Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with gift and baby

Merry Christmas, Baby

bunji — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:48:07 -0800

New nephew! Yay! But what to get him for Christmas? He's the first baby in the family, so this first-time auntie and uncle are clueless as to what would be great presents for a six-month-old. Please, experienced givers-of-baby-gifts, share your wisdom!

- Have any gifts to your baby been especially big hits?

- Is there anything that you parents WISH someone had given them?

-Has anyone received anything when they were a baby, whether sentimental or practical, that they especially appreciate today?

-Or does anyone simply have a really good idea?

(I saw this earlier thread, but it's almost five years old, so new things might be all the rage and babyland these days.) The world's cutest little nephew thanks you in advance!

My nephew just turned one. What should I buy him that's cool and costs ~$150?

carpyful — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:39:11 -0800

My nephew just turned 1. I only have $150 but I want to get him something cool that he'll appreciate in the future. My nephew who lives in a different state just turned 1. I want to start being the super cool uncle early and get him a gift that is unique and something that he won't necessarily just throw out once he grows out of it.

I've seen this post, which had some really great ideas. However, they all seem a bit beyond my (small) budget and a lot of the ideas that people shot out I want to save for later years (namely the Port and the museum membership suggestions).

Ideally, I'm looking for a gift that he'll be able to hold on to for a few years. Maybe something he'll want to bring to a show-and-tell or something that will be much more appreciated post high school graduation?

I kind of like the idea of a framed stock, but I can't really think of a cool company to "invest" in. I was also thinking of registering [his name].com -- because I'm geeky like that -- but it's already taken.

So, mefites, can you help me think of a unique gift that can be appreciated in the future and that costs ~$150?

Can a baby get a little LOVE (onesie)?

killerinsideme — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:25:28 -0800

Baby-product-that-surely-exists filter: A couple friends have just had babies, and a couple more friends are about to do the same thing. I live in Philadelphia; they live all over the country. Therefore, I'm trying to find a onesie or something similar with "LOVE " on the front, a la the Robert Indiana sculpture in Love Park (I know there are many other LOVE sculptures, but I still feel like it says Philly and I know it says love, which has got to be good). My Google-fu is sucking today - help!

Thank you too much!

Bardolph — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:42:38 -0800

A friend made a really sweet, but kind of awkwardly generous, gesture. How to respond gracefully, while still giving her an out? (Just as a preface, I have a hangup about receiving gifts and favors-- particularly big ones. They make me feel miserable and guilty, as though it's my fault that the person went to all this expense/trouble, and I get freaked out thinking about just how grateful I'll have to be to make it up to them. So if this seems kind of like a retarded overthinking of what should be a relatively straightforward social situation-- well, guilty as charged.)

So I had a baby last month, and various friends were excited and supportive, including the church choir where I sing. About two weeks after the birth, someone I know from choir approached me and said she'd like to throw a party for the choir at her house in the baby's honor. This was a pretty overwhelmingly generous offer, as the group is large (~25 people), and the woman in question doesn't even know me all that well (we've hung out a bit in the context of other church groups, but never one-on-one, and no conversations beyond small-talk). She's not a wealthy retired socialite or anything, either-- we're talking a super-busy shift-working mom of two, so throwing a party for a huge group of people would likely be a big deal for her in terms of the investment of time and money.

At the time, I thanked her profusely, and probably a bit anxiously, and she closed by asking me to let her know some dates that'd work. Four weeks later, I still haven't been able to bring myself to contact her, largely because I've been unable to figure out answers to the following:

How can I give her a list of dates without sounding weird and presumptuous (like, "Ahem...the following are some good dates for you to schedule my party")?
On the off chance that she might since have rethought her initial impulse, is there any way to avoid Abilening by politely giving her an out? I'm especially concerned about this given that lots of people have already met the baby (brought her to rehearsal a couple times) so a debut party at this point might seem a little anti-climactic.
If the party does happen, is it appropriate for me to offer to pay for anything and/or help with prep, or would that be rude?
Said party won't end up devolving into some kind of shower, will it? Because the choir already got us a group gift, and OMG uncomfortable.
Although we haven't broken the news to anyone here yet, we're actually planning on moving out of the area in a few months. Does our secret lame-duck status change matters at all?
And lastly, regardless of whether this happens, what might be some nice ways to let her know how much I appreciate the really sweet thought?

