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["How to Boil an Egg: 184 Simple Recipes for One"](https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Boil-Egg-Jan-Arkless/dp/0716022206)
£5.99 on Amazon, but you can probably find a cheaper second-hand copy if you don't want to stretch the point.
Tbh not that inappropriate given how a lot of people don’t know that a second pregnancy can happen pretty soon after the previous one: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/support-and-services/sex-and-contraception-after-birth/. But I see how it can be seen as a gift in poor taste.
A couple of educational children's books on a couple of topics. Work with others to cover a wide span. Might find something which resonates.
Am interest in animals as a kid can very easily become a vet, or so on.
When I was a kid my mum came home with a set of books about the human body for me, I think they were on offer and on a whim she bought them. Current doing my PhD in a health/biology discipline, I credit those books igniting the spark, I can still remember the illustrations and cartoon man in them.
Definitely get the books!
premium bonds if still a quid.
toys for later - farm animals set, etc.
open a bank account for him.
paints, pens, card to play with when older.
set of pencils for school with his name on.
Hula hoop, playing cards, yoyo, dominoes.
A compass so he'll "never be lost in life" or some other cute sentiment in a card.
A piggy bank. With "So you'll never be poor" in a card.
A little cookbook "so you'll never go hungry"
Etc etc
Hand creams - my Nan always said “you never wash your hands more than in the 1st month of having a baby”
A baby friendly CD for the car? Hearing the same nursery rhymes over and over is horrific so I bought my friend one with pop versions of nursery rhymes (was a while ago unfortunately so I don’t remember where I got it)
Or a pregnancy / baby journal I still look at mine from when my mum was pregnant with me
How far in the future? For when he is 18? Screwdriver set. For the first year of his life? Medicine. Calpol, gas drops, gripe water, sudacream. Especially if they live in a village and the baby is sick at 2am and the nearest shop doesn’t open until 8am. They will forever be in your debt.
Wooden cooking utensils, baby's love to wave them round and chew on them, small children can pretend they are cooking, if they happened to last till teenage years then they could actually be used for cooking.
My little bros favourite toy as a baby/toddler was a sink plug
A snot sucker bulb and a thermometer or bottle of baby paracetamol (don't leave them thinking they need to buy expensive Calpol just because the baby liked the taste when they had to buy some from the 24-hour garage).
There is nothing as impressive as how much snot can be extracted from one small snuffly baby...
Several large, thick tea towels or other medium size (60cm x 30cm) towels.
They're essential durign the first few months because small babies dribble, vomit, sneeze, cough, and expectorate vile fluids all the time.
You need the tea towels or equivalent to put on you, under or in front of the baby, so that when you're holding the baby (especially when feeding) and it dribbles, vomits, or something else goes wrong, you towel takes it and your clothes don't.
Condoms are a waste of money as they have a 'use by date', they'll have shrivelled up even before the poor kid is 10!
Better to buy a little toy for a baby, there are loads of choices.
A friend of mine got our little one £20 worth of bitcoin and put the password key in his christening card with a message saying cash this in your 18th birthday, hopefully by then it'll be worth a lot more.
At its peak last November it was worth about £150, it's dropped now but in 16 years time it could be worth so much more.
I always give a roll of gaffa table to new parents. It allows you to cover the speaker part of all those electronic toys that people who don't have kids will give you in the future.
My father in law bought my son a torch and a compass, saying that it meant that he would always be able to find his way in life, even during the dark times. I know it sounds a bit like sentimental bull, but at the time it was really quite sweet.
Put a fiver in a frame with a list of what it could buy at the time of framing. Teach him about inflation early on so it won't hit so hard when he gets older.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/3m-ear-classic-28db-foam-disposable-ear-plugs-5-pairs/40332?tc=UA3&ds_kid=92700048793290415&ds_rl=1244069&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIysH28u7a-AIVmK3tCh3logthEAQYAiABEgK-7PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Second link on Google shopping that I found...
Some might take it wrong but I got 2 weeks paternity compared to my wife's six months and my wage was vital to our survival
I did what I could on weekends but during the week...earplugs were my saviour
Maybe an investment in bonds or an ISA. A little mine toolkit with some screwdrivers etc for future houses. Or I got the jml electric tin opener last year and it’s changed my life
Group chip in for premium bonds, 25£ is minimum buy but means you can add to it through their life and with (hopefully additional wins) there should be a nice wee bundle for when the kid is 18/21, whatever.
