Housewarming - actually
Ever since learning the term "housewarming" I've been a bit curious about why it would be called that. Why would we call it a housewarming when we invite a lot of people over to the place we've recently moved into? Why not a "new house party" or a "snack and see", to borrow the "sip and see" of a baby shower? Of course, I've since looked up the origin of the word and it turns out that people would actually bring firewood with them to a housewarming party and work to warm up the new house for its owners. And then I spent a few months in Kenya. Where we were staying, in the Nairobi area, the nights are cool and the days are warm, and the weather is temperate enough that no one has central heating or cooling. In a place like the islands, on the coast next to the Indian Ocean, we might wish for air conditioning. There in Nairobi, however, a house that's been moved into recently is distinctly chilly. And what better way to take the c...