What's that you say? Why yes, I am kind of a social idiot. Advice from anyone versed in intermediate-level-and-above interpersonal interaction would be much appreciated!!

Non-Baby Gifts for New Parents

LolaGeek — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:33:55 -0800

One of my best friends had a baby last night. I've got baby gifts, but what can I get (or do) for the new parents? This is my first really close friend to have a baby, so I've never been in this situation before. I have some gifts for the baby himself, but I'd really like to get something for the parents. New parents, what would you have appreciated receiving after the birth of your first child? I know this has been asked a couple times before, but it doesn't seem to have come up in the past couple of years, and the answers given to these questions also seem to include a lot of baby items. I really want to get something for the parents.

I was thinking of food, of course, and then I thought maybe I could come over and cook for them (and clean up!), rather than just bring a tray of something frozen, but would you have wanted someone messing around in your kitchen at that point? Or would you just be glad for the free food and free time? I've also seen recommendations of coming over to clean or do laundry - would that be appreciated, or would you want people to stay out of your stuff? And while I don't mind doing something as a gift, is there an actual physical item you loved or would have loved receiving?

Oh, and I'm sure they're inundated with family right now, so I'm not even expecting to see them for at least a few days.

what to put in a newborn time capsule ?

Baud — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:36:23 -0800

My nephew/niece is due any minute now. I'm planning a "do not open until 2019" sealed box. Besides newspapers of the day and screenshots of a few websites and bearing in mind that I live in Belgium, what would you put in his/her time capsule ?

Gift to wife on birth of first child

Blackwatch — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:34:55 -0800

Touching and tasteful gift to mark birth of our first child. My wife and I are about to have our first child.
The baby's due date co-incides with my wife's birthday, and I'd like to buy her a gift which will have lasting significance.
I thought about a locket in which she could keep a lock of baby's hair, but can't find any that aren't huge and clunky.
Can anyone suggest a touching and tasteful gift to mark this wonderful occasion.
We live in the UK.
Thanks.

The perfect (somewhat) Buddhist gift for a non-Buddhist baby

AnyGuelmann — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:36:17 -0800

My friends are not religious but are having a Buddhist blessing ceremony for their baby's first birthday. Help me pick a gift. They are not Buddhists and as far as I know don't plan to raise a Buddhist child, so I'm not looking for a heavily symbolic religious gift. I want something cute, thoughtful, possibly cool and somewhat (even if vaguely) related to the theme. The theme being, I guess, Chinese/Buddhist tradition and folklore.

I've been to Pearl River in SoHo today, and here are some of the things I considered getting:
Chinese baby jacket (or dress or pajamas)
Tiger hat or shoes
Zodiac ornament (the ceremony will be in their garden so they could hang it in a tree)

Would any of these be a mistake? The perfect choice? What else do you suggest?

It must be light and unbreakable because it's going to South America by mail. And if I can get it in Manhattan, even better - I need to ship it next Tuesday.

Help me find a classy gift for a newborn Norwegian girl

GamblingBlues — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:04:20 -0800

Need help with a baby gift, but there's a catch... Years ago, my parents hosted a foreign exchange student from Norway. He's now married and a first-time father with a three-month-old baby girl. He's traveling to the States to surprise my mom, and I wanted to make sure that my mom had a baby gift ready for them when they arrive.

Of course, we're buying that gift to give to my mom to give to the Norwegians, so as not to ruin the surprise. Here's what we'd like:

<>$50 or so price tag
<>Something that is small enough to pack in their luggage for the trip home
<>Something that is small enough to wrap nicely and subtly hide until we give it to my mom to give to them
<>Something nice, classy and readily available at retail stores (it's too late to order something online)
<>Michigan-centric would be nice, but not at all important

The family is significantly upper-middle class in Norway, and not in need of staples (so "money for diapers" and such isn't what I'm looking for). Any suggestions?

