Planning a Baby Shower

!±8± Planning a Baby Shower

Planning a baby shower can be quite a process, so it can be a great idea to make a list of what you'll need to do. Here are some ideas for planning a baby shower:

Themes: If the gender of the baby is known, you can use an appropriate color, or if it is unknown, neutral colors like yellow, purple, green, etc., can be used. There are a lot of other creative themes you can use, as well.

For instance, Ice Cream and Pickles can be a fun and creative theme. Serve a variety of ice cream flavors and provide small cups for taste-testing. Serve a pickle tray, and/or choose pickle favors and decorations. You can even decorate a cake with icing-created pickle designs. Games can include having guests who are mothers writing down their own strange food cravings that they experienced while pregnant. Have other guests, or the mother-to-be, try to match the foods with the guests.

Another creative idea is April Showers. String lines of clothesline around the room and hang small gifts with clothespins. Use artificial flowers for centerpieces and favors, and you can use an upside down opened umbrella to collect gifts and cards.

Some other gender neutral decorating themes can be used, such as Noah's Ark, Disney characters, Zoo animals, teddy bears, Care Bears, Rubber Ducky, Circus, Nursery Rhymes, and many, many more.

Guests: Guests for baby showers include family, friends, and co-workers. Although most showers are "girls-only," there is a growing trend for showers that include women and men. You may also want to decide if children are allowed to attend the event.

Location: Be sure to choose a location that suits your purposes. Make sure there will be enough room for everyone, that there is either sufficient air-conditioning or heating. If children are invited with their parents, make sure the environment is kid-friendly. Also, you'll want to be sure your location will provide anything you'll need for food, including refrigeration, outlets for electrical storage/heating, utensils, serving trays, coffeemaker, sink, stove, microwave, etc.

Date: The baby shower is generally around six weeks before the due date of the baby's birth. Many showers are held on weekends and are about 2-3 hours long.

Games: Try to get an idea of any baby games that will be played during the shower. You'll need to have a good idea of how many prizes you'll need, plus any special instructions should be sent with the invitations.

Invitations: Invitations should be sent with plenty of notice before the event. Give your guests a date by which to R.S.V.P., and also you may want to include any instructions for games. Many games require guests to bring along items or information that will be much easier to acquire and prepare before arriving at the shower. Be sure your invitations are very specific, especially if there are any special circumstances regarding the location, like parking. If children are allowed to attend the event, you should include a note in the invitation.

Food: Many showers are buffet-style and include various kinds of finger-foods for easy access and clean-up. Foods can also tie in with any theme you may be using for the shower.

Favors: Baby shower favors often include miniature baby items, like bottles, diaper pins, teddy bears, etc. Candles, flowers, bubbles, and puzzles are also good ideas for favors.

Prizes: Prizes can vary depending on the games being played, but can include candles, lotions, bath soaps, decorations, crafts, etc. Prizes and favors are a great way to show appreciation to your guests for their own gifts and attendance.

Thank You Cards: Although this is generally the responsibility of the mother-to-be, the organizer can lend a hand with thank you cards. By asking each guest to bring along an index card with their name and address printed on it, the mother-to-be will have a handy reference for writing out thank you cards. (Cards can also be picked at random for prizes during the shower)