Baby Gifts Tips

Personalizing Baby Gifts

Do you want to know how to take a regular newborn baby gift basket and turn it into something your own? Well, not really your own unless you plan on keeping it for yourself. Actually, by just adding a few homemade or personalized complementary gifts, you can turn a regular old baby gift into something even more special. Here're some ideas for highly creative baby gift ideas:

• Looking for baby gifts for twins? If you're on a budget, but want to gift a gift that leaves a lasting impression, get crafty! It's easy to get started on your own jewelry projects, so why not buy your own beads and create tiny matching bracelets? You can buy lettered beads and personalize the jewelry if you want to.
• Are you good at cross-stitching? Any kind of framed embroidery work makes a great keepsake. Plus, instead of being an item that gets stored in the back of a closet, the frame can be hung in the nursery.
• Do you knit or do you know someone who does? If the baby will be born in the cool winter months, why not knit a cap, baby mits, and booties? They won't be designer baby clothes, but whatever you knit will have more meaning because of the work and care you put into it. When you knit your own baby clothes, you get to choose the color, pattern, and do your own embroidery at no extra cost!

Hopefully you've got your creative juices flowing. Even if you decide to buy pre-made personalized baby clothes, or other personalized baby gifts, you can still put your own personal stamp on the gift by adding to it. Buying a personalized baby bank? Add some money to start the savings. Even a set of baby bottles can be jazzed up by adding a homemade cookbook of recipes for making your own baby food.

Rainy Sundays

There are people who complain about rainy Sunday afternoons, and people who use the time to cuddle close to the new baby in the house. Babies smell so good when they're fresh from the tub, all snuggled into their sleepers for the night. Once the baby does fall asleep, which is usually at a fairly early hour for a newborn, what do you do next?

Chances are you've been pretty busy with the new baby to really think about anything else. Have you even looked at some of the baby gifts you got? Once baby is down in his crib for a while, take that rainy Sunday to sort out all of your embroidered gifts, personalized baby clothes, etc. Sort the stuff out, put it in drawers, take the products out of the newborn baby gift basket and find a handy place in the bathroom to store them. The next time you bath the baby, all of your new stuff will be right there ready to use.

Even though you're happy to get those personalized diaper bags and other luxury baby gifts at the shower, you're probably so busy trying to keep up conversations and pay attention to what's going on that you don't really absorb what you got.

Take that rainy Sunday, while the baby is asleep, to go through your gifts and write up a few thank you cards.

Giving Baby Gifts Like A Rock Star

Let's have some fun for a minute. Who hasn't dreamed of being rich and famous, able to buy anything on the planet? The tabloids and celebrity entertainment shows depict the richest of the rich buying million dollar earrings for their newborns, or battery-operated toy cars with real chrome, real tires, and built in stereo systems. Come on! Dream a little. Sometimes with a little thought, you can streamline luxury baby gift ideas into something more affordable for either yourself, or a friend!

For example:

Instead of buying a newborn baby gift basket filled with diamonds and pearls, buy a newborn baby gift basket filled with diapers and personalized burp cloths.

Instead of hiring a designer to personally fit the new baby for high fashion baby clothes, go to the store and buy some off-the-shelf designer baby clothes. At least that way you won't have to play personal assistant to the diva designer.

Instead of hiring two nannies for the mommy expecting twins, get her some personalized baby clothes so the mom can keep track of her own babies.

You see? When you're shopping for baby gifts, just think to yourself, “What would my favorite celebrity buy?” and then buy something else.

High Fashion Babies

You'll never see a baby crawl the runway, but that won't stop ‘em from wearing designer baby clothes. It's like they know what the new trends in baby wear are going to be before the season hits. The amazing thing about babies today is that they really know how to work their outfits. Even though some of them can't hold their heads up, they still manage to get those crisp little collars tucked under their chins. And what about those hot designer baby jeans! It's amazing how well someone with no discernible waist can pull that off.

Babies have gone up-town on us, and nobody could have predicted it. There was a time when babies would have gladly accepted the touch of an old rag if it meant wiping the spit from their chins. Those days are long gone. Now, it's personalized burp cloths or nothing. Oh, and if you dare set anything but an expensive (i.e. soft leather) personalized diaper bag within their reach, you may as well pack it in and move to another country. It's not just high-chairs for today's baby; it's high end.

So, when you're out shopping for that infant fashionista of yours, keep your eyes and wallets peeled for the best of the best in designer baby clothes. Generic just won't cut it mama!

International Baby Showers

What type of baby shower have you been invited to? Remember, not everyone in the world is just like you. There's a whole world of diversity out there that extends to how babyies are received into the world. That includes baby showers. What they mean, how they're attended, who they're attended by, and what activities take place are all things to consider when attending a culturally diverse baby shower.

For example, in some cultures, the emphasis is on life-giving and nurturing. That might involve gifts to the husband that represent growth and fertility like seeds, beans, lentils, sprouts. Depending on the religious background of the family, men may not be invited to the baby shower. In some situations, baby showers are more of a spiritual connection or celebration, and it's not all about the gifts.

Yet ultimately, every baby shower shares the same theme. People come together to enjoy each other's company, have some laughs, and bring positive energy around the mom-to-be.

Luxury baby gifts and personalized diaper bags are just the icing on the cake. What the expectant mom really gets from a baby shower, is to see just how wide and solid her support network really is. The mom should feel safe and secure before the baby is born. Just as the baby needs to be nurtured and supported, so does the mother.