It’s still tiny, highly-dependent, cute…and calls for a baby shower.
Being pregnant is always a happy occasion. Having a mini-human being moving inside the womb is one of the greatest wonders in this life and therefore, calls for a lot of celebration. Yes, a baby shower is a must for expectant mothers. The celebration will show your love for her and your warm acceptance of the child she is carrying. With all the stressors of being pregnant, a kind gesture like hosting a baby shower will comfort her in ways you wouldn’t expect. Too busy? Lacking in funds? Not too sure what to do? Don’t fret too much.
We have THE tips to get you started on your perfect baby shower.
THINK OF MOMMY-TO-BE’S DATE
If you (the host) decide to hold the baby shower before the delivery of the baby, as customary, it is best to schedule it at least two months before the baby’s expected date of birth. This is ideal because of a number of reasons.
- The baby’s gender can usually be determined 16-18 weeks of the pregnancy. But there are times that the baby likes to tease (as in being in a position that hides his or her gender parts). Knowing the baby’s gender is a great help for planning the theme and for the guests to know what presents to give.
- The friends and family give presents in the baby shower to lessen the items the excited parents will have to buy. But not everything will be provided for them. The two months remaining will be adequate to make necessary purchases.
- Probably the most obvious reason is that it will be unlikely for the mother to give birth this early. Though not impossible, holding the baby shower at this time will lessen the probability of an emergency occurring.
It will also be great if you decide on a date and time that everybody can be available.
DO NOT FEAR “THE LIST”
Yes, you have to make that checklist for the baby shower.
Many people prefer to proceed without making a checklist. This is because once you write the list, you start to see that there will be a lot to do. But you should look at it this way, you’ll be reminded of all the things you will need and the minimal pressure will keep you on your toes. Keeping that checklist will take unnecessary expenses and anxieties off your mind. You can also develop an effective and less stressful timetable if you follow your list religiously. However, do not breakdown if there are minor setbacks. That is why you have the list; it could include alternate plans. You’ll have an idea how (and the time) to resolve the problem just by going through what you have written. Plus, every time you check an item from the list, you should know you’re getting closer to having that fun baby shower!
AND SO, THE LIST BEGINS….
NAME THE PEOPLE
What is a party if the mother-to-be keeps asking “where’s blah and blah,”? You’d think she should be thankful you threw her a party. But you should remember that you are hosting a baby shower for HER. This generally means you have to invite the people you know she will be pleased to see. While making that list, remember to secure phone numbers and addresses for your own ease in sending invitations and deciding the location of the party. You also have to decide whether you’d want the baby shower for the close friends only, family only, office people or mixed, as it is now a trend to have multiple baby showers from each group. Some also hold baby showers for female friends exclusively but you could also make it for couples if you’d want to include the proud father-to-be and some of your male friends. Most importantly, take note of the number of people you can invite.
THEME: FANTASY LAND OR HOLLYWOOD?
Although you can stick to the simple gathering style since it’s everybody’s presence that truly counts, you can make the baby shower more fun by adding a bit of creativity. Thinking of a theme will make the shower more fun to attend to. You can decorate the location a dominating color to announce the gender of the baby or you can ask the guests to wear uniform colors. You can make it more interesting by having a role-playing theme. This means you can ask guests to wear or act according to the theme. You have to first consider what the mother-to-be thinks will be fun. As in, if she likes detective movies, you can ask the guests to wear detective costumes and decorate the location to have the same “mystery” atmosphere she likes. Also, you can make a program that seems like you’re all solving a mystery. That way you will all be having fun. If you keep her interest in mind, you’ll surely think of a great theme for the baby shower.
