Baby Shower Ideas
When the host sees the fruits of her hard work, planning, and time, producing a successful baby shower can be hugely rewarding. The joy and pride in seeing the guest of honor being showered with love and gifts makes all the effort put into the event worthwhile.
Because of the work involved in a baby shower, it’s usually hosted by a close friend or family member of the guest of honor. And this honored position carries with it a huge amount of influence in deciding one of the biggest questions about the shower - is it surprise for the mom or will she know about it ahead of time?
Having the shower a surprise for the mom can be a lot of fun. And it will require a designated person to 1) construct a reason to get together with the mom on the designated time and date of the shower, and 2) transport the guest of honor to the event. This person may be the husband, father, family member, or close friend.
A regular shower requires less subterfuge, but it can still be just as much fun with the buildup of anticipation for the event. In either case, I highly recommend setting a theme for the event, since a theme will help you organize and shop for the event for things like invitations, decorations, games, and maybe even for the menu.
How far in advance should shower invitations be mailed out? At least four weeks is my recommendation. This will give family, friends, and co-workers of the expectant mom plenty of time to clear their schedules and plan for sitters. Make sure to have all the necessary information on the invite: time, date, place, contact information, and if the mom’s registered, the shower registry.
As guests are arriving, the host should greet and welcome them to her event. When the mom arrives, have her seated in a position of honor and in comfort… it’s her event! Since the guests come from different parts of the mom’s life, they often will need introductions. And there’s no better way to introduce people and break the ice than with some baby shower games. Have them ready to go, and consider handing out prizes to the winners to keep things fun.
The shower wouldn’t be complete without the traditional opening of presents. Consider taping this part of the event for the mother-to-be, and by all means, have a designated guest ready to take notes on who gave what gift. This will be immensely helpful later on when the mom is ready to send thank you’s to all her friends.
A successful baby shower is really all about supporting the mother-to-be in an exciting new phase of her life. I wish you all the luck in the world in this endeavor!