Dear Souk, I NEED these kids to love me!
Editor's note: Our sister site, Souk, has the best shopping guides and recommendations for every moment and occasion. This one’s a list of the best gifts to give the children in your life.
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Dear Souk,
It's been a minute since I met my best friend in person. During this time she's managed to become mom to not one, but TWO babies. One's just stating first grade, so I want to say she's five (six?), and one's a new arrival. I'm travelling to meet my friend next month, and I NEED the kids to love me. (Yes, even the newborn.) What can I get them? Help!
Yours, Wannabe-Favourite-Aunty
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Dear Wannabe-Favourite-Aunty,
Congratulations—to your friend on her expanding universe, and to you for finally making the trip happen! Of course you need to seal your status as the coolest aunty on the block!
From milestone tees perfect for photo-ops (that go straight into the baby book, and where you get to sneak into the frame as the aunty who styled the look—the babies will outgrow the tees, but never the memories!), a beautifully illustrated, handcrafted heirloom baby quilt-cum-playmat (that is sure to keep the newborn captivated for hours) to whimsical mini birds (that transform into a brooch, bag charm, or hairclip), a nonsense-verse masterpiece (as an addition to their bookshelf that they'll want to revisit again and again), and the prettiest matching festive angarakha sets (that'll save your bestie hours of agonising over what to dress the kids in for all the holiday events)—we've got you covered.
Scroll down to shop your way into their hearts!
Love, Souk
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Newborn Monthly Milestone Tees (0-12 months)
When gifting a new baby or new parent, there's no such thing as too many baby tees and jammies because they keep outgrowing them all. With these milestone tees, the baby will outgrow the clothing, but never the memories.
Cradle Box, a brand that makes newborn-friendly apparel from soft, breathable cotton (alongside other keepsake newborn gift hampers), has these milestone tees—marking the baby’s first day (‘I’m new here’) to their twelfth month, in a peach, lilac, and teal colour palette perfect for photo-ops that go straight into the new parent’s baby book or Instagram. (So if you pick these up for the newborn as an auntie or uncle, you get to slide into those early-years memories, permanently!)
Price: Rs. 3,695
This reversible, beautifully hand screen-printed baby quilt from Safomasi's Lodhi collection illustrates people enjoying the park amongst its historic monuments, palm trees, parakeets, squirrels and geese.
We love that it can be put to use as a newborn playmat, as bedding when they grow into toddlers and beyond, or as a small throw when required and we also love all the fun-to-spot-details such as the couple on a park-bench date, early morning joggers, and a yogi mid-flow that are sure to capture and keep a baby's attention! Comes in a cotton bag embroidered with the Safomasi logo, and we're sure it'll enjoy many years of love before it is passed on to the next generation.
Price: Rs. 6,300
When a crocodile wanders into a village ditch, the terrified townspeople unleash a wave of failed capture attempts—from a policeman with a stick to a doctor armed with a sleeping potion. Written by the acclaimed Anushka Ravishankar (hailed as India’s Dr. Seuss), and featuring striking, folksy two-colour art by award-winning illustrator Pulak Biswas, 'Catch that Crocodile' goes beyond rhythmic, laugh-out-loud verse, and gently challenges our immediate impulseto catch, control, or harm a creature that is simply out of place.
Our position on almost anything in the world is that 'when in doubt, we read', and we apply that to our gifting too. We love adding to a brand new human's first bookshelf and this little tale on coexistence with nature and mankind at large will not only help shape their worldviews in the right direction—early in their life—but also get you a place in their memories every time they leaf through it, even as they grow older.
Price: Rs. 325
We suspect any little one who receives these pocket-sized, upcycled, handcrafted keepsakes as a gift is going to plan their outfits around them! (And they’ll have a lot to choose from, because these birdies flaunt all the vibrant colours, playful patterns, and textures.) Made entirely from fabric scraps, these birds work perfectly as brooches, bag charms, buttons, or hair clips.
Besides being a great conversation piece on the playground, Muuyee’s offerings cater to caring for “the maker, the user, and the earth” by repurposing textile remnants through slow, sustainable processes.
Price: Rs. 750
Yellow Angarakha and Pyjama Set
Crafted from 100% GOTS Certified Organic Cotton, this classic, gender-neutral angarakha and pyjama set is soft, breathable, and sensory-friendly—complete with flat seams, no itchy labels, and adjustable tie-up closures. It's even diaper-compatible, featuring an elasticated waistband and bottom hem that make it easy to slip into, and it comes packed in a reusable cloth bag ideal for gifting.
We've long admired White Water Kids for their commitment to natural materials and dyes, environmental and cultural sustainability, fair trade practices, inclusivity, and ethics, and we think this gorgeous set would make a thoughtful gift for kids and babies alike. Since it is available in sizes from newborn all the way up to 6–7 years old, we think it'd also be the ultimate pick for siblings—'cos nothing says 'festive photo-op' quite like dressing the little ones in matching outfits!
Price: Rs. 1,950
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Head over to the Souk website for more exciting lists and recommendations!
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