Celebrating the Holiday Season, New Babies, and Our Planet: Environmental Gift Giving for Babies, Parents, and a Better World

Giving a heartfelt gift to welcome a new child into the world is a happy event at any time of the year, but there is something about the holiday season that inspires us to find an even more special gift to give for a wee child. If you are searching for the perfect holiday present to celebrate a new birth, and want to do good for Mother Earth at the same time, you’ll find inspiration in these suggestions for environmental gift giving, with unique and planet-friendly gifts that will enchant Baby and her parents, too.

1. Help create an eco-friendly playtime. The holiday season is the season of toys, and an organic or natural toy is a thoughtful and welcome gift for any child and any playroom.

Not only are organic toys completely free from any toxins that could endanger a child, her home, and her family, but they are also extremely well made, sturdy, imaginative, and simply delightful. Organic toys, with their uncomplicated, familiar, comforting shapes and designs, encourage creative, independent play and are always developmentally appropriate. For a baby, choose a soft cuddly plaything or a teething toy with a natural rubber or untreated, sustainable wood ring. By choosing an eco-friendly toy, rather than a plastic, toxic plaything, you’re choosing a toy that will make a world of difference in the little life you’re gifting it to, and you’re helping the organic marketplace and our planet, as well.

2. Make bath and changing time clean, green, and safe. If you’re thinking of wrapping up an assorted bundle of bath and skincare products for the new baby, be sure to take a few extra moments to read labels. Rather than giving petroleum-based or paraben-filled products to pour in Baby’s bath or spread on her tender, porous skin, choose natural and organic bath and body care items, instead. These, you’ll find, are gentle and safe, containing olive oil, herbs, essential oils, and an assortment of other organic and sustainably grown ingredients. Package up a collection of organic baby shampoo, body wash, diaper balm, and lotion; add an organic wash mitt and bath towel; and you’ll be gifting the wee child with a wholesome bath time that will make Mom and Dad feel better, too. An added benefit is that clean, fragrance-free organic baby-care products help to soothe or even prevent allergies, asthma, and skin sensitivities in Baby’s vulnerable body.

3. Organic baby clothes are a smart and caring gift choice. Give the new baby incredibly soft, smooth, strong organic baby togs, and you’ll be protecting his vulnerable little body and sensitive skin from a disturbingly wide variety of chemicals present in non-organic baby clothing. And you won’t have to choose between fashion and safety – Organic baby clothes are everywhere (particularly online), and they are trendy and absolutely adorable. From little organic cotton or bamboo onesies, to stretchy organic cotton yoga pants, to the cutest knit cardigans and pullovers in lush organic yarns, the selection for organic baby wear is so tempting and varied that your only problem will be trying to narrow it down to only two or three items.

Once you’ve decided on the perfect gift for Baby (and Baby's Mom and Dad, - maybe siblings too?), be sure you present your gift in an environmentally friendly way, as well, with recycled wrap, in an organic-fabric gift bag, or in a stylish organic changing bag. Whatever you decide to give to the new child, keep your mind on what really matters during this holiday season and give a simple, caring, mindful gift that is safe for the baby, safe for her family, and safe for our planet, too.

4. Splashing Out on Baby with Practical Furniture & More:
If budget is not a concern… consider giving the new baby and her family a larger eco-friendly baby accessory. You could choose an organic crib - with an organic mattress, of course, a natural Moses basket, or even an eco-friendly bassinet-cum-pram. They would all help to create the safest sleep environment for the wee child. A sustainable-wood high chair keeps plastics, chrome, and synthetic foams out of Baby’s day, and a sustainable-wood rocker to place in a cosy nook would provide a clean, safe place where Mom (or Dad) and Baby can cuddle and bond. That would also double up as a lovely, useful, practical addition to the home, as well.

Don’t be dissuaded if you long to give a piece of baby furniture but your budget can’t quite manage it. There are many opportunities for finding and later reselling durable eco products (and so kinder to tight budgets). Savvy shoppers can often find previously loved eco-friendly strollers, cribs, bassinets, and more, at garage sales, through newspaper ads, or on online second-hand websites like Craigslist. Your gift of a cradle, rocker, crib, or other eco-friendly baby accessory will be an heirloom piece for the family, as planet-friendly gear is so sturdy and long-lasting that your gift will last through many babies (and probably grandbabies, too).

