They are adorable and, from afar, they look like pretty flowers, sometimes held by a soft, stuffed giraffe, monkey or teddy bear. They are adorable and decorative blooms that, when viewed in close-up, reveal that they are not really products of nature.

Baby bouquets are not made from flowers, but are merely a compilation of quality baby clothes carefully wrapped to look like blooms.

Baby bouquets can be:

• Wonderful baby shower centerpieces

• Taken to hospitals were fresh flowers and live plants are not allowed

• A wonderful and impressive gift to celebrate the birth of a baby

• Delivered as a birthday gift for an expecting mother

• Presented at a christening or baptism

• Unique surprise gifts at any time during pregnancy or shortly after a delivery

As adorable and fun as baby bouquets look, they also are very practical. Most bouquets are assembled bearing a layette in mind, an assortment of matching ensembles. They can contain socks, singlets, bibs, bodysuits, jumpsuits, pants, beanies, shirts, onesies, diapers, and much more.

Blooms can come in a variety of colors. Blue for boys and pink for girls are favorites, but gender-neutral yellow, green and white are also quite popular gifts for parents who plan to have more children in the future. Newborns usually outgrow their clothes so fast the garments can be reused multiple times over.

Similar to real flower arrangements, baby bouquets vary in price, and come in a wide range of assortments and themes. The ‘Earlybirds Flowerbox’ is designed for premature babies who need special attention, while the ‘Playtime Bouquet’ contains more coordinated clothing for an active baby. If parents are expecting twins or triplets, specialized companies will also carry bouquets that will have at least one outfit for each child. Other bestsellers are ‘winter warmers’ and ‘cuddle wrap’ gift boxes.

Sophisticated layette bouquets include a mixture of quality clothes, some of which are made entirely of organic baby clothing. The attractively designed arrangements are presented in tin cans, arranged in a box, decorative ceramic bowl, or wicker basket, and can be held by an adorable, and machine washable, elephant toy or doll. The possibilities are endless! Finding the ideal baby bouquet for a sister, friend, coworker or neighbor is easy. If you cannot find the perfect bloom assembly at a local brick-and-mortar store, you can always check out the successful baby gift businesses online. With the entire world at your fingertips you are bound to find that sweet surprise you are looking for!

Buying a gift on the Internet is a little different from real-world transactions. Before placing your order verify the following:

• What payment options are available?

• Do they ship to your location?

• What are the shipping charges? Some companies offer free shipping.

• When and how quickly they deliver?

• Do they offer a warrantee and what is their return policy?

• How can they be contacted in case there is a problem with the order?

Baby bouquets are original gifts, greatly appreciated by new moms and dads. They will bring you many valued oohhs and aahhhs, but most of all, will give you the joy of knowing that you helped give a new baby a great start in life.