This article was given with permission to GalTime by freelance writer Alicia Ranch-Traille.
If you plan on attending your BFF’s baby shower sometime this year, you’re going to want to show up with some unique baby gifts, something a little cooler than a rattle and a rubber ducky.
This is 2012, after all, and today’s parents are a totally new breed. They have high-tech hobbies and ironically low-key wardrobes. They eat organically and think progressively, and many of them actually like the “rock-star Mohawk look” on little Junior.
So if you want to give your favorite new parents a 1st birthday baby gift that they’ll actually use, think outside the box. “Traditional” is now a four-letter word. Instead of tried-and-true presents, you should be looking for eco-friendly toys and fashion-friendly onesies. To help you get started, here are five of the craziest, coolest and most unique baby gifts on the market.
Related: Ideas for Meaningful Baby Gifts
Here's My Top Five:
5) The Cloud B Twilight Turtle. The Twilight Turtle is the newest addition to Cloud B’s award-winning Sleep Sheep and Friends line of stuffed baby companions. While the Twilight Turtle might appear to be just another recumbent reptile for your little rascal to play with, he’s actually a cleverly disguised projector. Just power him up during naptime to convert your baby’s bedroom ceiling into a tranquil recreation of the night sky complete with the moon and seven real constellations. The Twilight Turtle’s unique ability to transition from a source of sleepytime comfort to a kid-friendly astronomy professor as your child ages makes him an excellent 1st birthday baby gift, especially for busy parents.
4) Wordsation Designer Onesies. If you’re looking for some truly artistic baby gifts for your fashion-minded friends, check out Wordsation’s new line of screen-printed baby apparel. These cool, contemporary onesies are quickly becoming a hit with young parents thanks to their quality construction and trendy illustrations. Each item is designed by a professional artist exclusively for Wordsation, and while you can buy them individually, the subscription service is truly neat. New onesies (three in all) will appear on Mom's doorstep every couple of months throughout the first year of her baby's life. These onesies will keep a newborn looking fresh and totally in style, so they make a great gift for parents who want to show the world just how cool their baby is.
3) The Peg Perego Borsa Momma Diaper Bag. The only thing worse than toting a field kit full of baby equipment around all day is trying to carry it around in an ugly, overstuffed diaper bag. Luckily, you can help your favorite mother-to-be escape this fate by giving her one of the most unique baby gifts on the market, the Borsa Momma. Though it looks like a high-end tote, this new addition to Peg Perego’s line of Italian designer parenting accessories is actually made to hold diapers, bottles and any other piece of baby gear that fashionable young mothers might need to have on hand. In terms of quality, affordability and overall attractiveness, you won’t find a better diaper bag on the market.
Related: Top Tips for Planning a Unique Baby Shower
2) MiYim Organic Toys. Brooklyn-based MiYim creates some of the most adorable eco-friendly stuffed animals on the market. Their huggable collection of artistic baby gifts features everything from “Good Earth Fairies” to jungle animals to the fantastical creations of Dr. Seuss. Each plush companion is made from unprocessed, unbleached cotton and is colored with nontoxic dyes, making the toys as safe for newborns as they are for Mother Earth. As if that wasn’t tempting enough, MiYim is currently offering an organic gift box that includes a teether toy, a blanket and a small stuffed plush for under $40. At that price, you might as well buy five and store them for future showers.
1) The 4Moms Origami Stroller. What 1st birthday baby gift do you give to the parent who’s constantly on the go? Try the 4Moms Origami. This high-tech stroller (which originally debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas) is the hottest piece of baby gear on the market right now. Used by celebrity moms like Melanie B., Bethenny Frankel and Kourtney Kardashian, the Origami features an LCD Screen, a built-in generator that can charge your cell phone, and a power folding option. It’s like the Rolls Royce of strollers, only a lot trendier.
More from GalTime:
- 10 Things You Can Do for a New Mom
- To Have or Have Not-- A Second Baby Shower
- Can You Catch Baby Fever?
- A Postcard Could Save Your Baby's Life
If you’re looking for some truly unique baby gifts for the next shower on your calendar, you can’t go wrong with any of these five items. Whether you're shooting for something functional, fashionable or funky, these days we've got some real options, and presents like a Wordsation designer onesie and a collection of MiYim organic plushes are sure to be a hit with any parent from the Facebook generation. Now, the only thing you have left to worry about is how you’re going to top yourself at the baby’s next birthday party.
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