News Say you were on the guest list for a swanky baby shower for Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge. I’m still waiting for my invitation, which I can only assume was lost in the mail. Buying gifts for baby showers is tough even when the person is registered. But do royals actually register? If not, my poor friend, you’re left to be creative. What could a baby -- who stands to inherit a kingdom, a closet full of luxurious clothing, and quite a few priceless gems –- possibly need? You want something unique, sure. Something that doesn’t scream a price point. Something that will stand out from the crowd of other gifts they’re bound to receive, despite the fact the duke and duchess have requested that folks donate to charity. According to local boutiques, the perfect gift is on this shore. Better than that -– it’s here in the Lehigh Valley. Royal playthings Rebecca Olesen, owner of Milk and Honey Kids, with shops in Hanover Township and South Whitehall Township, knows the royal baby can’t chew on the royal jewels. Her solution? Chew Beads –- a line of jewelry made with big, chunky pieces for teething babies to chew on ($8-$38) and that actually look like a necklace Mom might have in her closet. Or try gifting Uncle Goose blocks, a U.S.-made set of blocks in different languages, including Braille, Hebrew and German. “The royal baby’s going to need to know those,” Olesen jokes of the foreign languages. She also stocks her store with other items fit for a queen or king. Doctors have linked Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to babies’ being overheated, she says, which is why Olesen believes lightweight muslin swaddles by Aden+Anais ($50 for a pack of four) are a good fit. Noodle and Boo is a fragrant skincare line ($12-$20) that Olesen says “smells like baby with a hint of coconut.” Hand down a classic And while he or she is teething, that baby may need a Sophie the Giraffe ($24 at Milk and Honey Kids), with a long neck made of rubber and food grade paint to gnaw on. Melanie Senderowitz, manager for Bellini Furniture and Children’s Boutique in the Promenade Shops, seconds that. “It’s been around forever,” Senderowitz says of the French teether made by Vulli. Senderowitz says Sophie, and gifts such as blankets and nightlights, make good gifts when you don’t know the couple all that well. Or go for a gift such as the Bellini cradle ($935) – which comes with netting around its frame and bedding – that could become a family heirloom piece, she says. Pricing a gift Of course you can’t compete on the gift-giving levels of international royalty who will probably gift the royal baby with a yacht or a private island, but how much does price matter? “It depends on if it’s a relative or a friend,” Olesen says. She sees customers spend $100 or more on family, $40 or more on acquaintances. Gender neutral frustrations “We’re seeing a huge resurgence in people not finding out what they’re having,” Olesen says. It’s a frustration to gift givers, but Olesen has a few ideas. She says it’s never too early to start a kid’s library off with fun books. Or try a Twilight Ladybug or Tranquil Turtle nightlight that projects constellations on the ceiling with a timer that can shut off after 20 minutes ($36.50) or 3 Sprouts organic bins ($38) to store toys and laundry for the eco-minded parent. Senderowitz also recommends Prince Lionheart wood/leather riding toys in the shapes of pigs, ladybugs and cows to entertain the tyke ($75). Royal duds Some of the tips Olesen offers on baby gift buying apply to any shower you’ll be invited to. It’s hard to resist buying teeny tiny clothing, but “if they don’t know them that well, I steer them away from clothing because moms may have very specific preferences.” But if you can’t resist, she stocks Kissy Kissy layettes made from a soft, silky 100 percent pima cotton from Peru. “It’s just what every baby should wear,” she adds. Unless of course Kate Middleton can get her hands on a mink onesie for her tot, Olesen jokes. Or if you’re really cunning, you’ll take the gender guesswork out of the picture and set the duke and duchess up with clothes from Two Tara. The line features outfits that are pink on one side and blue on the other. Do the duke and duchess really need any of these trinkets? Probably not. But maybe there’s a prince or princess in your life who does.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 12:34:21 +0000
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