You’re hosting a baby shower, spending a lot of time planning and preparing for it, and you’re most certainly spending a bit of money on it… so do you have to buy the mother to be a shower gift as well? It’s a valid question, so let’s look into it.
The simple answer is no, you don’t have to. Many women view the shower as their gift, which can hopefully take some of the stress out of the equation for you. That being said, if money is not an issue for you, then getting the mother to be a gift is something you should consider. Below are some reasons why.
1. Giving gifts are always such a great feeling. When you know you’ve spent time on selecting the perfect gift for someone, it makes you feel good and excited for them to open it.
2. In my opinion, the more presents the mother to be gets, the better. It’s about to be a long and tough road for her, both financially and emotionally. Why not give her the best head start possible?
3. Baby shopping is fun! Who doesn’t like looking at all the cute little booties (that don’t stay on the baby’s feet anyway) and fancy hats and dresses? If you’ve had children before you know what’s realistic and what’s not for a baby. Unsolicited advice is never a good idea, but buying a present that silently gives the advice is the way to go. (Think about it – you could buy her a diaper genie because every new mother thinks it’s the best invention ever, but you know it doesn’t work. Or… you could buy her a laundry basket full of clothes and baby/bath supplies. What do you think she’ll use more? Get my point?)
If you are hosting a baby shower for someone, it is not necessary to also buy them a gift. However, if it is something you can do, you should do because it will make you feel good about it, and you’ll love seeing the look on the mom to be’s face when she opens your gift. It’s kind of like the icing on the cake, if you will.
If time or money is an issue, do not worry if you can not physically give a gift. Your gift is essentially the baby shower, and that will provide much more than any other gift will. Trust me.