Housewarming and hostess gifts: coffee is easy to bring
What should you bring to a housewarming, a visit or the summer cottage? Fresh small-batch coffee is easy to bring: it gets drunk together, it won't sit in a cupboard, and it suits anyone. Here are tips for a housewarming gift, a hostess gift and a small thank-you.
You probably know the situation. The housewarming invitation came last week, and now you're standing at the door wondering what to bring. Flowers? They wilt. A candle? They already have a drawer full. A bottle of wine? There might be small children in the house, or someone who doesn't drink.
Our tip is coffee. Lots of customers have told us our coffees make lovely gifts to bring along, so we made a coffee just for that. More on that below.
What to bring to a housewarming or a visit?
The traditional housewarming gift in Finland is bread and salt, which wish the new home good fortune. These days people often bring something to eat or drink that's enjoyed together or left for the household to enjoy day to day.
A good housewarming or hostess gift is:
- Consumable, so it doesn't take up space in the new home.
- Easy to receive, so you don't need to know the recipient's interior style.
- Enjoyed together, so it can be opened right away at the coffee table.
Small-batch coffee ticks all three. Coffee is drunk in almost every home, and fresh coffee is a little everyday luxury the recipient will still remember the next morning.
Why is coffee a good gift to bring?
Because it's everyday and special at the same time. Coffee suits housewarmings, the cottage, birthdays, a visit to the in-laws and a small thank-you for your host. It's not too big a gift, but it doesn't feel like a box-ticking gift either.
When you choose small-batch coffee, you give a not so ordinary coffee experience. Our dad Olli roasts the coffee in small batches in Mikkeli, so the bag is full of fresh coffee.
Terveiset Mikkelistä, the souvenir coffee
Terveiset Mikkelistä! coffee (Greetings from Mikkeli!) was made exactly for bringing along. It's a blend from Brazil and Ethiopia, with flavours of chocolate, nuts and berry juice. The Mikkeli-themed illustration on the bag is by artist Anna Haimila, so the gift looks like a souvenir before it's even opened.
One of our customers wrote: "I like giving illustrated coffee bags as gifts and souvenirs. The 'Terveisiä Mikkelistä' bag is a nice gift to bring, e.g. for someone who has moved away from Mikkeli."
Terveiset Mikkelistä works as filter coffee and espresso, and it's available as whole beans or ground for filter, boiled coffee and moka pot. Prices start at €10.90.
Other coffees to bring along
Coffee with your own photo, when you want to surprise
Coffee with your own photo is a gift that won't be forgotten. Put a photo of the household, the new home or a shared memory on the label. One customer told us: "I brought a bag of coffee with the recipients' photo as a summer visit gift. They were really delighted." Prices start at €14.90.
Joulukahvi, for visits at Christmas
Joulukahvi is a medium roast coffee with a moderate amount of cinnamon, bitter orange, cardamom and ginger. It's made for Christmas visits, and one customer described it like this: "A great gift to bring the family for Christmas!" Joulukahvi is available filter ground from €10.90.
Kirjala Gift Box, when the celebration is bigger
For a big housewarming, a birthday or as a thank-you to a good neighbour, try the Kirjala Gift Box. It has three 250 g coffees ready in a lovely box, and the price is €36.
Any of our coffees as a small thank-you
As a small thank-you for your host or a cottage gift, any of our coffees will do. A light roast suits fans of fruity coffee, a medium roast suits everyone and a dark roast suits those who brew their coffee strong. A 250 g bag usually costs €10.90.
Tip
Don't know what kind of coffee maker they use? Choose filter grind, which suits an ordinary coffee maker. For a cottage where they make boiled coffee, choose a boiled coffee grind.
Can I send the gift straight to them?
Yes. If you can't make it yourself, you can send the coffee straight to the recipient. At checkout, enter the recipient's address under Delivery, and under Payment untick "Use shipping address as billing address". There are more detailed instructions on the page How to send a gift straight to the recipient. Shipping is free on orders over €59 in Finland.
And if you're in Mikkeli, come and pick up your gift straight from our café on Nuijamiestenkatu. You'll have time for a cup yourself while you're at it.
Housewarming and hostess gifts in brief
Small-batch coffee is an easy housewarming gift, hostess gift and thank-you gift. Kirjalan Paahtimo's coffee is roasted in Mikkeli.
| Gift | Price | When |
| Terveiset Mikkelistä! coffee | from €10.90 | souvenir, cottage, a friend who moved away from Mikkeli |
| Coffee with your own photo | from €14.90 (225 g) | housewarmings, summer visits |
| Joulukahvi | from €10.90 (250 g) | Christmas visits |
| Kirjala Gift Box | €36 (3 x 250 g) | big housewarmings, a thank-you to the neighbour |
| All coffees | usually €10.90 (250 g) | a small thank-you for your host |
Frequently asked questions
What's a good housewarming gift?
A good housewarming gift is consumable and easy to receive, because a new home doesn't need more stuff. The traditional gift is bread and salt. These days many people bring something to eat or drink, and fresh small-batch coffee is a good choice because it's drunk in almost every home.
What should you bring when visiting?
Bring something that's enjoyed together or left for the household to enjoy day to day. A bag of fresh coffee is an easy gift that suits visits, the cottage and the in-laws. Terveiset Mikkelistä! coffee was made for exactly this, and its bag has a Mikkeli-themed illustration, so it also suits a friend who has moved away from Mikkeli.
Is coffee a good thank-you gift?
Yes. Coffee is a small thank-you gift that suits a host, neighbour, teacher or colleague. It's not too big a gift, and the recipient is sure to use it. Kirjalan Paahtimo's 250 g bags of coffee usually cost €10.90, and for a bigger thank-you there's the three-coffee gift box.
Which coffee to bring when you don't know the recipient's taste?
Choose a medium roast, which suits most coffee drinkers. Terveiset Mikkelistä! coffee is a balanced blend with chocolate, nuts and berry juice. If you don't know the recipient's coffee maker, choose filter grind. For a cottage where they make boiled coffee, a boiled coffee grind works. If the recipient has their own grinder, choose whole beans.
Can I send the gift straight to the recipient?
Yes. At checkout, enter the recipient's address under Delivery and under Payment untick "Use shipping address as billing address". The order confirmation and invoice come to you, and the parcel goes to the recipient. The instructions are on the page How to send a gift straight to the recipient. Shipping is free on orders over €59 in Finland.
