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Creative Ideas for Baby Shower Gifts
With the increasing popularity of retail stores providing gift registries for mothers-to-be, it is often easier to pick out a gift for a baby shower since you know what the intended party would like. However, when you are invited to a baby shower and have been provided with no registry information or guidelines, it can be a bit of a task to determine what will be both useful and memorable for the mother and child. A few ideas to get you started are discussed below.
*Basket of diapers and changing items - A nice gift basket filled with useful items is always an appreciated gift. Consider getting an oversized basket that could later double as a dirty clothes hamper and filling it with diapers and other changing items such as baby wipes, baby powder, and diaper rash ointment. Wrap a large bow around the basket for presentation purposes since it would be difficult to wrap the basket in wrapping paper. This is a useful gift that will definitely be put to good use once the baby arrives.
*Engraved silverware and/or silver drinking cup - A memorable gift for the mother and child to cherish for years to come is a set of baby silverware and a silver sipper cup. These items can be used in a practical manner plus they can be kept for a lifetime. If you know the name of the baby, consider having the name engraved on the silverware handle or on the silver cup to make it even more special. Many jewelry stores and engraving stores will be able to engrave these items.
*Baby bathtub filled with bath goodies - A small plastic baby bathtub intended to be used to bathe the baby in a sink is a very practical gift item that many people do not think to give a mother-to-be at a baby shower. The bathtub can serve as an excellent container for other gifts as well. Consider filling the tub with baby bath items. These do not have to be expensive toys, but the more you can fit in the tub, the better it looks. Some bath items to consider are wash clothes, towels, plastic waterproof bath books, bath toys, and baby soap and shampoo. Similar to the gift basket described above, tie a big bow around the tub to present it as a gift.
*Gift certificate for photo sessions - Chances are that the mother-to-be will want to have her new baby's photo taken a number of times before it even reaches its first birthday. A nice gift for the mother is a gift certificate to a photography studio that she can use at any time for her baby. This will not only be appreciated by the mother-to-be, but also by all the friends and relatives who will receive photos of the new baby.
*Baby clothes - While the gift of baby clothes is fairly common, consider getting a special outfit for the baby, such as a holiday outfit or a theme outfit that has special meaning to the parents. An example of a theme outfit is an item of clothing depicting a parent's college logo or favorite sports team, for example. If you would like to get a more traditional outfit, think about getting something that will fit the baby a few months down the road. The mother-to-be may receive many newborn clothing items, but may not have anything once the baby outgrows the smaller clothes. Be sure to consider what the weather will be like at that time in the future to plan appropriately.
Hopefully, these suggestions will be helpful when you receive your next invitation to a baby shower. Or perhaps they will spark even more creative ideas of your own.
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