Come away, O Human Child...

shiu mai baby — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:52:55 -0800

I need a snippet of a poem or quote from a children's book about wishes. I'm giving this totally cute pewter bubble wand as one of several gifts for my goddaughter's christening in a few weeks. I figure it's a slightly more whimsical take on the pewter/silver gifts that are typically given at a christening.

Since she's too young to appreciate it just yet, my current plan is to put it in a shadow box, the back of which I was thinking of lining with some cool handmade paper, and scribbling a quote from a children's poem or book (alternately, I might write the quote around the edges of the glass) on the paper. I've been searching, but I've yet to happen upon something lovely and inspiring. I'd like to stick to the dreams and/or wishes motif, but I'm open to suggestion.

The quote needs to be fairly short, as I don't have a whole lot of room to write. I'm trying to avoid the more obvious stuff -- e.g. preferably no Disney, no Pooh, etc. I've always loved Yeats's "The Stolen Child," but the bit about the world being full of weeping seems a little bleak for a baby gift.

Any particularly appropriate quotes leap to mind?

Remember that gift certificate you gave me?...

thetenthstory — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:34:14 -0800

My boss and his wife just had thier second son. What can I get him (or his child/wife) as a gift? I have been working with him for a little over a year. I am a male still in my early 20s and oppose gifts such as a "onezy" with teddy bears printed on them. I would like a gift that says my mother did not pick it out for me. So, what would you get him AskMe?

Another delivery of love

fijiwriter — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:17:37 -0800

Looking for an outstanding, but deliverable, gift in Germantown, Tenn., area for new parents. Mrs. Writer's cousin and his wife just had their first baby, and are due home next week. They've been through a lot lately, and we wanted to order and have something special delivered, other than the token flowers or plants or cookie bouquet, etc.

So, for you fine Germantown and Memphis folks, what is a nice gift to have delivered from a local store/company? I'd like to steer away from the usual "new baby" realm, if at all possible.

Baby shower gift for my boyfriend's sister? What does every first time mom want, but doesn't know it yet?

Carialle — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:15:07 -0800

Baby shower gift for my boyfriend's sister? What does every first time mom want, but doesn't know it yet? I need to buy a baby shower gift for my boyfriend's sister, catch is I am little late on my shopping and its only one week away so internet ordering is basically out. I visited a friend who had the baby bjorn bouncer and they seemed to think it was incredible. Also, she plans to use cloth diapers - any thoughts on that - gift certificate? I am in the Boston area if that helps. Finally, she is looking for all natural baby shampoo/soap? I am totally clueless on the baby front so all you mom's and dad's out there who know whats good and whats not share your wisdom. I'd like to go practical and then add in something with a little extra flair and fun.

Thanks!

Like threadless but for toddlers

dersins — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:09:12 -0800

What are some good web sites to buy cute, "hip" (whatever that means) t-shirts and other clothing for babies and toddlers? Bonus points if it's non-gendered. I'm looking to buy Christmas presents for my 1-year-old nephew. Overpriced hipster baby / toddler clothing seems like the perfect gift, because it's arguably useful, something his parents would like, and something they would be unlikely to buy for him themselves. I would prefer the choices be as gender-neutral as possible, as would his parents. Examples of the sort of thing I'm talking about can be found here.

Any suggestions will be received with much gratitude

How much is too much for a baby shower?

MeetMegan — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 19:02:15 -0800

How much do I spend on a baby shower gift? My best friend, of seven years, is pregnant! Yippee! It's a boy! Her baby shower is coming up on Saturday.

I've checked out her registry and I'd like to buy her one of the more pricey items. I can afford about $100 (the Baby Carrier is the specific item I was considering, though the Pack 'n Play also looks cool).

However, when I spoke with my mom about what I planned to buy my friend, she mentioned that $100 is too much for a baby shower.

Is that true? This is really my best friend - I will be "auntie" to the baby, and, while I won't be Godmother, I will be very close to one.

I can afford the gift I'd like to buy, but I don't want to make my friend uncomfortable.

What do you experienced baby shower attendees think? If location matters, this is in Chicago proper (not suburbs).

Thanks!