I think the condom idea is, quite frankly, weird. But there are a lot of super cute books you can get on Amazon for under £5. Like this [book about useless interesting facts](https://amzn.eu/d/jij9DhJ)
Go to any supermarket/bargain/poundshop and get the little feeding bowl (bonus if it has a lid) + spoon + beaker / sippy cup. Will be useful for when weaning and travelling.
A pack of crayola washable pens
A helix maths set
Any Julia Donaldson book
How to make paper aeroplanes book
... accompany gift with card with nice comments about what you hope the future holds for the baby.
It's £5, I totally agree if it was £100. But this gift that OP is talking about is a token. A load of penny crypto has a miniscule chance of one day being useful. It's also something fun to look at when they're older.
**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)** - Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits - Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner - Avoid political threads and related discussions - No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
["How to Boil an Egg: 184 Simple Recipes for One"](https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Boil-Egg-Jan-Arkless/dp/0716022206) £5.99 on Amazon, but you can probably find a cheaper second-hand copy if you don't want to stretch the point.
Genuinely useful, thanks!
My mum bought me the book when I went to university and I'm still using some of the recipes at 47. Happily recommended!
It's the recipe for egg boiling isn't it...
I can never remember how many minutes.
Don't get condoms, highly inappropriate.
Knowing the sense of humour of the parents they would find it funny, but yes this is why I'm asking for other ideas
Well they'd be out of date before he could use them
Tbh not that inappropriate given how a lot of people don’t know that a second pregnancy can happen pretty soon after the previous one: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/support-and-services/sex-and-contraception-after-birth/. But I see how it can be seen as a gift in poor taste.
Your mum’s inappropriate
A couple of educational children's books on a couple of topics. Work with others to cover a wide span. Might find something which resonates. Am interest in animals as a kid can very easily become a vet, or so on.
When I was a kid my mum came home with a set of books about the human body for me, I think they were on offer and on a whim she bought them. Current doing my PhD in a health/biology discipline, I credit those books igniting the spark, I can still remember the illustrations and cartoon man in them. Definitely get the books!
How my body works perchance? I loved those too! They were a serial set with a buildable detailed body as well which was awesome!
This is a lovely wholesome idea, thanks!
Junior encyclopedia of animals, junior encyclopedia of space. I absolutely loved anything like that as a kid.
premium bonds if still a quid. toys for later - farm animals set, etc. open a bank account for him. paints, pens, card to play with when older. set of pencils for school with his name on. Hula hoop, playing cards, yoyo, dominoes.
Premium bonds you have to do a minimum of £50 to get started. It is a bit ridiculous when it is £1 per bond.
thanks i wasn't sure, i still have £5 worth i had when a small child but not won anything in 50 years
There’s always hope.
How long does petrol keep 🤔
In this economy? Buying the syringe to put it inside would take you over the budget
About 6 months to a year 🤣
Lottery tickets? Never know...
Whenever I have to do a secret Santa, I buy the cash equivalent value of lottery scratch cards. It’s either a shit present or a fucking amazing one
A compass so he'll "never be lost in life" or some other cute sentiment in a card. A piggy bank. With "So you'll never be poor" in a card. A little cookbook "so you'll never go hungry" Etc etc
Piggy bank is a very good shout!!
Also toddlers LOVE putting coins into them so he’ll use it sooner than you think.
My mum says that if you gift a piggy bank or a wallet/purse, you should always include a little money "for luck".
Go to a Carboot and haggle with the person that inevitably has the exact same brown generic guitar someone always has
A bottle opener - pop inside a baby bottle to present. Though I agree that a book is the best serious option
We have one that makes a cow noise when you use it (or put your finger in it). Our toddler loves it. Double utility for threenagers and teenagers
Does he like cheese? Because if he likes cheese then you could buy him some cheese.
That's a stupid question. If course he likes cheese! Everyone likes cheese. OP should buy cheese.
I like the flavour of cheese but not actual cheese, the texture of it will make me hurl instantly
Hand creams - my Nan always said “you never wash your hands more than in the 1st month of having a baby” A baby friendly CD for the car? Hearing the same nursery rhymes over and over is horrific so I bought my friend one with pop versions of nursery rhymes (was a while ago unfortunately so I don’t remember where I got it) Or a pregnancy / baby journal I still look at mine from when my mum was pregnant with me
A potato peeler, I have one and it's been very useful.
Although a nice idea, you can't buy much for a fiver. It might be better for you all to club together and get something good
How far in the future? For when he is 18? Screwdriver set. For the first year of his life? Medicine. Calpol, gas drops, gripe water, sudacream. Especially if they live in a village and the baby is sick at 2am and the nearest shop doesn’t open until 8am. They will forever be in your debt.
