Diaper pin
Baby showers are a rite of passage for the new mom-to-be. If you are the person in charge of throwing a baby shower for a family member or a friend, then you have a lot of responsibility to make it a lovely and memorable event. You'll need to think of all of the little details and choose what kind of shower to throw. Grab a notebook to keep ideas and to-do lists organized while you plan the shower. Does this Spark an idea?
Invitations and Dates
First, you'll need to decide when and where to hold the shower. As a good hostess, you'll probably want to find a place other than the mom-to-be's home so that you can take care of the details and she doesn't have to worry about making her home guest-ready. Find a venue, traditionally either a home, a restaurant or a hall, that can accommodate the number of guests you plan to invite. Decide when you plan on holding shower. Traditionally, showers are held before the baby is born, but some circumstances might prevent that. If it's a surprise party, do it before the baby is born; otherwise, if it's not a surprise, you can discuss with the mom-to-be when she would be most comfortable having the shower. Send out invitations three to four weeks in advance and have guests RSVP at least a week before the shower so that you can plan properly.
Decorations and Favors
When trying to decide on a decor theme, you may want to stick with an easy blend of two colors. While you can always go with traditional pink and blue, you could try some more modern color combinations like blue and brown or pink and lime green. Your color selection will also depend on the sex of the baby, if known. You can reflect the color theme in balloons, streamers and even the food, with colored cupcakes and punch.
You also want to send all of the guests home with a little favor from the party. Some simple but cute ideas are a baby-powder scented candle or a few "Baby Ruth" candy bars tied with a ribbon.
Games and Activities
Consider the mother- to-be when deciding on games or activities. Is she the type of person who likes loud games, or would she prefer to socialize and talk with her guests? If she is the game type, you can make up games like a baby-food tasting game, where everyone tries a little bit baby food from unmarked jars and guesses the flavor. However, if the mom-to-be would rather just socialize, you can hand a small card to each guest and have them write a piece of baby-related advice on it. You can then compile the cards in a small photo album to present to her at the end of the shower. This way, she has time to talk to each guest and the guests still can participate in the shower.
Food
The food should reflect the time of day that you are throwing the party; a brunch could include fruit, croissants and mimosas, while an evening party could have finger foods, desserts and wine. An afternoon party could feature a full sit-down or buffet lunch. Remember to include non-alcoholic drinks for the mother-to-be as well. Don't forget the cake. You can make a sheet cake with "Congratulations" written on it, or you can try something a little more creative, like cupcakes with small plastic diaper pins stuck in them.
Tags: baby born, before baby, before baby born, each guest, party could