Ideas to Choose Baby Shower Gifts
Finding the right kind of baby shower gifts can be quite a challenge. Some of us may not have kids of our own, while others aren't really clued-up on the latest products in the market. We could also have constraints of budget or the kind of relationship we share with the mom-to-be. She may be a co-worker or she could be a close relative – and we would like to strike just the right chord with a baby shower gift. Some of us prefer to give practical and useful stuff, while others love to be creative and fun.
While choosing baby shower gifts, keep these tips in mind:
Relationship: For close family members and intimate friends, you can really splurge on a baby shower gift. Big ticket items like strollers or baby furniture, jewelry etc are a great way to say how much you care. Unique or bespoke gifts, made to order luggage or nursery accessories, designer clothes etc are popular baby shower gifts for siblings and best friends. If the mom-to-be is an acquaintance, co-worker or someone you recently met, you can scale down the gift and buy something practical and useful. You can always ask if they have a baby registry and contribute towards a larger gift if you like. It's awkward to both over-gift and under-gift – so strike the right balance based on what you instinctively feel about your relationship.
Type of Occasion: If it's a small, quiet function, you'd hardly like to make a splash arriving loaded with enormous packages and a lot of fanfare. You may want to give a huge, expensive present but perhaps it could be done discreetly a day or two before the occasion. On the other hand, you don't want to arrive at a huge, classy function bearing quirky or zany stuff!
Budget: Keep within your budget. With close relatives and friends, we often give a series of gifts throughout the year and hence, the baby shower gift can be a slightly less expensive one. Also remember that expensive need not always mean useful or practical. Chalk out your budget based on what you know of the couple's life-style, needs and preferences.
Think long-term: Since babies grow amazingly fast, new parents could find themselves quickly out of options as baby grows. New-born clothes won't fit in a few months, seasons change, expensive togs are less than useful except for a few occasions – so baby shower gifts can be planned keeping baby's future needs in mind. Baby clothes in larger sizes, winter or summer accessories etc are a thoughtful and practical gift.
Life-style: Base your gifts on the parents' life-style and interests. People who love traveling, the outdoors, sports, techie parents, emotional or artistic parents etc would obviously share these values with their kids – hence a gift in keeping with these would be welcomed.
Remember that your gift says a lot about you! So get something that's unique, memorable, useful and fun.
While choosing baby shower gifts, keep these tips in mind:
Relationship: For close family members and intimate friends, you can really splurge on a baby shower gift. Big ticket items like strollers or baby furniture, jewelry etc are a great way to say how much you care. Unique or bespoke gifts, made to order luggage or nursery accessories, designer clothes etc are popular baby shower gifts for siblings and best friends. If the mom-to-be is an acquaintance, co-worker or someone you recently met, you can scale down the gift and buy something practical and useful. You can always ask if they have a baby registry and contribute towards a larger gift if you like. It's awkward to both over-gift and under-gift – so strike the right balance based on what you instinctively feel about your relationship.
Type of Occasion: If it's a small, quiet function, you'd hardly like to make a splash arriving loaded with enormous packages and a lot of fanfare. You may want to give a huge, expensive present but perhaps it could be done discreetly a day or two before the occasion. On the other hand, you don't want to arrive at a huge, classy function bearing quirky or zany stuff!
Budget: Keep within your budget. With close relatives and friends, we often give a series of gifts throughout the year and hence, the baby shower gift can be a slightly less expensive one. Also remember that expensive need not always mean useful or practical. Chalk out your budget based on what you know of the couple's life-style, needs and preferences.
Think long-term: Since babies grow amazingly fast, new parents could find themselves quickly out of options as baby grows. New-born clothes won't fit in a few months, seasons change, expensive togs are less than useful except for a few occasions – so baby shower gifts can be planned keeping baby's future needs in mind. Baby clothes in larger sizes, winter or summer accessories etc are a thoughtful and practical gift.
Life-style: Base your gifts on the parents' life-style and interests. People who love traveling, the outdoors, sports, techie parents, emotional or artistic parents etc would obviously share these values with their kids – hence a gift in keeping with these would be welcomed.
Remember that your gift says a lot about you! So get something that's unique, memorable, useful and fun.