Growing up my mom had our Delft blue birth plates hanging in the kitchen. I always felt so special seeing it there; knowing my mom loved remembering the minute we were born. When I had my oldest, my mom gifted me with a birth plate personalized just for her. When I finally bought my home, my birth plate from our kitchen was one of the first things I asked her for.
The Delft Birth Plate: A History and Why It Makes the Perfect Gift
What is a Dutch Delft Birth Plate?
Delft birth plates are dishes originally made in the Netherlands in which babies were sometimes served their first food. In Europe, they were often given as christening gifts. Family Tree Originals is a United States company that produces Delftware using an 18th-century technique and original Dutch tools from the 18th-19th centuries, including old-fashioned hand painting. They are hand-painted with black paint containing cobalt oxide and then coated to bake in Holland.
These gorgeous blue pottery plates and tiles are made in the Dutch city of Delft. The cobalt blue coloring was inspired by Chinese porcelain back in the 17th century. While Chinese porcelain was incredibly expensive, Delftware was made with more affordable materials, making it wildly popular in the 1800s. The Delftware keepsake plates became a tradition around European countries. Family Tree Originals creates unique plates in the original Delft blue, as well as pastel colors, designed to celebrate a birth or wedding.
The blue and white design is classic and fits with many different interior design styles. Family Tree Originals has these classic blue designs as well as a colorful option.
3 Reasons Why a Delft Birth Plate Is the Perfect Gift for New Parents
– Timeless Gift –
The older the child becomes, the more they will notice the intricacies of their birth plate. This can create a lot of interesting conversations between parents and children while they admire their own work in their beautiful personalized homes.
– Uniquely Personal –
Family Tree Originals customizes these plates with the date, and time of birth, as well as the baby’s weight, name, and city of birth. You can even add a message to the back of the plate. Not only are these birth plates a gift for your newborn baby, but it is also a personalized gift for you as a parent to share with your child one day in their future home, which can be kept for generations to come as part of their family legacy.
– Not Clutter –
I’m always for less clutter (especially from things like plastic trinkets, please save me from the plastic toys!). A timeless heartfelt gift that serves double duty? Yes. Sign me up.
Occasions to Give a Delft Birth Plate
While Julia’s plate was gifted to me by the company, my mom purchased our plates in the ’80s and gifted Reegan her plate in 2016. I will be ordering a birth plate for my husband as well to round out the wall’s “family tree”.
Family Tree Originals make plates and tiles for births and weddings. My mom gave my first daughter her plate the Christmas after she was born, and I just gave my nephew his birth plate for his Baptism. My sister absolutely loved the thoughtful gift and couldn’t wait to hang Baby Bear’s plate with her own.
FYI! Family Tree Originals has adorable gift certificates as well which makes a perfect gift at a baby shower.
Does Family Tree Originals Offer Gift Certificates?
Yes! If you want to give a classic commemorative plate before the birth of the child or wedding date, Family Tree Originals has gorgeous gift certificate options.
Family Tree Originals
Family Tree Originals is dear to my heart. A small family-run company, I’m thrilled they are still around and that my plate and my daughters are from the same company. All of their plates and tiles are genuine Delftware made in Schoonhoven, Holland, and painted by hand. Photos don’t do them justice.
What I love about their specific plates is their trademarked design. As a kid, I remember loving how the clock was my time of birth and the scale said my weight. I thought that was just the coolest.
When I asked my mom how she found the company pre-internet, she said she had gotten a brochure in the mail and kept it all these years. (Moms are the sweetest.) Luckily, we have the internet to spread the word.
