Christmas presents for new parents (that they’ll actually use)
When a friend has a baby, it’s tempting to buy the tiny outfit or the cuddly toy. They’re lovely, but new parents end up with drawers full of both. The presents people remember are the ones that made an ordinary Tuesday a little easier.
These are the ones I love giving.
The Bathtime Kneeler, £45
Bath time happens every night, usually at the end of a long day and usually on a hard bathroom floor. Our kneeler is soft, wipe clean and pretty enough to leave out, so it lives in the bathroom rather than in a cupboard. Damson Red is my pick for Christmas, wrapped in brown paper with a bit of ribbon. One of our customers now gives one to everyone she knows who’s having a baby, which I think is the nicest compliment we’ve had.
Avery Row Riverbank Activity Mat, £95
A soft, organic cotton play mat covered in sweet riverbank animals, with little sensory bits for tiny hands to find. Beautiful enough to leave out in the sitting room, which matters when the sitting room has quietly become the nursery.
Villa Bologna Pottery personalised birth plate, £85
A keepsake rather than something to use up. Each plate is hand painted at Villa Bologna’s pottery in Malta, with a little stork, soft sage florals, and the baby’s name and birth date. It’s the sort of present that ends up on a dresser for years and gets passed down, which is exactly the point.
Allow 3-6 weeks.
Hyde & Hare sheepskin hot water bottle, £69
One for the parents, for the 3am feeds and the evenings on the sofa when everyone’s finally asleep. It’s wrapped in soft sheepskin, which holds the heat for ages and feels lovely to hold. Cream or taupe are my picks.
Emily Rollings Birthday Letters to my Baby, £29.50
A book for writing your child one letter on every birthday, from the day they’re born until they turn 18. Emily made it after writing letters to her own daughter, and it has room for all eighteen years. It asks for ten quiet minutes once a year, and at the end you hand them the best 18th birthday present they’ll ever get.
St Eval Inspiritus Christmas candle, £15
Something for the parents. St Eval have been making candles on their farm in Cornwall for years, and this one smells of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, like Christmas in a tin. Light it once the children are finally asleep and the house feels like yours again, if only for an hour. It would sit very happily in a stocking too.
A letter from Father Christmas, £22.50
For families with slightly older children, our Father Christmas letter arrives with a little sleigh bell and a certificate from the North Pole. It’s about kindness and being proud of the little things, and £1.50 from every letter goes to Family Action’s Christmas Toy Appeal.
The best presents for new parents quietly say “I know this is hard, and I’m thinking of you.” A little win, in other words.
Order by 15th December for delivery before Christmas.
