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Inexpensive children’s gifts for colleagues and acquaintances

We have all been successful. There’s a baby shower at work for someone you really don’t know, a friend of a friend is taking a shower and somehow you’ve been invited, your sister’s sister-in-law is about to have a baby, whatever the reason, sometimes you need it to find the perfect gift for a child you barely know. What should you take? How Much Should You Spend?

It’s a complicated business, no doubt. You don’t want to spend a lot of money, but you also don’t want to give the impression that you are not interested or that you are cheap. If you’re shopping for a baby shower gift for someone you don’t really know, or only interact with occasionally at work, you don’t have to spend a lot. Most people agree that $ 15 to $ 25 is an appropriate amount for such a person to spend.

So, what kind of baby gifts can you get in the $ 15- $ 25 range, which are still really cute? Fortunately, there are many to choose from. Here are just a few options:

• One Tier Diaper Cakes: You can find diaper cakes in many designs. Often the small one-tier ones can be quite affordable.
• Diaper Cupcakes – A smaller version of the diaper cake, a diaper cupcake makes a lovely little gift. They typically include several diapers and one or two other small items for the baby. Most cost around $ 10, so they can be very cheap. You can even make two together for a more impressive gift.
• Towels and Hooded Blankets – New mothers can’t get enough of either.
• Sock Flower Bouquets / Kids T-Shirt Bouquets – These will come close to the $ 25 – $ 30 range, but really make a statement. They are also very practical and very cute. You won’t have to worry that no one thinks you haven’t spent enough, as they’ll be too busy admiring the cute gift.
• A child’s dress. If you choose to go this route, consider getting a dress for when the baby is a little older. New mothers rarely get 9-12 month old baby clothes. It is a real treat when the baby starts growing to have one or two clothes waiting there.
• A gift pack of baby lotions or pregnancy / neonatal lotions.
• Novelty t-shirts for kids, get to know the ones with funny sayings. Make sure it’s one that most people would appreciate and make everyone laugh.

Avoid these gifts:

• A pack of diapers. Yes, it is wonderful to have diapers for the baby. Yes, a pack of diapers fits well in this price range. Yes, nappies are very practical. So why not get a pack? First of all, if you don’t know mom well, you won’t know if she’s going to use her disposable or a cloth. Most people who use a cloth will use some disposables once in a while when they’re out, but they won’t go through a package of a certain size. Diapers in a single diaper cake or cupcake are perfect for giving them diapers “away” without giving so many that they won’t get used to it. More importantly, though, even if you know they plan on using disposable, a pack of diapers doesn’t have a good gift presentation. While they can be quite expensive, most people think diapers are inexpensive and are likely to see them as a “cheap” gift when given on their own (they are fabulous when given as a gift set).
• Simple stuffed animals. Who doesn’t think of soft toys when they think of babies, right? So why not a stuffed animal? Actually a nice stuffed toy, embroidered with the baby’s name, could be just gorgeous, although it might be hard to find at this price point unless it’s small. The only problem with soft toys is that new parents tend to get a LOT of them. Where should they put all those stuffed animals? If there is something truly special about the pet, then take it by all means, but if it’s just an everyday stuffed animal, you may want to help the parents by not adding to the collection.
• Novelty T-shirts for kids that are over the top. Be wary if you don’t know the new parent’s sense of humor. Play it safe and find one that almost everyone would appreciate.

With a little thoughtfulness and a little bit of careful research, it’s not hard to find a perfect, inexpensive gift for someone you barely know.

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