Maybe a lot of you have never heard of it, but a baby shower is a party of American origin, usually held around the seventh month of pregnancy, and it's catching on in Italy too.

How does a baby shower work?

Nappy cakes, colourful decorations, sweets and games to pass the time among friends. Because yes, the guests at a baby shower are usually the mother-to-be's friends. And it's the custom at this party - normally held at home - for the guests to bring gifts for the coming birth.

Pregnancy is a beautiful moment, full of emotion. Very often, though, it's also a hectic time for the family, who have to get everything perfectly organised before the new child arrives. There's the changing table, the cot, the pushchair and all the accessories you need to raise a baby through its first months of life. But what are friends for, if not to help out? And so the baby shower turns out to be exactly the right occasion for giving the new family something useful.

The original idea for a birth gift

There's a problem, though. Very often, once the gifts have been unwrapped, it's time to count up the duplicates: dummies, travel changing sets, babygrows, baby bottles, teething rings... What could be a truly original gift, one that amazes everyone? A pure cashmere baby blanket.

It's a genuinely precious accessory, made specifically to carry little ones' dreams along in softness and warmth. For our 100% Cashmere Kids Collection we came up with two models: a checked knit blanket with a coloured edge and a two-tone double face.

For the colours we chose the classics, pastel pink and pastel blue, but we also thought of a neutral colour, cream, in case the baby's sex hasn't been revealed yet.

Our elegant gift box is included in the item's price, too.

What to give a mother-to-be

Someone might object: and nothing for the mother? Absolutely not. Browse our Women's Collection and you'll find some interesting gift ideas for pampering the real star of those long - if beautiful - 9 months of waiting.

A baby blanket as a christening gift

A baby blanket also turns out to be an excellent gift for the christening of a baby boy or girl, and it can make a fantastic idea for a group gift.

Are you far away from the family that's about to grow, but you'd still like to show how close you feel? Count on our delivery: free and tracked, from Italy by FedEx in 2–5 working days, with VAT and import charges included (you'll find all the details here).

We're very curious to know whether you'd ever heard of the baby shower; let us know in the comments, and if you have other original ideas for newborns and christenings we can't wait to read them.

See you next time.