Why not another toy?
At a first birthday the child is happiest with the wrapping paper. The parents, meanwhile, are running out of space. The gifts that matter at this age are the ones that last until the child is old enough to understand them.
Keepsake gifts
- A personalised storybook where the birthday child is the hero — their favourite things, funny habits and the people who love them
- A 'letter to you at 18' from the gift-giver, sealed in an envelope
- A silver coin or small piece of jewellery engraved with the date
- A framed family tree with photos of everyone at the party
Useful gifts parents will thank you for
- A good-quality high chair, booster seat or car seat (check with the parents first)
- Board books in Hindi, English or your mother tongue
- A swimming or music class for toddlers
- A contribution towards a recurring deposit or education fund in the child's name
Experience gifts
A family photoshoot, a day at a farm or zoo, or simply booking the parents a dinner out while you babysit. Experiences become the photos that families treasure.
How an aunt or uncle can make a personalised first birthday book
You don't need every photo — ask the parents for five or six clear pictures and three things the child loves right now. Add a line or two about what you wish for them in the year ahead.
Send that to us on WhatsApp. We hand-illustrate the child (and anyone else you want in the story), write the pages, and you approve the full draft before printing. Tell us the birthday date up front so we can plan around it.
Quick answers
What can I gift a one-year-old instead of toys?
Keepsakes and experiences: a personalised storybook about the child, an engraved silver coin, board books, a toddler class, or a family photoshoot. Parents keep these long after toys are outgrown.
Is a personalised book a good first birthday gift?
Yes. A storybook where the child is the main character becomes a favourite to read aloud for years, and it records who they were at one — something parents treasure later.
Want this as a real book?
Share a few photos and the moments that matter. We hand-illustrate a personalised keepsake storybook — you approve the draft before we print.
Start on WhatsApp