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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 Biters gift a diaper bag made from recycled materials, we'll avert 80,000 pint-sized plastic bottles from entering a landfill.
COCKTAIL FACT
Just a little excessive: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's newborn, Shiloh, received a $17,000 diamond-encrusted pacifier.
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home › tip library › Baby Shower Gift Ideas
Can't stomach buying another boring baby shower gift?
The Bite
Then don't think pink, think green. Our snazzy eco-gifts for mom and baby might not make up for the organic wine that Ma had to give up for nine months, but they'll make sitting through those baby shower games more bearable.The Benefits
- Out-gift the other attendees. Make a splash at the shower, even if you don't win the blindfolded diapering contest.
- Keeping babies safe from chems. Babies' bodies are still developing, so it's important to go for materials that don't contain harmful synthetics.
- Sustainable materials. Organic cotton and recycled polyester baby products avert pesticides and new plastic production.
Personally Speaking
Jen's bought countless BambooBaby blankets for friends who were preggers. She's raved about them so much that she's convinced us all to take one to the next baby shower we attend.Wanna Try?
- Bamboosa BambooBaby Blanket - this 30 by 30 bamboo and cotton blanket is naturally antimicrobial and comes in four colors. ($25).
- Vedamama Supple Stretch Mark Cream - avocado oil and vitamins help minimize scarring ($75).
- Fleurville Re-Run Stroller Bag - lightweight diaper bag made from recycled plastic bottles, available in four colors ($70).
- Organic Cotton Baby Sling - 100% organic cotton; available in three colors and five sizes ($50).
- Underthenile Veggies in a Crate - fair-trade, organic cotton teething toys prep baby for CSA membership ($26).
- Biter Onesies - dress up baby in organic, sweatshop-free cotton with a cute Biter message ($20).
Aug 07,2007
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At the Bottle Races
OK, so my friends are fun, interesting people doing interesting things. And most of my friends' friends are fun, interesting people doing interesting things.
So why are we all sitting around fishing diaper pins out of bowls of rice with blindfolds on?
Let's get it out there: I hate going to baby showers. Call me crazy, but I would so much rather spend an afternoon with my soon-to-be-parent friends in the park, make dinner for them while they relax, or shuttle them to a day spa post-birth, than spend an afternoon seeing how adept I am at molding a baby bottle out of clay or guessing the contents of my purse for a slice of the diaper-shaped cake. Of course, baby still gets cute bamboo outfits from Aunt Jeni-I'll just pass on playing Pass the Dirty Diaper.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to take a shower...
So why are we all sitting around fishing diaper pins out of bowls of rice with blindfolds on?
Let's get it out there: I hate going to baby showers. Call me crazy, but I would so much rather spend an afternoon with my soon-to-be-parent friends in the park, make dinner for them while they relax, or shuttle them to a day spa post-birth, than spend an afternoon seeing how adept I am at molding a baby bottle out of clay or guessing the contents of my purse for a slice of the diaper-shaped cake. Of course, baby still gets cute bamboo outfits from Aunt Jeni-I'll just pass on playing Pass the Dirty Diaper.
-Jenifer Morgan...off to take a shower...
Biter Comments...
This past Saturday was a baby shower for one of my best mates and I gave her a baby green kit. It had everything from earth friendly laundry soap to organic baby lotion and non-talc powder. What a hit! I want to put in a plug for green-kits.com, it's the perfect little green gift for baby.
I have a friend who, a year ago, went into business for herself. She does crafts mainly for kids, and they are mostly "green" crafts - made from recycled fabrics and materials, or organic, 100% vegan items. She creates sock monkeys and sock friends; baby onesies, t-shirts bibs, and hats; adult shirts and other items. You can check her out at http://www.ahimsa-creations.net/about.html
Thanks!
Amanda
Instead of buying items that are ultimately disposable, you can contact the parents and put the money in to a savings account for the little one as well. Or you can buy the child some Treasury Bonds. Still one of the safest investments in the world because you will get double your money if you wait the term. The baby will probably probably appreciate it more when they are older and starting to put their mark on the world. The biggest thing we have to do is get out of this idea that gifts have to be about stuff.
I just bought a friend a box of chlorine free diapers and natural baby products for a her shower gift. I know she'll need them, right? Another tip is to buy bigger sized clothes. The newborn adorable onsies last a few weeks. Clothes for when they are ones, last about a year.
Hey Jen
You should come to one of the baby showers I give for my friends. We do it when baby is a few weeks old ( esp. handy for those who choose NOT to find out baby's gender) Then we sit around admiring the baby, visiting, and writing wishes in a book for the baby. Then we have a fabulous lunch which includes a fabulous dessert of new mom's choice.
Then we open gifts and go home. No stupid games at all.
In addition to green gifts- New parents love gifts of service go grocery shopping for them, stop by and do a few chores, bring dinner, take the older kids on a fun outing....many possiblities. Gifts do not have to be things.
My wonderful BFF, Jenny (or Jen Boulden as y'all know her!) sent me a fabulous gift set of organic bamboo goodies (from Bamboosa) when my 2nd baby was born!!! The softness is unbelievable! The perfect gift... :-)
One of my favorite items to give at baby showers (or to send to my far away friends) is the organic romper and blanket set from Gaiam (http://www.gaiam.com/retail/product/23-9129_MSTR). I've gotten a lot of great feedback, and everyone is amazed at how soft the fabric is.
I am appalled to see a $75 stretch mark cream on the gift list. There's no quicker way to turn off would be green folk than to tell them they can't afford it!...had a lovely shower for my daughter, no idiotic games or cakes.
What young families really want and need is 1) cash and 2) food after the baby comes. If cash seems too crass (or your budget too tiny) you can do a gift card for organic groceries or, better yet, deli or an organic take-away (and if they deliver, you get a Star-in-Your-Crown).
When you visit after the baby comes, you can take a FROZEN healthy meal with you - you never know who else has fresh stuff languishing in the fridge, waiting for someone to have the energy to cook.
When I visited my daughter, I would routinely say, oh, I'll bring along some dinner/lunch/snacks, and because she is my daughter I could also toss a package or organic chicken or beef into her freezer for when they felt like cooking.
They've gotta eat, and there's so much baby STUFF available for resale, just using up what's leftover will take us a generation - and with your cash, they can get what they really need. Need. Need.
I just hosted an EcoFriendly Baby Shower for my friend and i ordered a centerpiece from www.GrowInStyle.com. The 100% organic ecofriendly diaper cake was the hit of the party! It was the most unique and creative gifts the mom to be has ever recieved, and it looked beautiful as a decoration! It contained a bunch of useful things the mom will get to use on her baby, including a blanket, recieveing blanket, onesies, burp cloths, dipaer cream , 2 natural teethers, sophie the giraffe and chan pie gnon teether as well as the all natural Natursutten pacifier- the coolest pacifier ever! the cake was very cheap and of the best quality that i came across.. the mom absolutely loved it! I highly recommend it to anyone considering an ecofriendly baby shower gift.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: Nicole | August 07, 2007 at 06:57 AM