Best Personalized Gifts for Newborns

The birth of a new baby is an event that is joyously celebrated, very often with special gifts for the baby and the parents. It can be difficult to know what to give a baby, but mostly, the gifts that are destined to be kept safe and become heirlooms are the ones that mark the beginning of this new person's life with their new name and birth date marked on them some way. Here are some suggestions for great personalized baby gifts. Most of the links in this article are for Personalization Mall, but many of them can also be purchased at the mall or online at Things Remembered or from local embroidery services. There are also some newer sites that you may not have explored much, but which offer a great wealth of original gifts.

Silver Heirloom
An engraved silver cup or rattle announcing the baby's birth and recording the birth date and weight is a special gift for any newborn. These presents may not be especially useful, particularly if parents are afraid of losing them, and so don't let the baby play with them, but they will become heirlooms that the child, when grown, will most likely display and remember the giver when they see it.

Baby Blanket
No baby can have too many blankets, and parents love to have them personalized for practical as well as sentimental reasons. If a blanket bears the baby's name, it is less likely to be lost if it is forgotten somewhere or to be confused with other blankets at church or in playgroups. Consider buying less expensive receiving blankets in a multi-pack and finding a friend with an embroidery machine or a local embroidery service to do the embroidery. This will give the parents lots of extras for washing days and leaving at Grandma's house. Maybe your gift will become this child's special "blanky" and go to college with him or her.

Hanky Bonnet
In some places, there is a tradition of giving new babies a bonnet made from a handkerchief. When the baby is grown and is getting married, the threads holding the hanky in the bonnet shape are snipped and the handkerchief is carried by the bride at the wedding. If the baby is a boy, his new wife will carry the hanky. At the christening of the couple's children, the hanky is stitched back into a bonnet for the new babies to wear. If you don't sew yourself, you could easily hire a seamstress or find a sewing friend to help you with this simple project. With this gift, you could start a whole new meaningful tradition for a young family.

Baby Book
Baby books have long been very popular gifts, but with the large number of people who are interested in scrap booking in the last few years, they are even more in demand. A scrap book style baby book with the baby's name and birthdate embroidered or printed on the cover is an especially thoughtful gift for those parents who like to scrap book or enjoy crafting. A gift of a baby book will be kept for years and years and be cherished in the generations after the baby as well.

Wall Sampler
If you embroider or cross stitch, consider making a special gift for the new baby using these skills. A framed sampler with the newborn's pertinent information, such as weight and length and birthdate, is a classic and classy gift for the new parents. Start this project as soon as possible when you hear about the pregnancy, so you will be ready on time. If you do the outer designs first, you'll be able to add the baby's name and other info the day of the birth and won't be late in giving your gift. An especially nice touch would be to find out if the nursery is being decorated in a particular theme, and then match you sampler design to that theme.

Monogrammed Diaper Bag
A monogrammed diaper bag may seem like a gift that is more for mom than for baby, but moms need pretty things too. Ask any mom and she will tell you that the right diaper bag can be difficult to find. There are many sites online that offer fashionable diaper bags that are chic and fun to carry. Check out etsy and support a craft business. Often, a luxury like a really nice diaper bag is one that is much appreciated, but not something a mom would spend money on. Really pamper the new mom and new baby with this thoughtful gift.

Teddy Bear
A teddy bear or other stuffed animal with the baby's name embroidered on it is an excellent gift. The child will always know that the stuffy was meant just for them, and will likely keep it to let their own children see it and play with it.

Layette Set
A layette set is generally a matching blanket, sweater, booties, and bonnet. A layette can be any combination of these things though, and can be fancy enough for a christening or made for everyday wear. Buying a baby's christening day layette set for new parents can be quite a blessing, as they are often fairly expensive. A baptismal layette can be passed down to all the new baby's in a family for years to come. A modern twist on a layette set could be a funny onesie with a matching pair of shorts or skirt. Cafépress is a great place to find fun and hilarious onesies to match any interest of the new parents.

Religious Item
An engraved cross or crib medallion can be a very meaningful gift on the occasion of a newborn's baptism. If the family is Catholic, a first rosary would be a nice present as well. When giving religious items, be sensitive to their beliefs about things like holy medals and be sure of what religion they practice before buying. Shopping at a religious supply store can help, as the employees there are sure to give some good advice.

Gift Certificate for Framing or Bronzing
Many parents like to have special mementos like christening layettes and locks of hair framed in shadow boxes. Professional framing is the only way to go when it comes to such treasured items, but many times it can be prohibitively expensive. Look into buying the new baby a gift certificate to a local framing shop. That way the parents will have help with the expense and can preserve these special heirlooms for their baby for years to come.