Help me design a personalized baby sleeper

happyturtle — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:03:24 -0800

Help me decide what to embroider on a baby sleeper for my new nephew. I've got a baby sleeper with long sleeves and legs and snaps up the middle. Similar to this in style, but plain white (no print on the fabric). I want to personalize it with embroidery, but am having trouble making up my mind. I have until mid-October when my nephew is due to finish it.

Ideas so far:
* My Auntie [Happyturtle] loves me!
* Nephew's name across the chest (which means when the snaps are open, his name will be split in two, which will give two nonsense words. Which isn't really a problem, just something for me to keep in mind)
* Nephew's name across the bottom
* [Niece's name]'s little brother. (My niece is 4 years old, and though very excited about being a big sister is also very likely to react badly to not being the center of mommy's attention anymore)
* Understated version: any of the above stitched in small letters on the collar
* I've seen lots of cute things on baby clothing sites, like 'Love' on the front and 'Stinks' on the bottom. It would be cute and funny, but not personalized. Any ideas for cute/sweet/funny *and* personalized are most welcome.

I can pretty much embroider any type of line art that I can sketch or trace onto the outfit, so am not averse to adding simple designs like hearts or stars or an outline of a car or puppy or something.

Any ideas? If you're a parent, what would make you think 'Wow, she really put a lot of thought into this... I love it!'

Should I get either of my step-siblings baby-warming gifts?

drycleanonly — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:22:38 -0800

My two stepsisters each recently gave birth. Should I get either of them a gift? It gets a little complicated. Background: I have two “stepsisters”, daughters of my father’s long-term girlfriend. One gave birth to a boy last summer, and the other gave birth to a little girl last week. I’m not particularly close to either of them, and although we are fairly close in age (all in our mid- to late- twenties) we’ve never spent much time together and don’t know each other particularly well. I now live across the country from them, and the last time I saw either was about two years ago, though I spoke to both on the phone recently (but don’t regularly).

I’ve always felt like they think of me as a bit of a snob because I tended not to spend a lot of time with them when we were teenagers even when we had weekends or holidays together, and also, primarily, because our lives have taken different paths - they are now both single mothers at low-paying jobs, but previously have had problems with drug use, abusive relationships, and various illegal activities. I’m currently working at a fairly well-paying job, in grad school across the country, and I travel a lot; this part of my family (including my father and his girlfriend) have, I think, generally gotten the impression (probably because I don’t visit often) that I somehow feel that I’m better than them. I don’t, I love them all, but I’m having trouble convincing them otherwise (I’ve made a few missteps, like getting them Christmas gifts from a trip overseas, which I think was interpreted as rubbing their faces in my ‘lifestyle’, if that makes sense. I truly felt like I was getting them nice gifts that showed I was thinking of them. Also, I don’t visit as often as I probably should.)

Anyway, stepsister 1 gave birth last summer and I didn’t get her any sort of “congratulations” gift because I was still feeling bad about how my Christmas gifts were received, wasn’t sure what to get her, and was very aware of the fact that she was (and is) a below-the-poverty-line single mom, and anything beyond essentials might be interpreted as frivolous, while essentials are kind of hard to gift from across the country. I didn’t even send a card or anything, which I feel pretty guilty about. I don’t know how my lack of gift/card was received, or if it was even noticed.

However, stepsister 2 gave birth last week, and I hadn’t planned on doing much beyond sending a card until I received an email from my father that casually mentioned that the baby was given my name. I have no idea why my stepsister would have done this (beyond just liking the name, but the email gave the impression that it was done with me in mind. My name is, while not unusual, not terribly common, so I doubt it was a coincidence).

Now I feel like I should get her something beyond a card. Should I? And if I do, should I get something for stepsister 1, too? Or should I just keep it simple, and maybe send them each a card? Do I need to acknowledge that the baby and I have the same name? If I do get either of them a gift, what should it be (keeping in mind that I don’t want them to think I’m showing off)? The next time I could conceivably see either of them would be next September, but I could always send something in the mail. I’m sure I’m over thinking this, but I’d like to try to smooth things over and not offend anyone.

