A housewarming party is more than just an opportunity to score some great gifts that’ll make your new pad feel even homier, it’s also a fantastic way to meet your neighbors and forge new friendships! Make sure you have a few activities and games on your party roster to keep things lively at your get-together. Here are some suggestions to get the party started!

Classic board games like Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit will do the trick for smaller groups, while charades might work better for a larger crowd. If you want to try something a tad different that still manages to get folks mingling, introduce a game called “Popular Pairs.” Prep for it ahead of time by writing the names of famous couples (such as Antony and Cleopatra or Thelma and Louise) on pairs of index cards – one half of the couple on each of the two cards. Hand out the cards to your guests and tell them to keep their identity to themselves. Over the course of the evening they’ll have to circulate and locate their other half by asking simple yes or no questions. A little intrigue and laughter goes a long way in breaking the ice between your guests.

It’s no secret that food brings people together! A creative way to have your guests get to know each other is to have them work together in the kitchen.  When you invite your guests, assign each of them a recipe that will be their project for the night – preferably for collaboration with someone they don’t know all that well. They can also be given an ingredient from the recipe list to contribute, or they could suggest a wine pairing that works well with their particular dish and bring along a bottle to share. Tailor the number of courses to be cooked to the specific size of the get-together: anything from soup, salad and appetizers to elaborate entrees and desserts.

A scavenger hunt takes more prep time and requires a bit of an adventurous spirit among your party guests. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the lists of what to track down – locating common outdoor objects in your neighborhood, collecting specific items at surrounding places of business, or snapping photos of certain things around town. Designating teams for the hunt is a surefire way to inspire some competition and initiate new friendships.

Whether you take a more traditional route, or add a dash of spice to your icebreaker games and activities, these ideas are certain to stir up some flavorful conversation at your next gathering.