5. Give the gift of sound, toxin-free sleep on the softest, smoothest surface. Environmentally conscious adults know there is nothing quite like sinking into a snugly bed with clean, fresh organic sheets… Imagine how the soft, toxin-free smoothness of organic sheets and blanket would feel to a tiny new baby, who spends 16 hours a day in his little bed? One of the most considerate and eco-friendly gifts you can give to a new child is organic baby bedding.
Organic bedding is made from the loveliest of healthy, safe fabrics – from silky organic bamboo to velvety organic cotton flannel to smooth organic cotton damask – and will provide a chemical-free environment for the many hours Baby spends in his crib or bassinet. And, as with organic and natural baby clothes, variety is not an issue – you’ll be challenged to choose only one adorable baby bedding set.

6. Fill Baby’s World With Books & Music. It’s never too early for a child to listen to music or stories, and many parents begin to read to their child or play music for her while she’s still in the womb. You can help Baby’s sensory and cognitive development with a baby CD filled with lullabies and nursery rhymes, or a soft-cloth or board baby book. Choose from the multitude of wonderful music available for infants (including musical toys and music boxes - even musical instruments), or record your own special collection of music and readings for the new baby. Soft cloth books are such a wonderful present for new babies, as they are lightweight, interactive, washable, and can become a safe part of playtime as the child grows accustomed to having books all around her world. Don’t be afraid to compose a story for the new baby: One of my girlfriends writes and beautifully illustrates a book for each new niece and nephew, in which the child is the star of the story – what a treasure.  

7. Don’t overlook the simple tasks. Many parents have the very best of intentions when creating a green home for their child, but can overlook the simplest and most basic of tasks, such as washing Baby’s togs and cleaning the home with eco-friendly cleaners. Help keep the baby’s new home and all of her clothes and bedding as clean and eco-friendly as possible by giving a thoughtful, so very practical gift of organic cleaners, wipes, laundry detergents, bleach (chlorine-free, of course), dryer sheets, and more to help parents keep Baby’s gear and the family’s home clean, safe, and healthy. Children are so much more vulnerable to toxic chemicals than are adults, and you can help to protect the new baby from developing respiratory difficulties (such as asthma) by giving the family earth-friendly cleaning products that are completely free from harmful chemicals. 

8. Give a handmade treasure. So many baby items can easily be handmade from organic fabrics, fibres, or sustainable woods. Handcrafted organic soft toys (fabric play blocks, a plump huggable teddy, or a cuddly doll), or a changing bag made from trendy, strong organic fabrics in lovely colours and trims will be a treasured item. A pretty pocket tidy, a hanging diaper caddy, or a drawstring laundry bag lovingly sewn in fabric coordinating with Baby’s nursery is a practical, thoughtful gift that will be well used. If you are a woodworker, build a unique, whimsical toy chest from sustainable wood just for the new baby, with his initials carved on the lid, and a safe, organic stain to finish off the project. Whether a simple crocheted cardi, embroidered bib, tiny knitted vest, sweet soft toys stitched in beloved shapes, or hand-painted art or a quilted hanging for the nursery wall, your handmade gift will become a cherished family keepsake. 

9. Think of the new Mom and Dad, too. Give the new Mom a luxurious, pampering gift that she can enjoy in those few stolen moments, such as fragrant organic bath products, soothing organic lotions, and a lush organic robe. She would also truly appreciate a themed gift basket filled with gear for her favourite hobby – for example, if she’s a knitter, fill a cheerful knitter’s bag with a ball or two of plush organic yarn, a gift certificate to a much-loved online or local yarn shop, a set of pretty bamboo needles, a knitting magazine, and a movie or book with knitting characters. A Dad can be forgotten in the first excitement and bustle of Baby’s arrival, but you can give him a special gift that will help him celebrate the new life. An organic baby carrier (which can be easily sewn, by the way) will give the proud father close moments with his little one. Or, buy Dad and his new boy matching organic cotton T-shirts. If you're really unsure what they might like, "organic" gift vouchers will always go down well!

10. Don’t underestimate the thoughtfulness of practical necessities. The most practical items that Baby needs are rarely those she receives as gifts. To create a useful, considerate gift that will make a baby’s everyday life as safe as can be, fill a woven, reusable basket or a voluminous, beautiful changing bag with natural diapers (no chlorine or whiteners), an organic onesie, glass (BPA-free) baby bottles with extra silicon or natural-rubber nipples, organic wash clothes, a natural-rubber soother, a large container of organic diaper wipes, and a jar of organic diaper balm, and Mom will be thanking you for such a thoughtful, practical gift that will keep her baby so very safe.

Once you’ve decided  on the perfect gift for Baby (and Baby’s Mom and Dad, too), be sure you present your gift in an environmentally friendly way, as well, with recycled wrap, in an organic-fabric gift bag, or in a stylish organic changing bag. Whatever you decide to give to the new child, keep your mind on what really matters during this holiday season and give a simple, caring, mindful gift that is safe for the baby, safe for her family, and safe for our planet, too.