"A new baby is like the beginning of all things - wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities." Eda J. Le Shan

The big day is here! New baby has arrived and for sure, this baby is special - your first grandchild perhaps - your best friend's newborn - child of your favorite niece. And of course you are searching for new baby gift ideas, not only to express your own delight at such a momentous occasion, but something the new parents will use or display that will also remain part of the family's baby keepsakes for years to come.

Ho-Hum Gifts for Baby

Searching through baby gift catalogs and department stores yields the usual ho-hum options. Yes, you can find a lovely layette, soft blankets, even hand knit items and newborn clothing, plush toys and musical mobiles. And yes, there is definitely a place for the mundane in the collection of gifts for new baby. All new parents love a head start with an arsenal of diapers, towels, and other useful accessories of the day, and they welcome all the help they can get.

But, in spite of all the available options on the market, you may still find yourself wracking your brain over how to find a unique baby gift - something out of the ordinary that will stand the test of time and even remind the child, grown to adulthood, that you were thinking of him or her on Day #1, and into the future. Giving something that has real meaning is the best baby gift, and the most gratifying for the recipient, for the new parents, and for the giver.

What To Look For In Finding The Perfect Baby Blanket Gift

The Commemorative Delft Birth Plate

There is a classic European tradition that is catching on in America because it is one of the finest gifts anyone can give to a newborn. Literally for decades, European families have celebrated the birth of a newborn child by giving a Delft Birth Plate from Holland. Delft Birth Plates also make excellent christening gifts because each plate is unique among the available options for baby personalized gifts.

What are Delft Birth Plates?

Famed for their artistic quality and precision, Delft Birth Plates are distinctive wall hangings that display the details of the new arrival. They record, on the face of the plate, the baby's birth date and time, length of baby, weight, and even the city and state where he or she was born. These appealing plate wall hangings are elaborately hand-decorated with Old World style lettering, and from the moment the wrapping is off, the parents of the newborn know they have received a gift destined to become a treasured family heirloom.

Giving the Perfect Baby Gift

What is Delft?

Delft, the city of origin for this Birth Plate phenomenon, is a city in the Netherlands, also known for its canals and lovely Dutch town centre, as well as for the renowned painter, Vermeer, and for the production of Delft Blue pottery in various forms. The production of Delft pottery dates from the 17th century and the items are made by carefully blending a mixture of white-firing clay poured into moulds or thrown on a wheel.

Each piece is hand-painted after the first firing and then covered with a thin layer of glaze and fired again to bring out its great luster and brilliant colors. This painstaking process is still used today and is what makes the Delft Birth Plate sought after for its quality, extraordinary artistic presentation, and durability.

The Delft Birth Plate is indeed a perfect gift for lasting memories - a thoughtful gift for a newborn baby which becomes more meaningful with each generation. If you are searching for something really different, a quality gift for the new baby in your life, and a family heirloom in the making, consider the Delft Birth Plate to welcome new baby's grand entrance with style.