Throwing a baby shower is supposed to be a celebration of friendship, parenting advice and the precious incoming new baby. Etiquette dictates that you don’t throw your own baby shower and, as a friend or family of the Mom-to-Be, the last thing you’ll want to do is throw an embarrassing party. It’s a special event that will not only help introduce friends and family to one another but also provide the new mom with some starter items that they will need once the baby arrives.
However, you might not have any clue how to throw a party – especially if this is the first child of the Mom-to-Be. The following should help you structure a baby shower that not only isn’t boring, but will be worth remembering forever!
Set the Date
Typically, the baby shower is held during the last two months of pregnancy, but some couples will wait until the Guest of Honor is born and can be present. When planning a party, ask the special couple what time frame works best for them.
Make It Coed and Family Friendly
This doesn’t mean the ladies you invite will have to bring their boyfriend/husband/partner/kids but parties tend to be a lot more fun for individuals if they have co-pilot so they aren’t stuck potentially making small talk the whole time. This also helps parents come celebrate without needing to find a babysitter for the afternoon.
Supply Food, Drink & Booze
It’s not a good idea to serve your guests only cheese and some stale crackers. It’s a party, so treat your guests and yourself to a great time – nobody wants to be hungry at a party! While there are plenty of cute and themed ideas for the baby shower food spread, you can always just supply finger sandwiches, bowls of pasta salad, fruits and veggies, if you aren’t feeling creative.
Just because the Mom-to-Be can’t drink doesn’t mean you should shy away from supplying booze at the party. Most Moms won’t be offended if the guests of her shower can share a few laughs over mimosas or a glass of wine. Many moms even encourage people to drink during the shower to make sure everyone is loosened up and feeling fun!
Don’t Play Boring Games!
If you’ve ever been to a baby shower before, you have likely had to partake in or, at the very least, bear witness to a really lame game being forced on guests. Nobody wants to watch a grown man or woman in a diaper or baby bonnet trying to guess how big the Mom-to-Be has gotten. This has been done a million times and was never actually fun or funny.
Don’t make your party guests cringe, there are plenty of great shower games to play that won’t take cheap pot shots at the Mom-to-Be.
Don’t Wrap the Gifts
Unless it is a small shower with only a few people attending, don’t wrap the gifts. The process of opening all the gifts, pretending to be wowed by every single one so that your friends and family don’t feel bad that you now have three of the same baby blanket can take forever. Instead of having the gift opening be the “main event” of the shower, have the unwrapped presents set down on a table where everyone can admire them. That way everyone can see the beautiful diaper cake you bought for the Mom-to-Be without feeling like they are a hostage until the gift giving ceremony is complete.
You can throw a baby shower however you want, but following the above tips is going to make sure that you have the best time possible that the new parents will remember and cherish forever.
