There's always a lot of hooplah surrounding the purchase of holiday gifts. Having a baby during the holiday season tends to complicate matters. Does a baby really understand the meaning of the holiday? Does the baby really care if he/ she receives a present? My case in point: my eldest son now has eight individually wrapped gifts in place for Chanukah. But I only got the baby two.

I think buying baby gifts, either for friends or for your little one, can sometimes be daunting. But face it, the baby still needs a little something nice from either you or that relative asking what's on your wish list. That's why I put together a sampling of fabulous gifts for babies (and one for yourself, mama), brought to you by Chicago's most influential baby boutiques and personalities. And thanks to the generous boutique owners, all products from this guide will be donated to the Greenhouse Shelter. So now, without further ado, I present the first-ever Chicago Baby Holiday Gift Guide.

We all know how hard it is to keep shoes on baby's feet, right? Enter bobux shoes, donated by the fabulous Piggy Toes children's shoe boutique in Lincoln Park. These pre-walker shoes have elastic instead of laces so they won't slip off a baby's malleable foot. And they come in many adorable patterns and styles. You can't buy just one. I've got a $15 off coupon to Piggy Toes to the first person who e-mails me why they need a pair of these! Bobux pre-walkers $28.95.

We all have received a hooded baby towel as a gift. But a hooded towel like this Tito Organic Hooded Towel by 3 Sprouts, donated by Twinkle Twinkle Little One baby boutique in Roscoe Village is not your average hoody. It features spa-grade, organic terry toweling on the inside and an organic french cotton knit on the outside. And it's big enough to last until toddler-hood. If only I could fit it over my adult head... Tito Organic Hooded Towel $38.95.

 

Twinkle Twinkle also generously donated this silly and fun idea for a present - the Tickle Monster Kit. Babies love to be tickled, and this kit comes with its own fluffy tickle mitts and unique story to get the best laughs out of your youngster. Tickle Monster Kit $38.00.

Just like towels, all baby sleepers are not made equal. Coccoli onesies, the black one in the photo donated by Roscoe Village clothing boutique Little Threads, take the concept of sleeper to the next level. Made of all natural fibers, Coccoli clothing is designed to be worn for the crib and beyond. The matching blanket also donated is perfect for keeping baby warm this winter. Coccoli velour footie $45.00. Matching blanket (not shown) $28.00.

Baby Paper, selected again by Little Threads, is genius. The crinkly noise which replicates what it's like for a baby to shred a magazine to bits (I know this from experience) will only cost you a mere fraction in real life. No need to ruin your People glossy! Baby paper $4.95.

In an era of non-toxic "green" toys, all of us with babies must own a Wonderworld toy product like this Waggy Garden Sorter donated by Little Green Baby boutique of Ravenswood. The dyes for the toy are soy-based and it's made from environmentally-friendly rubberwood. Oh yeah, and it's fun for the babies to play with, too. Of note - Little Green Baby is hosting a coat drive through the end of December at its store - 4654 N. Rockwell St. Chicago, IL 60625. And I've got $10 Little Green Baby bucks to use towards your next purchase. Just tell me you've dropped off a coat there, and I'll send it to you! Wonderworld Waggy Garden $25.00.

It's easy to forget ourselves during the holiday season, but to do so is to be relegated to shirts full of spit up gingerbread cookies. That's why I'm also recommending everyone go out and get a copy of Chicago-based but New York-trained celebrity stylist Amy Tara Koch's guide to mommy-style, Bump It Up. Geared towards preggos, it is an all-purpose manual for how to glam up your pregnancy style. Better yet, she's got some great tips for us non-preggos too. And, because not only is she stylish, but also sweet, Amy donated some amazing products selected from her beauty closet for those less fortunate. Bump It Up Book $12 on Amazon.

Last but not least, should your significant other feel left out of this gift-giving craze, you should check out Belly Man tees. Created by Highland Park local mom Erin Rutman, these crazy-soft t-shirts list the month you're due for the dad-to-be to wear. Finally, men can join in the baby date fun! First person to e-mail me their due date gets a complimentary Belly Man tee! Belly Man tees $38.00.