The holidays are coming soon, and Christmas music will soon be on every radio stations! If you have a new or expecting family around you and you were planning on putting a baby pajama in their Christmas stocking, maybe you should wait and read this list of 5 gifts ideas first! The thing is most new parents don’t need more pajamas or toys so I made a list of gifts that would be both very appreciated and for every budget:
1. Stock their fridge up with food
Picture by Catheryne Bossé
Parenting is exhausting and if someone if recovering from birth, they need to take care of themselves too. Never underestimate how someone would appreciate a good nourishing meal. Prepare some meals that they can keep in their freezer and quickly take out for when they would rather sleep than cook for themselves. Better yet! Organize a ‘’meal train’’ with other family members and friends so that they get fresh meals delivered all the time. If cooking food for someone else is not your cup of tea, a subscription to a meal delivery service like Hello Fresh could be a great alternative. If you’d like to stay more local, get them a gift card from one of our many amazing restaurants and tell them to get The Delivery Boy to bring it out to them.
2. House cleaning services
Following the same train of thoughts as with the food, cleaning is nowhere to be on a new parent’s priority list, yet a clean house does wonder for the mental health! Pay for someone to come clean the house periodically and take this huge load off of their shoulders. Did you plan on visiting them? Then, do the dishes while you’re there or start a load of laundry. Those baby cuddles need to be earned! Trust me, they will thank you!
3. Photography services
Having a baby comes with its fair share of expenses. Some parents might think it wouldn’t be a great idea to spend on some professional photos of their new family. There is so many other things to spend money on. But making memories is also important and they sure will cherish those pictures for a long time! After all, it’s not like you get a second chance at taking pictures of your baby, they grow up so fast. Check out our local birth and family photographer Jena Lee Photographs! Maybe by now you saw me coming with this one but I’ll refer her always because I think she is amazing.
4. Pitch in for the big items
Giving some money that can be used to purchase the bigger more expensive items like stroller and car seat is a great idea! You could organize with other family members and friend to cover the whole price of an item or give them any amount that’s gonna make it less out of pocket for them. An alternative would be to donate the item if you have it and don’t use it anymore or saving them the time of shopping second hand. I don’t know about you, but I always want to shop second hand, but it can be a long and boring process. Talk about a gift that’s good for your wallet, the environment and useful to the person you are gifting it to! YAY!
5. A postpartum doula
Did you think I wasn’t going to take this opportunity to tooth my own horn? 😉 I think a postpartum doula package is among the best gifts for new parents. I offer non-medical in-home support for up to 3 months after the baby arrived. It is very adaptable to their needs. You can purchase a set amount of hours and let them the freedom to book when they need the service! Check out my service page to learn more about what a postpartum doula does. Contact me about gift certificates for the amount of your choice applicable towards any of my services. I can even offer them electronically so they can still be ‘’delivered’’ on time if you are like me and tend to do your Holiday shopping last minute!
I hope this list gave you ideas of gifts for the new parents in your life. But remember, at the end of the day, the holidays aren’t about gifts at all! It’s all about connection, kindness and good quality time with our loved ones! They will remember more the people that were supportive than baby pajamas !