You’ve been invited to the baby shower for a friend of a friend, and when you go to choose a baby gift, you essentially have two options – pink or blue. No matter if the toy or item is a set of blocks, onesies, a blanket, or stuffed animal, these two colors practically predominate. Unisex or gender-neutral items are only a small percentage of the baby products on the shelf. So, what do you choose?

If the shower is for a girl, you’re in luck and have a plethora of options. For a boy, however, you’re stuck. Although blue, to a certain extent, is appropriate for girls (assuming you don’t give her an action figure), pink appears to exclusively be a girls’ color. When there are no blue baby gifts, should you settle on pink – it is only a toy, after all – or look for another option?

Writer Rachel Kramer Bussel seems trapped in the same type of dilemma, which she details in a piece for the Huffington Post. She decided to give a baby gift, a similar and favorite item she had for her child, but could only find it in pink. Rather than looking for another gift in blue, she sent the pink baby toy instead.

Bussel, although still waiting for a response about the toy, still questions her decision. While the child likely will not remember the toy, the parents, however, may be put off or taken aback. Pink, socially, is not considered an appropriate color for boys, and a pink baby toy, as a result, appears like a feminist agenda in a box. Will the parents use it, put it in a closet, or think that Bussel is making a political statement out of a baby toy?

There is no concrete answer to Bussel’s dilemma. Ideally, the use of the toy would trump its color. Blue, as a masculine shade, is considered empowering for girls, but pink does the reverse for boys – debasing or feminizing. In such an instance, going with the unisex option appears to cause the least commotion and confusion.

Have you been invited to a baby shower recently? For some women, especially those in their mid- to late-twenties, this might be the first time they’ve been invited to a shower. Although much like any other party, baby showers have their own set of rules regarding gift-giving, spending, and replying to invitations. If you’ve been invited but aren’t sure what to give, here are some baby shower etiquette tips.

When it comes to picking out a gift, $20 to $70 is an acceptable range for baby shower gifts. Coworkers and acquaintances should aim for the lower range — $20 to $40 – while family and close friends should go higher. If you’ve been sent an invitation but aren’t able to attend, still reply and, much like a wedding, send a small gift to the parents-to-be.

Also similar to weddings is the use of a gift registry. Parents, especially those needing specific items for their child, don’t want to sift through a large amount of useless baby products. Instead, guests in this case are advised to check their gift registry and find items that new parents could use.

Aside from these tips, a general word of advice is to consider the needs of the parents, gift registry or not. Most parents, by the time the shower rolls around, already have many of the larger items for their child, such as a stroller, crib, and other furniture. Mainly, at this point, they need the basics – and lots of them. Baby clothing and toys are perfect, but considering a child will outgrow these two aspects every three months, think about the long-term needs of the parents.

Even though parents need as much clothing and toys as possible for their child, still ask about what they have ahead of time. Especially where second children are concerned, parents may already have a large amount of baby products on hand.

Are you planning a baby shower for a friend? And, are you struggling to come up with a unique concept for the party? A few articles regarding baby showers were published over the past week. One focuses on diaper cakes, a practical centerpiece for showers, and another presents a nearly-unheard-of concept: a gift-less baby shower.

The former, published in Parent Dish, presents diaper cakes as a practical and colorful gift. The article gives some tips on choosing diaper cakes, including considering the mother’s tastes, such as her favorite colors and sports team. On the practical side, the cakes also give new parents a starting supply of diapers, and, in this case, a larger cake starts new parents off with a bigger supply.

Nevertheless, the current economic climate shows that, perhaps, traditional baby showers simply aren’t feasible. An article in the Green Bay Press Gazette presents another idea for such events: gift-less baby showers. In these instances, parents aren’t obligated to bring baby gifts, but, ultimately, the decision should be up to the mother.

The article discusses the concerns of a mother having her second child. She would like a shower for the gathering atmosphere but, rather, doesn’t want the presents because she has several baby products already. Instead, the author presents a few ideas. A luncheon is one, but more specifically geared toward a new baby is an “advice” party about parenting, a book shower, hand-me-down parties, and a literal “birth day” party after the baby is born. In many of these instances, gifts are optional.

Nevertheless, this article brings up a common issue concerning baby showers: will the parents already have enough or will they have this specific item? Although parents expecting their first child will need more, ask the expecting parents what they already have and, in general, stick with smaller and necessary items.

At some point, you’ll probably be invited to a baby shower. If you’re not a parent already, choosing a baby gift may be somewhat of a challenge. What new items will a new baby – and the parents – need? Generally, as a rule of thumb for baby gifts, practical items always trump anything fancy. Larger items, such as strollers and play pens, are always acceptable, but check with the parents first. Toys and baby clothing are the most common, and many options exist for these. Which ones would be good as a baby gift?

For toys, going for educational or stimulation items is always best instead of a random stuffed animal, and make sure the toy is one that can be used for several months. Clothing, on the other hand, is more difficult to choose from. Although many dresses and nice shoes may make a good novelty present, the new parents will need many basic baby clothes, such as onesies, t-shirts, and pants. Sizing often runs in zero to six months and six to 12 months and either one is acceptable, as parents as a growing baby will be using a combination of these pieces during the first year. Most clothing comes in pink or blue options for girls and boys, and green or yellow is appropriate if you’re not sure of the baby’s sex.

Some variations on these basics are personalized gifts and gift baskets. Both of these stay within the realm of practicality but add something unique and special to the present. Nearly any piece of clothing or toy can have a name or initials added through embroidery, silk screening, or imprinting. Gift baskets, on the other hand, contain a combination of practical baby items, such as clothing and basic toys. These, too, come in pink or blue color schemes and unisex options.