Creative gift ideas needed! What gift to get as my niece turns 1??

[IvyandLace]

My sister is my best friend, and her beautiful baby girl is turning 1 in February! I was present for her birth and want to get her something very special to celebrate her first year of life. Unfortunately, I live several states away so I would not be able to do something like a trip to Disney or coupons for special times with Auntie. Little girl loves music and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I don't dare get her 1st pair of Mickey ears as my sister plans on going to WDW later on in the year and would like that honor. What special gifts did your kids get/enjoy on their 1st BD? Any ideas?? I'm looking for something unique and clever!

Please help!
IVY

 

[figment52]

Disney Stock

 

[A4Disney]

I started the add-a- pearl for my niece when she turned one.They are sold in sets of 4 at my Jeweler and I give her 2 for her bday and 2 for Xmas. 4 a year will give her a complete necklace by the time she is 16/17.Perfect for a graduation pic...future wedding etc.
I also get her a toy and a bunch of Gymboree clothes-yeah, I have fun lol

 

[eowensby]

I second the Disney Stock. My son got that for his first birthday.
when my daughter was born someone gave us a beautiful silver cake knife engraved with her first and middle name and date of birth. The idea is to use it for every birthday and then use it for her wedding someday. I just thought that was a neat gift.

 

[1957]

I got both of my grandkids Passports when they were born, as their family travels outside the US at least once yearly. For first and subsequent birthdays, I contribute to a college trust fund their parents have set up. They get plenty of disposable gifts from other sources.

 

[clh2]

For a "special" person - I've given annual family memberships to a local zoo. Sounds like an odd present, but one that can be used for a whole year. I found that my DD LOVED going to the zoo at that age.

Now - I don't do this for the average 1-year old. But nieces and nephews do get the "special" treatment.

 

[Tink0374]

I also vote for the Disney stock. The best gift that my boys received on their first birthdays were savings bonds. My Grandfather purchased the bonds for them. If kept til they matured, they were very valuable, but we've continued to keep them and give them to the boys for graduation to help them with college expenses. A 1 year old, really doesn't appreciate them, but the parents do, and imagine how much they will appreciate them when they are old enough to put the money to good use!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think the zoo (or local children's museum) membership is a wonderful idea and would give your niece a lot of fun all year long.
As for something more lasting, I gave both of my nieces silver charm bracelettes with birthday cake charms on them. We live very far apart, but when soemthing 'big' goes on in their lives I find a matching charm and send it to add to the bracelette (so when one joined the track team sent her a sneaker shoe charm and when the other won the school talent show playing guitar I sent a guitar charm). Their family have also added charms for every vacation destination they go to. The girls wear the bracelettes often and, I am told, have taken them to school for show and tell many times over the years.

I also send each niece and nephew a book (hardback whenever the book I want is avaialble that way) for each birthday and Christmas. I always write in teh front cover about why I chose the book for them. I try to pick things that are older and not that popular NOW--things I rememver loving from my own childhood. The kids are getting older now (ages 8-11). This Christmas one got Chocolate Fever, on got Summer of the Monkeys and one got a Calvin and Hobbes book (huge hit with that one). The first birthday books were: Goodnight Moon, Banyard Dance (not from my childhood, but my DD's favourite at that age and she is the oldest in the generation--sometimes I link things that way too) and Freight Train. I keep a list so I do not accidently repeat a book in the same household and I do choose as much as I can based on their personalities. I have one sister in law who tells me they are her favourite gifts and she says the girls always read the inscriptions first.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

It has to be something that it is going to last. Disney stock, bonds, etc. are a great choice along with a toy.

 

[JVL1018]

How about a charm bracelet-add a charm each year on her birthday.

My daughter's favorite gift from her first birthday was "Baby"- a baby doll from Toys R Us, nothing special, but she loved her for years and years.
That and the play stroller that she got along with Baby were definitely the most memorable guft because she played with them for so long.

When my best friend's son turned one a few months ago, I got him a whole bunch of books, a mini library, because we're a reading family-I got him what my kids' favorites were when they were that small.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

What is your budget? You mention a couple things from Mickey Ears (inexpensive) to trips to Disney (expensive) so it's difficult to give great ideas without a budget in mind.....

That being said....1st years in our house were special too and we wanted something that would be around forever vs. a toy (not that we didn't do that in addition )

1st Christmas was a rocking chair
1st birthday was a cedar chest for our daughter/a trunk for our son

Pandora charm bracelets are HUGE right now and relatively price friendly. You could purchase a bracelet with a specific bead that means something to you ~ cake for birthday, birthstone, a girl, there are so many to choose from and each special occasion can be celebrated with an additional charm ~ Easter Egg, bunny, Christmas tree, soccer balls, footballs, etc. depending on what she is into at that stage. It's something that will "grow" with her.

Add a pearl necklaces are great but what I would recommend is picking up a full strand of pearls at your jewel of choice and have them disassemble the strand so you can give them to her one by one to make the strand. My reason for suggesting this method vs. buying them individually or by the inch (usually 4 pearls) is because a nice strand of pearls already matched quality wise will cost you less in the long run. Single pearls run approx $35 per pearl while the 4 pearl cards (by the inch) run about $100 depending on the size pearl. A standard 18" strand has approx 50 pearls on it so you do the math. If you took an add a pearl necklace to a jewler to be appraised it will not appraise for the amount you paid out because that cost per pearl factors in labor & materials to string the pearls, not just the cost of the single pearl.

Good luck in whatever you choose ~ you AND your niece are lucky to have each other

 

[IvyandLace]

Wow! All were great suggestions...thank you so much for taking the time to add to my post! Now I just have to decide which one I want to do...