Personalizing Baby Gifts

Did somebody have a baby?

When it comes time to do something nice for your friends who have suddenly found themselves to be parents, you may want something more than a jumpsuit with a picture of a train on it, though those are cute. Here's a breakdown and some editorializing on the nature of baby gifts and how to personalize them.

The first decision to make when personalizing a baby gift is whether you want to stay traditional or find something to remind the parents of their relationship with you. After all, the baby is likely not going to read it until teenage years when packing the attic for a move to the deeper suburbs.

• Traditional gifts would be along the lines of names and dates. These are dandy, but may be spent to the point of not being personal anymore. Consider injecting a little personal history in your engraved figurine or embroidered blankets.
• A true personalized gift doesn't require a name, date, or initials, it just needs to be personal. Have you and your friend forgone a life of punk rock or reggae for parenthood? Did you suffer together during grueling years of postgraduate work? These are the elements of personalization that resonate over the years.
• Also notable is a kind of combination. Many customization options allow you to print names, dates and the like on a beveled glass picture frame or illustration along with a personalized message.

Personally...

Perhaps the best way to personalize a baby gift--for both donor and recipient--is to attach the name of a good babysitter to the card, jumpsuit, or plush toy that comprised the main gift. This has many benefits: providing the parents with a much needed service; gaining points with your sitter by giving more clients; and finally, dissuading the parents from thinking it would be a good idea to contact you for such services. Everybody wins.