Grand Magazine - July/August 2008 - (Page 48)

of Mine Slay the fatted calf, and other celebratory ideas Presents By Erin Gifford hEn GinGEr MoSS of Washington, D.C., was pregnant with her first child, she received three hooded bathrobes for her newborn. Cute, yes; but useful, no. “You give her a bath, dry her off and put her in her pajamas. It’s not like she’s going to have a cup of tea while reading a book. She’s going to bed,” she said. Marcia Turner of Fairport, New York, can relate to gifts that are off the mark. She received cloth baby diapers, which aren’t terrible; but there wasn’t a single diaper service in town, and she had no time to spend washing diapers on her own. (She ended up using them as burp cloths.) Today’s moms-to-be know what they want and what they don’t want. They’re practical and they appreciate items that make it easier to care for their baby, such as diaper pails and baby carriers; but they also enjoy gifts they’ll treasure for years to come, such as scrapbooks and photo W 48 GRAND JULY AUGUST 2008 albums. Baby bath robes, cloth diapers and newborn-size clothes that are outgrown in days aren’t top-of-mind. Ready, set, go To help grands shop for the newest addition to the family, I’ve invented four categories: First, Sentimental, Heirloom and Practical. (And, as a mother of three girls under 5, I can tell you that Practical is my favorite, so I’ll save those details for last.) “Firsts” are those that babies become attached to over time, such as first blankets, dolls, teddy bears or musical toys. A variation on the “first” idea is a framed print that allows new parents to preserve the first hand- and footprints, even the first sonogram image. Not every “first” is a winner, however, so keep the personality of the particular mom-to-be in mind. Debbie Kaplan of Foster City, California,

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Grand Magazine - July/August 2008

Grand Magazine - July/August 2008
Contents
Grand View: Love Is All That's Left
Isn't It Grand?: Reassessing the Postponed Life
Grand Central
Just So We Know: One Mixed-Up Lemon
Long-Distance Love: Cuttings
Ask Grand: Stuck on Stuff
Grand Gestures: "Thanks for the Ugly Gift"
Tips on Teens: All That Doesn't Meet the Eye
Live Long and Propser
On the Cover: Peter Yarrow
Presents of Mine
Thicker Than Water?
Reunions: White Water, White Knuckles
The Grand Gourmet
So We Are Not Alone
Looking Grand: Suit-Able
Grandbloggers: Why Watch TV When We Can Talk?
Grand Bazaar
Resources
Grand Finale: What Boat

Grand Magazine - July/August 2008