Adoption Gift Giving Etiquette as a Birth Mother

Navigating the landscape of gift giving this holiday season as a birth mother can be a challenging affair with little to no guidance to go along with it. With no guidance, it can sometimes feel stressful and taxing to figure out any adoption gift giving etiquette as a birth mother that you might not be aware of. There are a lot of common questions that are thrown around on the subject of adoption and the holiday season, and the answers aren’t always clear. Fortunately, there are some pretty sensible guidelines you can follow to make giving gifts to the important people in your life just a bit easier this time of year.

If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 1-480-900-5520 or visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona.

What are some gifts for my biological child?

As a birth mother, finding your child the perfect gift for this holiday season can be tough. To give you just a few ideas for this year, consider:

• Personalized gifts: Some gifts can be personalized with important photographs, such as Christmas ornaments or other festive decorations, to give your child something that reminds them of you and the relationship you share with them. These gifts can be an excellent way to emphasize the relationship you share with your child, no matter the circumstances.
• Your child’s interests: Of course, a great way to show you care every holiday season is to get your child something related to their interests or hobbies, such as the traditional toy or similar “fun” item. This shows that you care about what your child is interested in and reassures them that they are still in your thoughts this year, even if they aren’t with you. 
• Gifts related to adoption: If your child has been recently placed with their adoptive parents and is still young, you may consider getting them something like a keepsake. These gifts can come in a wide variety and can be anything you would normally consider a gift for a baby — from a stuffed animal to a baby blanket that your child will have for years to come. These gifts can create an emotional attachment that your child holds near and dear to their heart.

Do I have to have a gift that I purchased for my child?

Not at all! In fact, some of the most sentimental gifts you could give for the holiday season come from inside. Giving your birth child something homemade has a level of emotional attachment that other gifts might not have. Additionally, one of the greatest gifts you can give is organizing a visit with your child’s adoptive parents for the holidays! The gift of your time means a lot to your biological child, and taking time out of your busy holiday season to be there for them will be a memory they cherish for every holiday season that follows.

Is it appropriate to buy my child’s adoptive parents a gift?

This can be a tough question to answer, and it depends on your specific situation. If your relationship with your child’s adoptive family is open enough to warrant buying a gift, you might want to consider it. Buying a gift can be a show of gratitude for the role your child’s adoptive parents play in your child’s life, as well as your own, so keep that in mind this year.

What are some gifts for my child’s adoptive family?

When buying a gift for adoptive parents, it is probably a fair rule of thumb to follow your gut the same way you would in buying a gift for anyone else. If you’ve decided you want to buy the adoptive family a gift, think about what their interests are and if you share any experiences with them. Of course, one common link between you and them will always be your respective relationships to your child and the shared experience of watching them grow, so consider looking to this facet of your lives as inspiration, if need be! Sentimental gifts to celebrate the role adoption plays in your lives such as personalized or matching items can also make great gifts in this scenario.

Adoption Gift Giving Etiquette as a Birth Mother

At the end of the day, the holidays are what you make of them, but giving a gift this season can help to make them a positive experience for everyone. Giving a gift shows that you are thinking of everyone involved and expresses the heartfelt commitment you have to keeping everyone in your life, no matter their relationship to you. 

Have a safe holiday season this year and enjoy these etiquette tips to help you find the perfect gifts.

For adoption resources or to begin your adoption journey, birth parents can visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona or call or text us at 1-480-900-5520. If you are an prospective adoptive family hoping to adopt a baby, please instead, visit us here!

Meet the Author: Josh Drogemuller is a Senior at Grand Valley State University and has interests in writing and digital studies. A relative newcomer to the field of professional writing, Josh has spent the last eight years of his educational career honing his skills on the page. Josh is currently working towards a Bachelor of Science in Writing. 

Living in the Midwest, Josh looks forward to long baseball games and longer sentences.