MONEY MATTERS
True that when arranging something for someone, it’s the thought that counts. But you’ll also have to deal with finances to make it happen. So for that, you need to set straight how much you can spend. Keep in mind that the party will be appreciated because of your creative effort, and not because of how much you spent on it. (There’s nothing wrong in spending a large amount as long as it wouldn’t make the mother-to-be feel guilty for making you broke.) Setting a budget means you’ll have to know what you want in the party that will fit with what you can spend. Consider what are the essentials (as in the location, food, etc.) and what are the extras (like ice sculptures, chocolate fondue fountains, etc.). Sometimes people get discouraged in holding a baby shower because they think they do not have enough money. The answer is creativity coupled with careful planning. Seriously. Take for example, you want to have 60 guests but can’t afford a place that can hold that much people or to buy food for that number. Why not look for a friend with a backyard large enough for the shower? (Though, you have to be very careful in asking permission.) As for the food, setting the party in the afternoon with biscuits and simple pastries will be enough for the guests. It is a matter of you being creative enough to make the best of what you have.
THE PLACE…WHERE EVERYBODY CAN FIT.
This is another tricky checklist item. But the first thing you should think about is the space. The place should be able to hold the planned number of guests. If you can host it at your home, you’d save some fee. But you might still need some more chairs and utensils, making up for the expenses. If you decide to host it in other venues, such as in a restaurant, you need to research the prices of the venue and the food there. Also, advance booking at least a month before is necessary to make sure that you can have the place for the date you want. You might also want to hold it where the mother-to-be and the guests find it easy to go to. You need to check the place yourself before deciding on it as to make sure you can decorate it according to your plans or you are allowed to bring outside food (if you’re only renting space without their catering services).
SEND THE WORD
Next stop will be the sending of invitations. Here is another aspect you can add a bit of art. Customized designs always make people smile and attend the celebration. But the first thing you make sure is to include the important details. Like the location, date, time and theme. You can add personal messages to make it more friendly. Tidbits for what you suggest the mother-to-be would want for a gift will also be helpful for the guest. That is, you’d be volunteering the information without making it seem like they need to have that gift in order to attend the party. You might also want to add an RSVP so that you can be sure as to how many can make it to the baby shower. As for how to send the invitations, you can mail them. Or if you want to do it faster, find their e-mail addresses and send e-invites. You’d only have to choose from many templates if you look through websites like Pingg.com or purpletrail.com. You can call to confirm they have received the invitations a week after you sent the invites. Think of also including a map or set of how-to-go instructions because some people may not be familiar with the location of the baby shower.
SOCIALIZATION CALLS FOR FOOD
The menu is an important aspect of the baby shower. But you really don’t need to beat yourself thinking of the “awesome menu” you should get together. Although there are lots of things to consider, it’ll be fairly easy if you followed through your checklist.
- Number of people. By now, you have the guest list and thus, the number of guests. The amount of food should be enough for everybody.
- Time of the baby shower. You need to set whether it’ll be a party with sit-down meals or be a mingle and finger-food one. Many prefer serving finger foods since the aim of the celebration is to share experiences and encouraging the mother-to-be. You can find easy to prepare recipes and try to design them for the occasion.
The general rule is prepare a menu that will be enough for everybody. You might also want to skip on alcohol because it’s wouldn’t feel good to serve such to the guests and let the mother-to-be just stare.
THE GAMES YOU PLAY
To make the baby shower more fun, you ought to play some games. Putting in some fun in the program will lighten everybody’s mood and make the sharing more open. More to the point, it will create nice memories for the mom-to-be. There are a number of traditional baby shower games like Pin The Sperm on the Egg, Guess Mom's Tummy Size, Then and Now, Etc.
You should, however, be careful not to incorporate very physical games as there is at least one pregnant woman involved. Fun prizes will also be great souvenirs for the guests.
Now, those are the basic things you should remember to achieve that perfect baby shower. There might be other details (like gifts, cakes, music, presentations) that you want to add. The list can be expanded according to your plans. As long as you think it would be fun for the mom-to-be, you can extend your effort. You were thoughtful enough to hold a baby shower for her, why not just go all out? With these guidelines and your thoughtfulness, it will surely be a fun, fun, fun baby shower!
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