All About the Baby Shower . . . .
Throwing a baby shower can be a great experience. New mothers need a chance to relax and most parents could use the items received from family and friends. With all baby showers, the first step is always to put together a guest list of people for the baby shower invitations who will want to share in the happiness of the celebration. After putting together the guest list for the baby shower, finding and mailing the perfect baby invitations will set the rest of the big event in motion..
Hosting Baby Showers
As most people already know, the purpose of baby showers is to celebrate and prepare for the arrival of a new baby. What many people don't know is the etiquette rules about how should host the babys shower. For example, the new baby's grandparents usually do not host of the baby shower celebration. If they did, the babyshower party might look more like an attempt to get presents instead of the celebration that it should be. Just to be safe, close relatives should be the last ones to host the shower baby event. Instead, more distant relatives (aunts, nieces, cousins, etc.) or friends are the best choices for the hosts of the babies shower. Most hosts want to have a unique baby shower for the couple but that can be challenging.
Baby Shower Invitation & Games
Selecting the perfect invitations for the baby shower can be a challenge sometimes. The invite should reflect the baby shower themes being used in the party but should also fit the personality of the host and, possibly, of the parents. A good invitation baby shower does more than simply provide the information for the event. It also sets the tone for the rest of the evening. For example, a more formal party would require more formal baby invites. Religious parents might prefer religious-themed shower invitations. Parents welcoming twins or triplets might prefer cards for the baby shower that reflect this as well.
Baby shower games are, of course, another element of almost any shower. The host should brainstorm a few game options that would be fun for all of the guests and that would be baby-related. One idea is to take the letters of the both parents' names and have guests attempt to create as many words from their names as possible. For an extra challenge those names need to be related to raising children. Trivia games, memory contests, and even guessing games (how many jelly beans are in the baby bottle or how many diapers are in the diaper cake) would also be good choices.
Baby Invitations & Baby Shower Thank You Cards
Choosing the right surprise baby shower invite for the party also requires thinking about when the party will be held. Historically, a shower invitation would only arrive after the baby was born and had spent some time in isolation with the mother. Today, showers are generally held before the baby arrives. However, there are some times when that is not the case. Adopted children should be celebrated after they become official parts of the family. Multiple births might need to have their shower after because of the likelihood of premature delivery and the strain on the mom beforehand. Some hosts just prefer to throw a welcome home baby shower so all of the guests can give gender-appropriate gifts and can get a look at the new arrival for themselves.
Of course, no one can have a shower without also sending out baby thank you cards. The parents should mail these cards within two weeks of the event. Each card should be personalized to include the specific gift received and a nice message from the parents, perhaps an invitation to visit the baby soon after its arrival home. If, for some reason, the thank you cards do have to wait until after the baby arrives, sending along a photo of the newborn is one way to make it up to the gift givers.
Planning the Baby Shower Party
Having a party to welcome the new arrival of a baby is a great deal of fun. With a baby shower, guests need to be entertained just as with any other type of party. A Baby shower game is, of course, one example and the chance to win some fun prizes, such as gift certificates, candles, or body lotions and creams, can make the event a hit. Other baby shower ideas include doing ice-breaking activities. One such activity might involve passing around a bowl of candy and asking each guest to help themselves to some. Then each guest must tell the others one thing about themselves for each candy they took.
Hosts should also provide baby shower favors for the guests. Goodie bags filled with homemade lollipops or candy is one idea. Other ideas could be small scented soaps, floating candles, or bags of personalized candy.
Picking a Baby Shower Theme
Of course, the host also has the important job of choosing among all of the possible baby shower themes to decide which one will be perfect for this particular celebration. There are a number of considerations when looking at these shower themes. For example, the host needs to decide which type baby showers are being held. For example, a sprinkle baby shower would be appropriate for parents who already have children and who don't need as many supplies for the new arrival. A couples baby shower is another option. With this type of shower baby party, guests from both genders can be invited to share in the celebration.
Regardless of the selected theme and type, these choices should be reflected in the baby shower invites. Both the design and the baby shower wording should clearly let other guests know what to expect upon arriving for the big event. Additionally, the games and other elements of the party should match these factors, too. For example, a coed baby shower should include games and activities that both male and female guests are going to enjoy. |