themed gifts in your local garden store.

The Tree of Life appears in many cultures and in many incarnations. However, in Scotland and England, the Tree of Life takes on very particular symbolism. It's depicted as a towering oak tree with intertwined branches reaching toward the heavens and interwoven roots digging into the earth. It represents long life and bridging the gap between heaven and earth. A plaque or openwork decoration bearing the Tree of Life makes a lovely addition to a Scottish home. It's a reminder that everything is connected and conveys a wish from the giver for a long and prosperous life.