Inexpensive baby gifts for coworkers and acquaintances
It has happened to all of us. There’s a baby shower at work for someone you don’t really know, a friend of a friend is having a baby shower and somehow you got invited, your sister’s sister-in-law is having a baby, whatever the reason, sometimes you need to find the perfect baby gift for someone you barely know. What should you get? How much should you spend?
It’s a complicated matter, no doubt. You don’t want to spend a lot of money, but you also don’t want to give the impression that you don’t care or 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 need to spend a ton. Most people agree that $15 to $25 is an appropriate amount to spend on that person.
So what kind of baby gifts can you get in the $15-$25 range, that are still really nice? Fortunately, there are many to choose from. Here are some options:
- Single 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 a diaper cake, a diaper cupcake makes a lovely little treat. They usually include several diapers and one or two small items for the baby. Most are around $10, so they can be very inexpensive. You can even make two together for a more impressive gift.
- Hooded Towels and Blankets – New moms can never get enough of any of these.
- Stocking Flower Bouquets/Baby T-shirt Bouquets – These will be closer to the $25-$30 range, but really make a statement. They are also very practical, and very pretty. You won’t have to worry about anyone thinking you didn’t spend enough, because they’ll be too busy admiring the cute gift.
- A baby outfit. If you choose to go this route, consider purchasing an outfit for when the baby is a little older. New moms rarely get 9-12 month baby clothes. It’s a real treat when baby starts to grow to have an outfit or two waiting for them.
- A gift pack of baby lotions or lotions for pregnant / new moms.
- Novelty baby t-shirts, you know the ones with funny sayings. Make sure it’s one that most people enjoy, and it will 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 very well in this price range. Yes, diapers are very practical. So why not buy a bundle? First of all, if you don’t know the mom well, you won’t know if she plans to use disposables or cloth. Most people who use cloth will use a few disposables once in a while when out and about, but they won’t use a pack of a certain size. Diapers in individual diaper bags or cupcakes are perfect for giving them a few “away” diapers without giving them so many that they don’t get used to it. More importantly though, even if you know they plan to use disposables, a pack of diapers doesn’t make a good gift-giving presentation. Although they can be quite expensive, most people think of diapers as cheap and are likely to see them as a “cheap” gift when given on their own (however, they’re fabulous when given in gift sets).
- Simple stuffed animals. Who doesn’t think of stuffed animals when they think of babies right? So why not a stuffed animal? Actually, a cute baby stuffed animal, embroidered with the baby’s name, might just be wonderful, though it might be hard to find at this price unless it’s tiny. The only problem with stuffed animals is that new parents tend to have a LOT of them. Where should they put all those stuffed animals? If there’s something really special about the animal, then take it, but if it’s just an everyday stuffed animal, you may want to help the parents out by not adding it to the collection.
- Novelty baby shirts that are above. Be careful if you don’t know the new parent’s sense of humor. Play it safe and find one that almost anyone would appreciate.
With a little thought and some careful searching, it’s not hard to find the perfect inexpensive gift for someone you barely know.