HELP! Baby shower gifts

[taffy]

Hi all,


I was recently invited to a baby shower of a co-worker. She is having a boy in October. She is registered at babies-r-us but all of her items are "big ticket" items. Like a crib and carseats and things like that. NOthing under 100 dollars. She already left work so I cant ask her what else she needs. My question to you that have children is, What things did you find most useful when you had your baby? Is getting a gift card to babies-r-us tasteless. I do not want to spend over 50 dollars. Am I being cheap? I would actually like to get her a gift and not a thoughtless ol' gift card!

[crimgoddess]

Well, I don't have kids, but I just got back from attending a baby shower. She was also registered, but a lot of the items were already taken- and I wanted to give her something a bit different, not something she was expecting.


My cousin is also having a boy- I went to Old Navy, who surpringly have some really cool baby clothing- its not all that pastel crap they tend to hock everywhere else. I got her a onesy that had a little owl on it that said "who me?"- the matching hat, blanket, and a bib and booties in the same colours (brown and tan). All for about 30$- and my cousin really liked it. She said that she was looking for babyclothes in brown for awhile, but most stores don't carry anything but the pastels for newborns.


You can also make a giftbasket yourself, with stuff that isn't really expensive, but that she will need- pacifiers, talcum powder, receiving blankets, booties, etc. Nothing really fancy, but practical.


I honestly don't think that 50$ for a co-worker's shower is cheap at all- I think that her only placing the big items on her gift registry is quite tacky! People shouldn't feel obligated to buy something big and expensive - or be made to feel bad that they aren't. Close friends and family are one thing- but I wouldn't dream of spending over 100$ on a co-worker who I was friendly with, but not extremely close to.


*amber*

[alwaysamber]

Im also having a baby in October. I think a gift card is great because they will be able to pick out whatever they need or didn't get.

[blondie90]

$50 is absolutely enough for a co-worker! i'm surprised that there were no small items on her registry. amber is right, that is pretty tacky! old navy definitely has some cute baby clothes that don't look at all like what you'd normally find anywhere else. maybe just a little outfit or two, or a blanket or something. my mom had a gift basket of Golden Books made for a friend. i think it was 6 or 7 classic childrens books arranged in a basket. it looked really nice and it was only $30 i think. she said that she got one when she was pregnant with me and i became obsessed with learning how to read them. lol just an idea! good luck!


kristina

[javabean]

Holy cow I must be cheap... lol. I don't think I would spend $50 on a gift for a coworker, unless they were like my best friend or something... seriously, that is not tasteless. You can only do what you can do, and what you are comfortable giving.

[Babydoll]

I dont know... I dont see the point in giving expensive baby clothes anyway... I mean, they are only going to puke and drool on them for the next 2 months, then outgrow them.


books are a great idea. they are a keepsake that would make a difference and are classy. 50 bucks is actually more than I would spend... but then again, Im a poor uni student.


only give what you can give, and pick out something heart felt, thats the nicest present one can get... even if it only costs as little as 50 cents .


I remember as a baby I was given all these expensive toys...and what did I want to play with? the smelly old ripped up stuffed animal my mom bought for 25 cents at a yard sale.


I think something like a baby blanket is a great idea as well - even better if you make it yourself.

[zane2673]

I personally liked having the gift cards. She doesn't necessarily have to use it right away, she can save it for when the baby gets older and she finds herself needing different kinds of supplys. I don't think giving a gift card is tasteless. You can always buy a small layette to go a long with it if you want her to have something to open as well.

[donna1216]

I agree, not having anything under $100 is tacky. I have 3 kids and I always register for things like bottles or blankets. You know what is nice?? DIAPERS AND WIPES!! Get them in like a size 2 or so so that she will have them when she needs them!! It's not glamorous, but it is practical!!

[metallikat87]

that's ridiculous, not to mention it's making her look a little selfish. i think a gift basket of necessities is a great idea...bottles, diapers, wipes, maybe a stuffed toy and a baby blanket, no more than $30 and it gives her things she'll need in one neat little package! her family and best friends should be the ones buying the things for over $100, she shouldn't expect everyone to get things off her gift registry!

[taffy]

Well, I went to TJ MAXX and found some cute outfits on the clearance rack for 2 dollars along with a receiving blanket of some sort. I wanted to get bottles but there were so many tips to them, like round and small and "real" and nipple shaped. THen I looked at the price of diapers and those things are not cheap! So I am going to get some diapers and wipes and found a cloth lined basket for 5 bucks at a hobby store! Thanks for the ideas! I know I will have to eat before I get there. I do not know who is preparing the food so I will just be safe and drink my bottled water. I do not want to have an "emet-attack".

[donna1216]

Clothes are always good, and I always buy from the clearance rack, full price is a rip off!! I am glad you did that, no sense in spending too much, that is just absolutely absurd!! Is it her first baby??

[taffy]

Yes it is her first. She is really excited. When I have a baby I think I will buy things used like strollers and stuf, as long as they are clean and properly functioningf. I will dress them in walmart or k mart clothes until they are about 10 or 11! I do not want the fancy things like a wipe warmer or a rack you put in the microwave for bottle. I guess I am cheap!

[jennyleigh1975]

I think fifty dollars is alot to spend on a co-worker unless you happen to be good friends also. I also think it was tacky of her to not put anything practical like diapers and wipes, ect ........ on her want list. Maybe some of her co-workers or friends will go in together and buy one of the big items. Taffy, what you decided to give her is practical and useful. You made a great choice. I loved getting clothes. They grow so fast when they are little like that. About that wipe warmer ......... that will seem more practical when you have a baby up in the middle of the night screaming to be fed and changed ................. mine never liked having a cold wipe on their bottom in the middle of the night, it made them cry more, lol!!!![img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]