Four Gift Ideas from a Practical Grandmother
I am a new grandparent. Frankly, I thought I was too young to be a grandparent, which is quite laughable as I am in my 60’s, but truly, I was not one of those people who was wishing for the title. When my daughter announced she was pregnant, that desire got switched on immediately. I got ready, both emotionally and practically!
By practical, I mean I gave a lot of advice…yikkes! Not surprisingly, my advice was not always welcomed, especially the detailed birthing stories 😊☹! But some advice, may I say ‘sage wisdom’ was appreciated. My daughter and I agree that having a baby does not need to trigger a buying spree of stuff. It is very tempting as there are so many cutsie things for babies and it is such a tug for grandmothers, relatives and friends to buy clothes and toys, monogrammed and gift boxes. But really it all ends up in a landfill within months.
Now, don’t get me wrong, no grandchild of mine is going to be swaddled in burlap or dressed in hand-me down stained sleepers. I went in search for practical and delightful. I wanted to be sure that when my daughter used the gift item, she would think of me with appreciation. I dreamed of hearing her say, “mom you know exactly what I want and need”! Parents of teenagers get the looks of, “mom, are you crazy, I won’t be caught dead with that….” This new phase of our relationship is going to be different.
Or substitute… I have seen my daughter receive things from well-meaning people and I hear her thoughts…” OMG what am I going to do with this.”
To achieve practical and delightful, I decided upon a gift basket. I am a big fan of gift baskets. I love getting them and I love putting them together. This way I can include many practical and small items together and gift wrap them in a beautiful box. Below are my top 4 gift categories and why I chose them:
- Diaper cream. This is number one because it gets used. In fact, I still keep some on hand for all stages of life…I don’t need to say more 😊) You can add other daily use items, such as lotions and bath soaps.
- Sleep sacks. It is the easiest garment for the first few months. Remember night changes putting back on a sleeper with feet and snaps the full length of the baby! Add nightmare to the night feeding! You can also add soft cotton undershirts. A new mom can never have enough of those.
- Swaddling blankets. I think every mom uses swaddling blankets in the early months and I chose cotton and bamboo for beauty and a super soft feel. They also double as a cover for breastfeeding.
- Something for Mom. Babies get all the attention, meanwhile, we smile and give platitudes to the new moms who are worn out, sleep deprived, and unprepared for the 24-7 responsibility. Give her something that tells her to give herself permission to care for herself. The sky is the limit here, but a few that come to mind are bath salts, lavender oils, a manicure, a massage, and many hugs.
Check out this amazing gift box that we packed for you! No need to wonder what new mom and babe will actually use, this box has it all. Great for gifting, and mom will receive it in a beautiful package right to her doorstep.