I’m a aunt! What to buy for first gift?

[Bitchywaitress]

I’m an aunt for the first time after my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and so excited to meet her!

Can anyone help me think of the perfect gift to take my niece when I go and see them for the first time next weekend?

I would like to get something that a baby won’t necessarily appreciate immediately but could be kept as a sentimental item. For example I stil treasure my first teddy bear that was bought for me by my dad’s cousin.

Please help! I’m drawing a blank here!

À nice photo album for her to keep when she will leave the house at 18?
My sons adores going through the albums from when they were babies and they are now 12 and 15. Nowadays photos are all digital just I am a big fan of old style albums.
Otherwise, a nice original teddy is a good idea. My sister had a donkey and when she visit my parents still sleeps with it... she is 44!

Thank you very much for your reply King. I maybe have some old pictures of me and my sister and brother to start it off. I’m sure if I had that I would treasure it.

I bought a beautiful handmade bamboo stretchy swaddle for my nephew before he was born, because when I was pregnant the midwives said being swaddled was like a cuddle, which I included on the note I sent my SIL. That swaddle has been the first cuddle each of her babies got from me (I live far away), and I know it is in perfect condition

I bought my niece a lovely baby bangle

I’d buy a beautiful wooden toy. Google “Grimms rainbow” as that is a stunning ornament for a few years before baby is old enough to play with it.
And a book... goodnight moon or something classic like that.

And congratulations!

Congratulations! How about a really nice book and you could write something inside the cover?

We also received a wooden musical toy (wind up and it plays music) with my DD has always been mesmerised by.

*which

Thank you so much all! I especially love the ideas to get a photo type thing and a special book with a message on the inside.

Books definitely! Maybe your sister's favourite from childhood?
Also I secretly loved it when people bought presents for me too, someone bought a giant box of hotel chocolat that was lovely

Congratulations. Being an Auntie is the best thing ever. I bought my niece a Build a Bear Panda which shares the same birthday and every Christmas and Birthday Panda had an outfit. My niece still has Panda, he's grubby and sticky in places but at 8 she still loves him. Not enough to dress him much but at least he wears pants.

For her first birthday I bought a wooden walking wheeled toy elephant. She's still got that too.

If you are going for the nice album thing, make sure, to also put some pictures of her in her mother's belly, and I really like your idea of a couple of pictures of you - one as a child, one as now - in the inside cover with a very nice and loving message. Then every six months, make sure to take the album home, and add six months worth of photos. Snappish is a good website to order prints.
I once tried the phonebook, but it is not the same thing. There is a solemnity in turning the delicate silk paper between each page.

Thank you all so much for your input, couldn’t have done it without you!

In the end I have ordered a hard back version of one of my favourite books when I was a child, A Little Princess. The book had a deep and lasting effect on me as a child, and caused me to start considering morality, goodwill, and my own impact on the world.

I will include with it an old family photo and write a note inside to say I will always be there for her.

Many thanks to you all again!