A port wine to drink in 20 years

beccaj — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 07:53:08 -0800

I would like to buy a bottle of port wine as a baby gift [per suggestion of AskMeFi] for some friends but I don't know anything about wine really. I'd like something that would be opened in about 20 years. Does anyone have a few suggestions of a bottle of port that would be suitable for this gift. Bonus points if avail at Costco.

Gift For Li'l Landlord?

hermitosis — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 10:20:30 -0800

What's an appropriate (but fun) baby gift to give our landlord? Our landlord lives on the ground floor of our building, and has treated us well. His wife gave birth to their first baby last weekend (a girl one), and we'd like to drop something off to congratulate them.

I don't know much about them. He's a successful musician, she's... I don't know, a new mother for now. They seem young and fun as far as landlords go. I don't want to give them anything too personal or obnoxious, as we're not trying to become their buddies, but I'd also like to avoid something too stiff and formal. And cheap is probably best, I don't want them to think we have tons of extra income lying around just begging for our rent to be increased... say $20-$30? What etiquette should I follow in giving them a gift?

Also since they are landlords in NYC, chances are they have tons of money (and friends or family with tons of money) compared to us, and can buy baby anything they think she needs. So I'm looking for ideas that are primarily thoughtful over practical (unless someone's got the scoop on some neat thingamajig that it's unlikely they'll have heard of).

I prefer things I can go get somewhere in the next 24 hours, rather than stuff we'd have to order, but I'll consider anything.

Thank you!

Is there such a thing as a website that acts as a Meta Gift Registry, specifically for baby items?

Sprout the Vulgarian — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:44:45 -0800

Is there such a thing as a website that acts as a Meta Gift Registry, specifically for baby items? I've been reading various blogs and review sites, and I've discovered a lot of great non-Babies-R-Us stores that have what I'd like to get. I'm due in May, and it's the first grandchild for both sets of grandparents. I'd like to set up a gift registry so they can channel their excitement into gifts they know we'd like and will avoid duplicates, but I'd like to find a site that can create a meta-registry: A list of items from a variety of stores that can be updated when items are bought.
For now, this would really just be used for our own listmaking and for our parents to have a starting point, but it would be nice to have it if/when there's a baby shower in the spring.

Does anyone know of any websites where I could create a gift registry out of items from a bunch of boutique stores?

Help me choose a gift for my 1 year old nephew.

handee — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 04:45:50 -0800

I'd like to get something extravagant as a gift for my (to be) 1 year old nephew. It's to be an xmas/birthday gift. This is serious forward planning on my part, but if I get it now I'll have more cash to spend on it (I'm a little disorganised like that). He was born 2 days before xmas last year so ideally there will be at least two great gift suggestions in the thread to follow! He is of course gorgeous and hugely intelligent, if that helps any.

Why is picking a good gift so difficult?

rglass — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 07:53:28 -0800

Help me think of useful baby gift. Baby boy was born yesterday. They have plenty of hand me down items (all the basics) to start. They are in Cleveland, OH--I am in St. Louis, MO so I will have to ship the item. Help me think of something really utilitarian or just really cute (either for baby/parents/both). Suggested website/links would be most appreciated.

PS I am not creative or crafty so making something is not an option.

Baby Shower etiquette for men/dummies

iTristan — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 14:43:10 -0800

If my wife hosts a baby shower, fairly large (30+ people) for her friend (with all the expense, labour and effort that requires) would she still be expected to give a present to her friend on top of this?

Merry First Christmas, Baby Boy

mds35 — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 08:42:06 -0800

What is a good Christmas present for a six-month-old boy? This will be my son's first Christmas and I want to get hm something special but have no idea where to begin. I'd like to get him something that engages his curiosity and expands his mind, and also something interactive that I can play with, too.

He's super curious and every photo ever taken of him shows an inquisitve stare.

He's not hugely into toys yet, unless he can chew on them. He has a decent library of books already and a big stash of stuffed animals, some Baby Einstein videos, and a most of the currently popular baby toys.

I want to get him something special. But I'm stumped.

So...I guess what I'm asking for is anecdotal advice from new dads who have been in my shoes. What did you get your son for his first Christmas?