A baby's first Christmas will always be treasured by his parents and when it comes to gift-giving this is a perfect time to start your own tradition, like buying a special holiday ornament representing the events of the year - either personally or something from world events or special celebrations, like the Olympics or a World Series or Super Bowl-themed ornament.
Here are some other can't-miss gifts for Christmas for a newborn:
Piggy Bank: A piggy bank can be so much more than a place to hold loose change - a hand-painted and personalized bank is a collectible gift that will be treasured for a lifetime. It will also come in handy when the child is older as a great way to teach a young child how to start saving and managing his money.
Classic Baby Toys: Nostalgia is the new "new." Parents love to see their kids play with the toys of their own youth. Shop around for old-school Fisher Price people and buildings, wooden ABC blocks, shape sorters, Care Bears, jack-in-the-boxes. If you know the parents well it should be fairly easy to figure out what classic toys they enjoyed as children.
Diaper Cakes: If you ask new parents what they spend the most money on they will almost always tell you it is diapers. Baby Boutique Diaper cakes are a thoughtful gift - they are made up of either disposable or cloth diapers to resemble a tiered cake - think wedding cake for babies. They almost always include other accessories such as toys, bibs, clothes, socks, pajamas, rattles or blankets and often a keepsake as a little gift for mom. Diaper cakes are also perfect for baby showers or to present on arrival home from the hospital.
Educational Toys: Every parent loves educational toys. Why not maximize playtime by learning a motor skill? There are
plenty of toys geared toward fine motor development or that have striking contrasting patterns for baby to look at and talk to. Teethers and blankets with tags or a satin stripe of a blanket offer various sensations when baby rubs them or puts them in his mouth.
Books: Another great idea, and something I always buy for new babies, is a book. Parents are swamped with toys and clothing on the birth of a baby and at Christmastime - toys break or children get bored with them, but you can start building a library that the whole family can enjoy for years. Soft, squeaky or washable books are perfect for babies and real little kids, but don't be afraid to buy books that are a little ahead of where baby is - he will grow into it soon enough and it will live on his bookshelf longer.
Spend some time thinking about the baby and his parents and family life and try to tailor your decisions to what is important to them - is the family religious or spiritual? are the parents musically inclined? is mom a writer? is dad a NASCAR fan or a hockey fan? You are sure to come up with a perfect gift every time if you strive to make it personal and meaningful.
There is a very unique clothes shopping experience awaiting mothers of little girls. The clothes come from California, but their inspiration comes from years ago in France.
Anastasia Backstrand is the owner and designer of Tralala, a children's clothing boutique. Long before leaving France, Backstrand was mesmerized by patterns and colors. She eventually earned an education in fashion design in Paris. In the mid 90s, she left France for California, where she lives and designs clothing today. Tralala became a reality in 2003 with her vision to design high-end children's clothing.
Playtime for kids needs to be comfortable as well as fashionable. You will have the best dressed kids on the playground. If you like the vintage French look of floral appliqués and black or red toile patterns, Tralala delivers that for your kids.
It is nothing short of an understatement to say that the clothing line from Tralala is unique. The clothing is made from 100% soft-combed cotton. The clothing has not been pre-shrunk so the fashions will shrink the first time they are washed. The French children's wear is sized for average children at every age so take that into account when choosing the appropriate size for your little darlings.
The company offers limited edition, one-of-a-kind prints exclusive to Tralala. The prints may best be described as classic or romantic. Some of her designs add a bit of Oriental flare with bold black and white fabric outlines for skirts and play clothes sets for every child from infants to youth size. One look and you'll have no doubt that they are something special.
New for the Spring 2009 collection is an organic baby and toddler clothing line called Pure. The one-time fashions that catered to little girls, offers babies of both genders a chance to get to feel the luxurious and stylish cotton fabrics that are a signature of the Tralala clothing lines.
All clothing is made from 100% bamboo cotton, mother of pearl buttons, and organic satin. The collection is set to include blankets, dresses, layettes, and pant sets. The line is expected to be more stylish and appealing than the blander, organic clothing currently available to the discerning parent.
The company has partnered with Kids in Distressed Situations -- an organization that helps kids with the pure necessities of life such as shelter, food, and clothes. A portion of all sales from the Pure line will be given to the organization.
This is not the first time that Tralala will be helping out those in need. The company has also been involved with Feed the Children and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Although Tralala is a very high-end children's clothing line, it is available at boutiques across the country, as well as over the Internet. If you're looking for very unique clothing for your little girl or a baby shower gift for any newborn, you'll definitely want to take a look at what Tralala has to offer. The fabric looks the part of expensive French fashion but it will become your child's favorite clothing to wear for its down-to-earth comfort.