The holiday season is a wonderful time to show your loved ones that you care. If you have a friend or family member who is or has been a surrogate, you may be wondering what unique present you can get her this year. If you’re the intended parent, the pressure to find the perfect gift can be even more pressing.
Remember: Gifts aren’t the point of the holiday season, so don’t stress out too much. The surrogate in your life will probably be just as happy to simply spend time with you. Taking the time to catch up with her may be one of the best gifts she can receive.
But, if you’re still looking for that perfect gift for your friend who is a surrogate, American Surrogacy is here to help. Our specialists can always offer appropriate suggestions based on your relationship with the surrogate in your life.
Whether you are the intended parents working with a surrogate or simply a friend or family member of a surrogate, keep these gift suggestions in mind this holiday season:
1. A Personalized Care Package
You know your friend best — which means you likely know exactly what they most enjoy. Are they a stay-at-home, movie-and-popcorn kind of person? Or do they like to have a high-spirited sports night with their friends and family?
Whatever their hobbies, consider making them a personalized care package. If they’re currently pregnant, you can include self-care items like bath bubbles and cozy socks to keep them comfortable. If they’re not, you could send them a basket of their favorite goodies and wine for a lazy night at home. The good part about this kind of gift? It’s all up to you!
2. A Spa Visit
Whether she’s pregnant or not, any surrogate will appreciate the calm of a free spa day. Surrogacy can be an emotionally draining process, and many surrogates handle the responsibilities of their surrogacy and their everyday life. Allowing someone else to care for them can be a big relief.
3. A Ready-Made Meal or Restaurant Gift Card
On the same note, many surrogates split household responsibilities with their spouse — but it can get harder to put their full 50 percent in when they’re also dealing with the responsibilities of surrogacy. Take one responsibility off of your surrogate’s plate, literally. Services like Send a Meal allow you to gift the surrogate and her family a prepared meal at home, or you can send her a gift card to take her family out to dinner for the night.
4. Something for Her Kids
Sometimes, surrogates don’t need anything for themselves, but they’ll greatly appreciate you giving their children a thought during the holiday season. Remember, their mother’s surrogacy journey affects them, too. They may not have as much time with her as usual, and she may not be able to serve the roles she usually does in their lives when she is pregnant. Consider giving them a new movie or video game to keep them entertained — and to give Mom some “me time.”
5. A Sentimental Accessory
Surrogacy is a journey that will affect a surrogate’s life forever, so you can always get her a gift that will keep those memories close to her heart. Something as simple as a necklace with the baby’s birthstone or a locket with the baby’s birthdate engraved can be a beautiful way to honor her decision.
Any kind of sentimental accessory like this should come from her intended parents only. If you are considering this gift, make sure to speak with your surrogacy specialist to determine which kinds of jewelry and accessories are appropriate.
6. Flower or Edible Fruit Arrangements
Everyone likes a good arrangement — whether it’s made of beautiful flowers or delicious fruits and candies. These are an easy way to show you care and are thinking of a surrogate during the holidays without putting too much time and effort into the choice. Just don’t forget a personalized note!
7. Surrogacy-Specific Gifts
Despite its growing popularity, surrogacy is still an uncommon way for people to build their families. As proud as she may be of her own journey, a surrogate may not have an easy way to celebrate it daily. So, help her out with something that shows your own pride in her! There are plenty of gifts that allude to a woman’s “superpower” as a surrogate; Etsy is a good place to start. These gifts can help her show her pride in her surrogacy journey.
8. A Night on the Town
A surrogate has a lot of responsibility in her life, both during and after the surrogacy process. Give her a break with a night out for her and her spouse. Send them a movie-and-restaurant gift card package, or buy two tickets to a local show. Odds are, she’s dying for a night away from her responsibilities but just needs the right motivation to make that decision!
9. A Memory from Your Journey
If you are the intended parents a surrogate is carrying for, you will go through a lot together. If you plan far enough ahead, you can find a way to save these memories forever.
Consider putting together a surrogacy memory book with photos of the surrogate during her pregnancy and photos of you and the baby after he or she is born. It can be a great way for a surrogate to catch up on your life since your surrogacy journey ended and allow her to show off her surrogacy experience in an easy way to friends and family members.
Something even simpler — such as a framed photo from delivery — can be just as heartfelt.
10. A Holiday Card and Family Update
Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean you have to go overboard. Depending on your relationship with a surrogate and how long it’s been since she completed her surrogacy journey, a holiday card and family update can be enough to say you’re thinking about her and hope she’s doing well. Whether you’re her intended parent or just a loved one, she’ll smile when she sees that you care.
Want more suggestions on appropriate holiday gifts for gestational carriers? Contact our surrogacy specialists anytime.