When should you send a baby gift? How to give a gift that delights the baby and their family
How to give a gift that delights the baby and the family
Bonjour!
Today, I’d like to talk about when to send a birth gift. Receiving the happy news of a new baby from someone dear to you fills you with such joy and a big "Congratulations!" Along with those feelings, thoughts of a baby gift naturally follow.
What should I give?
When should I give it?
Should it be something for the baby?
Or something that Mom and Dad would love, too?
Because it’s a gift for someone you care about, you might find yourself overthinking it. Start with the feeling of "Congratulations." Just hearing the wonderful news that a baby has been born makes us feel happy, too. While you may want to send a gift right away, it's easy to imagine that the time immediately following birth is busy as they adjust to life with a newborn.
First,
"Congratulations on the new baby."
"I’m looking forward to meeting the baby."
Just sending a short note like that will surely convey your feelings. It's perfectly okay to wait a little while before giving the gift. I think it’s lovely to take your time choosing something while imagining the new life of the baby and their family.
Around when should a birth gift be given?
In Japan, it is common to give a birth gift sometime between one week and one month after the baby is born. However, every baby, mother, and family has their own way of doing things. If you feel, "I'm a little late," don't worry about it too much. The fact that you wanted to celebrate, and the time you spent choosing a gift while thinking of the baby—surely, that sentiment is what matters most.
When will I get to meet the baby?
A newborn baby. Even just looking at photos is adorable, and it makes you think, "I can't wait to meet them!"
But in the early days of life with a baby, every single day is more hectic than you might imagine. A quick, "Let me know when you're settled and I can come visit," might be a relief for the family to hear.
So, what should you give?
This is where it gets fun, and a little tricky.
Tiny clothes are so cute.
Fluffy towels are nice, too.
A swaddle?
Tableware?
Or perhaps a toy?
Looking through the shops, imagining "How cute they would look using this"
makes it hard to decide. But that, too, is part of the fun of giving a birth gift. The time spent choosing while thinking of a baby you have yet to meet may already be part of the "celebration." Some people choose "first toys" as a baby's gift. The baby may not remember receiving the gift, but years later, the day might come when you say, "You know, this was a gift from when you were born."
Sophie the Giraffe, born in France in 1961, has also traveled to many families as a gift for babies over a long time.
The smiles of Mom and Dad when they open the box.
The tiny hands that hold Sophie for the first time.
The photos taken together.
Gifts sometimes become family memories before you know it. It’s also lovely to include a short message with your gift and a small card.
"Congratulations on the new baby!"
"I’m looking forward to the day we meet."
"Grow up happy and healthy."
Even just a few lines capture the feelings of that moment. One day, the child might grow up and find that card. "Everyone was waiting for me, even when I was this small." I hope it becomes a note that lets them know just that. Giving shape to "Congratulations."
What should I give?
When should I give it?
How much should I spend?
When you start thinking about birth gifts, there’s so much to wonder about. But in that time spent pondering, you clearly have the feeling, "I am so happy that the baby was born."
When you think of it that way, a birth gift isn't about finding the "right answer," but perhaps a small offering to share in the joy of someone else's happiness. May there be many smiles in the new daily life of the baby and their family. And it would make me happy if Sophie could be there, right by the side of those little everyday moments.
Bienvenue, bébé.
Thank you for being born, little one.
À bientôt!