Picking out a baby gift that will thrill a new mother can be a real challenge.  Whether you are going to a baby shower or baby naming, or simply popping a baby gift in the mail, you want your gift to be special.  You want to send a gift that is both beautiful and useful.  You also want to send a gift that is not a duplicate.

Over the years, I have discovered that you can never go wrong sending a baby towel.  It is the most practical gift to send for either a newborn baby or an older sibling.  A baby or child can never have enough towels.  Towels come in hundreds of designs.  They don't have to match nurseries, and they don't have to compliment strollers.  They only need to soak up wetness after a bath and be durable.

Just because a towel is practical doesn't mean it can't be a show-stopper.  Beautiful towels are available in all colors and styles, from classic white terry trimmed in gingham to elaborate animal tubbies in bright colors with hoods like lions or flowers.  Towels can be personalized with either the baby's name or initials to make it a unique and treasured gift.

Here are some tips for selecting the perfect towel as baby gift:

l. Always buy 100% cotton terry.  The hood or outer shell can be a jersey or cotton fabric, but the interior of the towel must be  terry -- soft enough to be next to baby's tender skin and absorbent enough to dry him or her quickly.

2. Make sure the cotton terry is thick enough to absorb water.

3. Make sure the towel is at least 28 by 28 inches.  Babies will quickly outgrow a towel any smaller.

4. If you know the sex of the baby, blue or pink are great color choices, but don't be afraid to buy lavender for a girl or orange or green for either sex.

5. If you don't know the sex of the baby, don't buy yellow towels -- this is the old-fashioned neutral.  The most popular unisex color is sage green, followed by brown and orange.

6. Only buy towels with hoods; a matching washcloth is nice too.

7. Organic towels are a great choice.  If 100% organic cotton is important to you, read the label carefully.  A product can still be labeled organic even if it is not 100% organic.

8. Buy products that are from trusted manufacturers.  Make sure the tags are not cut off and the care instructions are easily readable. 

9. Don't even think about buying towels that need to be ironed.  Even 100% cotton towels look wrinkled if they are not ironed.  No new mother has time to iron.

10. If you know the baby's name, personalize the towel with the name or initials.  Check the spelling carefully and choose an embroidery color that will make the personalization easy to read.

11. If you don't know the name, you can always embroider the initial of the family name.

Some people like to give a gift that will last for several years.  If this is your goal, choose an oversized hooded towel.  These towels are usually 28 by 54 inches.  Any baby over six months can enjoy this towel and will last the baby well past his or her third or fourth birthday.  Some companies call them "everykid towels" or "tubbies."  They are usually in bright colors with large hoods shaped like flowers or animals.  Personalization can be added on the hood, the back of the towel, or on the side.  These oversized towels make great beach or pool towels as well.  They make wonderful birthday or holiday gifts as well as a great gift for the older sibling.