Baby clothes most popular, personalised gifts most appreciated for baby shower gifts

Many people who are invited to a baby shower wonder what they should bring as a gift. While wedding gift registries are common practice for people getting married, it is still quite unusual for mothers-to-be to register for baby gifts.

So what do people tend to bring as baby shower gifts?

According to a survey of 233 respondents about baby gifts, baby clothes were bought by an overwhelming 82.9% of respondents "because they need so many of them".

Yes, but unfortunately, not for very long. Many were unhappy that baby clothes "are so expensive" and "don't offer good value for money unless they're passed on as hand-me-downs". Just think, if you've been seduced by a cute little 000-size baby t-shirt, he or she won't get more than about six weeks' wear out of it!

Nearly half (46.6%) bought personalised gifts because "they could become family keepsakes". Others mentioned that they did offer good value for money because they could be enjoyed for years afterwards.

Interestingly, the survey found that people spend more per person on baby gifts for siblings, cousins or friends when the gifts are bought as a group purchase, than if they bought a gift on their own, while work colleagues were far more likely to spend less per person on group gifts.

Of baby gifts for work colleagues, 65.2% spent $50 or less each if they bought a baby gift on their own, but 83.5% spent under $50 or less as their share of a group gift.

Of baby gifts for friends, 62.1% spent $50 or less buying a gift on their own while only 56.2% spent $50 or less each on a group gift. Gifts for their cousins’ babies yielded similar results (62.6% vs 53.9%).

One-quarter (27.5%) spent $50 or less when they bought a gift on their own for their baby niece and nephew, but when they chipped in on a group gift, no respondents had contributed less than $50 each.

The survey found most popular baby gift items are clothing (82.9%), personalised baby items (46.6%), baby equipment (30.0%), luxury pampering items for parents (26.9%), books/CDs/DVDs (22.8%) and electronic items (12.5%).

Seven in ten respondents (69.0%) knew three or more people who’d had a baby in the last 12 months. Of these people, 74.6% had given three or more presents.

An amazing 91.2% said they would buy something for their eldest niece or nephew when the next child is born so he or she didn’t feel left out.

However, only 69.5% would buy a gift for the oldest child of their friends, cousins (67.3%) or work colleagues (42.2%) upon the birth of the second child.

It’s In The Stars at www.itsinthestarsonline.com has been producing beautifully presented hardcover astrology gift reports for parents and children since 2005.