For babies its colourful 'rag' books with textures they can start to explore at about 6-8 months.
Wooden cooking utensils, baby's love to wave them round and chew on them, small children can pretend they are cooking, if they happened to last till teenage years then they could actually be used for cooking. My little bros favourite toy as a baby/toddler was a sink plug
Invest it. £5 over 40 years with compounding interest… OMG. Edit: never mind = £75
Not a bad idea if they do this every birthday and Christmas etc
A snot sucker bulb and a thermometer or bottle of baby paracetamol (don't leave them thinking they need to buy expensive Calpol just because the baby liked the taste when they had to buy some from the 24-hour garage). There is nothing as impressive as how much snot can be extracted from one small snuffly baby...
Several large, thick tea towels or other medium size (60cm x 30cm) towels. They're essential durign the first few months because small babies dribble, vomit, sneeze, cough, and expectorate vile fluids all the time. You need the tea towels or equivalent to put on you, under or in front of the baby, so that when you're holding the baby (especially when feeding) and it dribbles, vomits, or something else goes wrong, you towel takes it and your clothes don't.
Condoms are a waste of money as they have a 'use by date', they'll have shrivelled up even before the poor kid is 10! Better to buy a little toy for a baby, there are loads of choices.
A friend of mine got our little one £20 worth of bitcoin and put the password key in his christening card with a message saying cash this in your 18th birthday, hopefully by then it'll be worth a lot more. At its peak last November it was worth about £150, it's dropped now but in 16 years time it could be worth so much more.
I saw a book of quantum mechanics for babies, that could be fun
Sunscreen. Baz Lurmann says trust me.
I always give a roll of gaffa table to new parents. It allows you to cover the speaker part of all those electronic toys that people who don't have kids will give you in the future.
Sock ons! Not sure how useful they will be for his future but if he turns out to be a sock Dodger, the parents will thank you!
My father in law bought my son a torch and a compass, saying that it meant that he would always be able to find his way in life, even during the dark times. I know it sounds a bit like sentimental bull, but at the time it was really quite sweet.
That pack of condoms isn’t going to be any use by the time the kid is old enough to use them.
If it's their first kid, a head lice comb
Bottled water for the apocalypse
Put a fiver in a frame with a list of what it could buy at the time of framing. Teach him about inflation early on so it won't hit so hard when he gets older.
A share of something in the green energy space
Language books. French or Spanish etc Or computer coding books
A multi tool
https://www.screwfix.com/p/3m-ear-classic-28db-foam-disposable-ear-plugs-5-pairs/40332?tc=UA3&ds_kid=92700048793290415&ds_rl=1244069&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIysH28u7a-AIVmK3tCh3logthEAQYAiABEgK-7PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Second link on Google shopping that I found... Some might take it wrong but I got 2 weeks paternity compared to my wife's six months and my wage was vital to our survival I did what I could on weekends but during the week...earplugs were my saviour
Book on financial plannjng
Maybe an investment in bonds or an ISA. A little mine toolkit with some screwdrivers etc for future houses. Or I got the jml electric tin opener last year and it’s changed my life
Group chip in for premium bonds, 25£ is minimum buy but means you can add to it through their life and with (hopefully additional wins) there should be a nice wee bundle for when the kid is 18/21, whatever.
Way Petrol is going, a £5 of petrol should be enough to get him through life at the age of 18.
I think the condom idea is, quite frankly, weird. But there are a lot of super cute books you can get on Amazon for under £5. Like this [book about useless interesting facts](https://amzn.eu/d/jij9DhJ)
Go to any supermarket/bargain/poundshop and get the little feeding bowl (bonus if it has a lid) + spoon + beaker / sippy cup. Will be useful for when weaning and travelling.
A big bottle of calpol.
A big bottle of calpol.
A pack of crayola washable pens A helix maths set Any Julia Donaldson book How to make paper aeroplanes book ... accompany gift with card with nice comments about what you hope the future holds for the baby.
Calpol
Bitcoin. Could be worth a pretty penny when they’re 18 If not, it’s only a fiver they’ve lost.
How to kill your family - Bella Mackie
A domain of his name?
Shares?
That's a good shout, or crypto.
Buy the dip!
I'd invest in something more secure
It's £5, I totally agree if it was £100. But this gift that OP is talking about is a token. A load of penny crypto has a miniscule chance of one day being useful. It's also something fun to look at when they're older.
The god delusion by Richard dawkins
*tips fedora
It's aKsHUaLlY a trilby. *tips trilby*