When you visit the parents of the newborns, you would certainly like to bring a gift, to welcome the new baby into the world and to express your congratulations to the new parents. When the parents are close relatives, good friends, or valued colleagues, then your budget would be a bit higher, but if it is a casual acquaintance, neighbor, or someone you know at the office, you would like to keep the budget affordable. . . She may have planned to give a gift basket as that would allow her to bundle several small items, instead of spending the entire budget on one.
You can buy a ready-made baby gift basket at a good baby store in town. These are available in different categories like under $50 etc. and offer a selection of baby clothes, bath accessories, toys, and perhaps a baby blanket or pillow.
On the other hand, if you are creative enough, you can make a gift basket of your own. Affordable pretty wicker baskets are available and you can embellish them with ribbons and decorative trims, paper flowers etc. The things you can put in the basket depend on the age of the baby and the total amount you want to spend. Some great ideas would be soft plastic baby bath toys such as ducks, frogs and cartoon characters, a variety of soft toys, some of which can be used as snuggle pillows, soft face towels, toiletries , musical toys, teethers, rattles, play mats, pull and play toys, crib sheets and pillowcases, baby monitors and digital thermometers, nail clippers, etc. A gift that parents would love is a baby hand and foot print kit. They can keep their baby’s first hand and footprints in the frames provided with the kit and these make beautiful keepsakes for both parent and child. Other affordable gifts include cloth or plastic books, which are soft enough for babies’ delicate hands, yet safe enough if baby decides to chew on them!
If you’re a big believer in buying organic, make sure the product is safe for babies and young children, as some types of fabrics and materials may not be treated to prevent bacteria and fungus from building up on them.
Another great idea would be to buy one really nice expensive item and a few more a little less expensive and package them all in a diaper caddy, inflatable tub, convertible car seat or toddler swing and package them attractively.
Whatever your budget, make sure you buy quality products from reputable manufacturers.
Working on a budget can really be a lot of fun, as it’s a situation where you can stretch the limits of your imagination instead of the strings of your wallet.