Suggestions please
 

I am going to be moving to the countryside and want to introduce myself to my nearest Spanish neighbour and want to bring a gift.
I just have no ideas.
I would like to bring something more original than chocs or alcohol from mercadona and sadly I don't do cake baking!
Any suggestions welcome:

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hows about inviting them round for a meal ??

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How old are they? Do they have children?

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Can't invite for a meal as have no kitchen. Yet!
We haven't moved in yet and I think there are 3generations, grandparent, parents and I think a boy of about 10

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I'd play safe and go for a big selection box of pastries or chocolates ... all three generations will be your friends for life then!

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I'm the only Brit living on a mountain full of Catalan/Spanish speakers, and would suggest you treat this as you would do anywhere i.e. the onus is on the neighbours to welcome you to the area. After all you're too busy moving in.

Don't worry, they will come, especially if you are the only foreigners there, they will want to see how you furnish you house, if nothing else.

Set up the grand tour of the house as early as possible, and keep the coffee handy.

I think a gift would be over the top.

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What about flowers, either a bunch, or a plant/shrub/tree that they can put in their garden, assuming they have one.

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Brush up on your Spanish coffee making skills and whatever you do, don't offer them a cup of instant.
I once made that mistake and they were so insulted they promptly went off to the kitchen and made their own. :huh:

To cap it all, they'd been running a Spanish bar for forty years and had probably forgotten more about coffee than I would ever know.

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I think you're completely bonkers. Your neighbours will be very suspicous and suspect that you want something.

Wait for them to come to you. The locals have met me from seeing me working in the garden. Some have stopped, when passing by car or foot and introduced themselves. Likewise, if you see them out and about, "accidentally" walk by and say Hola.

Leave the pressies until you know them better.

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Thanks for your replies
They are the only other house on the lane and I want to get past the hola stage and introduce myself properly, with my not so good Spanish and my daughter( always good to bring a child I find!)
I think pocaloca's fantastico idea of a box of pastries is the answer.
I just want to be neighbourly and I know they probably know about me from the previous tenant, and I think it's a nice thing to be neighbourly.
I don't think they are going to hate me and think I want something. If this is London then yes, but not here methinks!

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It's a shame you haven't got a beach nearby. All you would need to do is settle on the beach (even if you were the only one there!) and they would come and sit by you. :)

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It's a nice thought, but you may find that by giving them a gift they will feel under an obligation to return the favour in some way, so think about whether you really want to put them in that position. If there are children in the household, why not wait a little while until Easter and take over a chocolate egg each, and explain it's a British custom. A small token for the children may be easier for them to accept. We often do this for the neighbours' children at Easter and Los Reyes, and it seems to go down well.

Doing any other kind of favours always seems to result in people thinking they have to do something for us in return, either an invitation to coffee or tapas or some small present. The house behind mind has been empty for a few years as the man who owns in has moved to Granada to work. His sister comes round regularly to keep an eye on it, and a couple of weeks ago I told her I'd seen a couple of people hanging around by the front door late at night, and they'd scarpered when they saw me leaning out of the window. This weekend she presented me with 3 bars of soap which she makes herself! I certainly wasn't expecting anything but it seems to be the Spanish way.

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An interesting question and interesting answers.
I've just been asking myself how I would react if new neighbours of whatever nationality moved in nearby and brought us a gift and the answer is I don't really know.
Grateful, somewhat puzzled and a bit bewildered possibly. Also what might they be coming around to borrow when they've settled in!

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As a little aside when we moved in 9 years ago, our neighbours came to see us when the removal van was unpacking and we were in a mess. We had no kitchen etc and they said come down and have a drink when you want to so we did as I was gasping. They were in their sixties. He is English but she is Spanish. They even asked us for a meal the next night and have remained firm friends ever since.

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That's a really sad thing to say. I'm glad I don't live in your world.

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I think it's a lovely idea and, provided you don't go over the top with the present, nobody is going to think you are weird or want something in return.

Brits have a rather bad reputation here for keeping themselves to themselves and not wanting to speak to their neighbours. I know not everyone is like that, but it is a popular stereotype. Anything that helps dispel this idea has to be a good thing.

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I think it's just a nice thing to do
Anyway regards them thinking I want something......
I have seen the dad with a little tractor, and I would like to borrow it!
Maybe ask advice about plants etc
I think it's just a matter of how you think, I am living in Spain and I want to integrate and learn the language fluently.

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The garden is a good idea if both you and your neighbours have a sizable plot and you may find you have a lot to learn in many respects.
I found it to be a totally different ball game to what I knew before and for a while came to rely almost totally on the local experience of my friendly neighbours.

He approached me first within a week or so of my arrival nine years ago and I've virtually been part of his extended family ever since, eating and drinking at his house at least once every week.

I wish you the best of luck and if your new neighbours are even half as nice as mine,you could find them to be an even more valuable asset than your property.

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Seconded Dick.

Go over to the neighbour and offer to rent his tractor. knowing my Spanish neighbours, he will not only refuse payment, but he will bring it over, show you how to use it, and probably plough half your plot for you.

This would then be the time for a present of a bottle of "wickey". Always seems to go down well with the men.

However, before then, the wife will have been over with the "mi casa, tu casa" routine.

I find they value friendliness, courtesy, and consideration above all else.

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Ha ha, thats just what happened with me, except my neighbour landed over without even being requested and started rotavating my garden with his magnificent bone shaking machine of his own accord one day.

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invite them round for a barbacue, lots of meat, beer and olives,salchichon,crisps, and a nice valencian wine, salad optional:lol:

would not offer any gifts etc, do not ask anything too personal, but maybe have a couple of questions about a good plumber, hardware store,market etc, sure they will offer lots of advice and help,
the men and women often group together separately as well do not be suprised if you/your partner is ushered away...!

and the custom is they will invite you back;) so blossoms the frienship!

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Just got a basket of goodies from my Spanish neighbours for looking after their cat.

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How nice - and what a contented-looking cat! :D

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excuses excuses
you are going to need a barbecue when the rain and cold turn to sun and sun - in about 4 months time
;)