3 Stellar Baby Gifts You Mother Never Got

You have been invited to a baby shower, now, what do you bring?  Baby shower gifts can generally be broken down into two basic categories: "practical" and "fun".  Now, don't mistake the "practical" category for something that isn't fun.  It's really more of dividing the gifts into items the new family can use to ease the financial strain of a new baby and will get used for a practical purpose versus a gift that is novel or simply given for fun.

The whole purpose behind a baby shower is to welcome the new baby, support the new family and help ease the financial strain that comes with a new baby.  Choosing what type of gift to give will depend on your desires, the family need and your budget.

Practical gifts for the baby are gifts that serve a specific purpose.  For example one of the best gifts I ever received was a big box of size 2 diapers and a basket filled with baby food.  The reason these gifts were the best was because instead of needing to run to the store for these items, I could store them and use them when I was ready and save the trip.  Other practical gifts include baby wash and bath supplies, formula if the family isn't breast feeding, diapers, socks, bibs and burp cloths.  These are all items that a new family can never have enough of.

The problem with giving these kinds of items at a baby shower is this: how many times can you watch her open a new package of burp cloths before you begin to feel like if you see another burp cloth again it will be too soon?  Exactly.  So, this is where we bring in the fun element.   Time to make these kinds of practical gifts fun and exciting.

You don't need a ton of crafting experience to complete these project ideas, but it is helpful if you have some.  Then again, if you don't have the skills or the time you can always search for fun and fantastic practical gifts and purchase them online.

Here are just a few examples of how make a practical gift fun:

Diapers:  Diapers can be made into beautiful 1,2, or 3 tier diaper cakes.  Fill the center of the cake with other diaper related items such as travel trash bag sacks, diaper cream, travel wipes and hand sanitizer and you will have a practical gift the family will use and it will wow the crowd!

Towels:  Guess what?  Baby towels can also be made into a 1,2, or 3 tier cake.  Again, structure the cake with the towels, fill the center with bath related items and voila, you have a practical yet stunning gift that is sure to be a conversation starter.

Sock Cupcakes:  Turn tiny baby socks into cue little balls of "cake" set them in a cupcake foil, decorate with another small useful baby item such as a pacifier, tube of Oragel or something else small, place the cupcakes into a box with some tissue paper, affix a homemade label for your sock bakery on the top, add a ribbon and maybe a recipe card and you have another great gift for mom and baby that is better than just a pack of socks.