Welcome Wagon and a QUESTION
The Welcome Wagon came to our house yesterday and talked to John since I was off at school. Now, I've heard of "welcome wagons" before, but never really knew if they existed or if they existed only in certain places, though this is the first time we've been welcomed by one. Of course, this is our first owned house.
The woman representing the Richmond Hill "welcome wagon" worked for Century 21 real estate and, whoa, they certainly had a very organized package for people they were welcoming to the community. John told me she introduced herself and pretty much invited herself in, taking off her shoes and continuing to talk as John stood rather non-plussed in the hallway and wished I was there :). So he invited her in to sit down in the living room and she went through a ton of stuff she was leaving to orient us to our new community. She, of course, didn't know until late in the conversation that we were essentially moved about a dozen blocks from our last home.
The package included welcoming letters from the mayor and our local Member of Provincial Parliament. There were tons of pens, magnets, writing pads, shopping lists, keychains, car first-aid kits from businesses in the area. Lots of gift certificates, too- $30 at a local restarant, $50 at a local spa, six free pastries from a local bakery, car tune-ups and oil from a local mechanic, a free home make-over from a Mary Kay representative, a free classified ad in the local newspaper, transportation maps, etc..
I didn't realize Welcome Wagons had become such commercial and effective little operations! I still think of pioneer ladies with a cherry pie saying hello to a new neighbour at the door.
QUESTION:
Do you have a "Welcome Wagon" where you live, whether formally or casually? Has a Welcome Wagon ever come to greet you when you've moved into a new house?
The woman representing the Richmond Hill "welcome wagon" worked for Century 21 real estate and, whoa, they certainly had a very organized package for people they were welcoming to the community. John told me she introduced herself and pretty much invited herself in, taking off her shoes and continuing to talk as John stood rather non-plussed in the hallway and wished I was there :). So he invited her in to sit down in the living room and she went through a ton of stuff she was leaving to orient us to our new community. She, of course, didn't know until late in the conversation that we were essentially moved about a dozen blocks from our last home.
The package included welcoming letters from the mayor and our local Member of Provincial Parliament. There were tons of pens, magnets, writing pads, shopping lists, keychains, car first-aid kits from businesses in the area. Lots of gift certificates, too- $30 at a local restarant, $50 at a local spa, six free pastries from a local bakery, car tune-ups and oil from a local mechanic, a free home make-over from a Mary Kay representative, a free classified ad in the local newspaper, transportation maps, etc..
I didn't realize Welcome Wagons had become such commercial and effective little operations! I still think of pioneer ladies with a cherry pie saying hello to a new neighbour at the door.
QUESTION:
Do you have a "Welcome Wagon" where you live, whether formally or casually? Has a Welcome Wagon ever come to greet you when you've moved into a new house?