House blessings are a normal part of the whole process of acquiring a new home. For religious people, a house blessing takes on the form of a religious ritual, while for those who are not religious, it is a secular tradition. But regardless of whether it takes on a religious undertone or not, a house blessing is a memorable affair that serves to give the new homeowners a feeling of being showered with good luck and well wishes, and this is the kind of positivity that they are looking for.
A house blessing can be officiated either by a representative of the religion the family follows. It can also be done by a layperson if the family is not going to treat the house blessing as a religious ritual.
Before the blessing make sure that your house is presentable. Clean the house up and make sure that it everything is spotless and in its proper place. If you are planning to host a big event with a lot of guests then you should consider your interiors. Make sure that there is enough of space for people. If this means rearranging some of the furniture then do it. If there are certain things you fear may get compromised, for example an heirloom vase you fear might get accidentally broken – keep it or put it in a place where there won’t be a lot of foot traffic.
You should arrange for the layperson or religious official to be there on the day of your blessing. Set a date and ask if they are available. You can also discuss with them the actual blessing – choosing the prayers you want, for example. Ask them if they need anything for the ceremony so that you can provide it.
One of the more well known rituals in house blessings is the throwing of coins. If you plan to do this, then make sure you have enough coins for this part of the ceremony. Other popular rituals include the offering of oil, sage and sea salt to protect the home from evil while guests lighting blessed candles.
A house blessing usually turns to a get-together after all of the rituals have been done. Make sure you have prepared refreshments for all of your guests. You can elect to prepare light snacks or drinks for guests, or you can turn it into a full-blown party with a buffet table and catering services. More and more people are opting for the latter because it hits two birds with one stone – taking care of the house blessing part and also the initial party to celebrate having a new home.
Image from spiritmuse.org