Great Ideas for Hosting a Baby Shower

This is it; this may be the first set of photos the expecting mother may put in her baby album other than the ultrasound, so we want to make it right.

There’s a lot of work in putting together a baby shower so let’s break it down into steps and ease the strain of planning the event.

There are several options; you can mail out traditional invitations or if you're on a tight budget you can call and invite each guest personally.

Thanks to the Internet you can post the baby shower date and location under Events on Facebook from there you can select which friends you want to invite with an RSVP option and whether the expecting mother is registered at a certain store for baby items. It's a great reminder to those who are attending.

Depending on your time, finances and energy; the sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing which route you want to take for these hungry partygoers.

If you’re not hosting the baby shower at a restaurant then it’s time to start planning your menu.

Always keep in mind the mummy-to-be may be nibbling along with the guests so make certain that all milk and juice products are pasteurized so to make certain all bacteria and toxins are eliminated. (Most store products are pasteurized) but at farmer markets they may not be.

Arrange food on a buffet table with paper plates and utensils. The buffet table is one of the focal points so you may want to dress it in a theme according to the sex of the baby, a blue or pink tablecloth or you may want a miscellaneous one with a baby print; you can add a floral arrangement. You may be able to find a florist shop near you online and you can search through their adorable baby themes to find which arrangement you want at the convenience from your home. For more affordable options you can buy a pretty bouquet at a grocery store for a fraction of the cost.

For a usable centerpiece you could purchase a basket and fill it with baby items; bottles, rattles, pacifiers, baby lotions, non-tear shampoo and place a teddy bear or stuffy of some sort in it with a blue/pink or non gender bow on the side of basket. The basket is not only attractive but will also offer the mummy-to-be some essentials.

Another eye catching centerpiece is a diaper cake. This wonderful link will take you through it step by step;

On the guest’s tables, one of the easiest centerpieces for tables is clear short glass vases or rose bowls filled with water and a floating candle.

As for unique, this balloon centerpiece

Depending on your budget and how much time you have to prepare refreshments; here are a few delicious favorites.

Make certain to ask guests if they have a food allergy and to let them know what’s on the menu.

For most every shower it’s always good to have a vegetable and fruit platter with dip.

Here are a few great links to get you started to have your guest’s lining up to fill their plates.

Most women love chocolate so a few chocolate morsels is a must!

An easy recipe is to take a brownie mix, bake it and instead of icing, spread chocolate chips evenly over the top while still warm in the pan. The chocolate chips will melt and hardened into a nice crust.

Here are links to other chocolate delights:

There are countless recipes in the chocolate arena to choose from.

As for other desserts there’s a wide variety to pick from.

Whatever you choose have fun with it; let your creative side come out.

And at last, a slab cake is always nice to have--it adds to the decorations and is received well with the guests.

Pen and paper games:

How Many Baby Items Can You Name?

(Give each guest a pad of paper and pen) the object of the game is to write down as many baby products they can think of within 3 to 5 minutes (such as diapers, bottle, stroller, etc). It’s easy at first but near the last few minutes the players are going to struggle to think of something. The guest that lists the most baby products wins a prize.

Baby Song List:

(Give each guest a pad of paper and pen) give the players 3 to 5 minutes to write down as many songs as they can think of with the word baby in it (such as Santa Baby, Baby Come Back, Rockabye Baby, etc) whoever lists the most titles wins a prize.

Baby Memory Game:

(You'll need a tray with 15 to 20 small baby objects such as pacifier, baby's brush, baby bottle, rattle etc). Give each player a sheet of paper and pen. Place the baby items on the tray and set the tray where everyone can see it. Leave it there for one minute, and instruct guests to memorize the objects. Then remove the tray from view and give the players 3 to 5 minutes to write down what they remembered on the tray. The guest that has the most correct answers wins a prize.

Other games:

Bingo is usually a crowd pleaser.

Plates with Numbers:

Before the party starts, write numbers on the bottoms of paper plates. Once everyone grabs a plate for refreshments, inform guests to hold onto their plates, after most people have finished eating draw a number from a container; whoever has that number wins a prize.

Guess Mommy's Belly Size:

(Materials needed: yarn or string and scissors). Let each guest unravel and cut the yarn/string to the size they believe will fit around the expecting mother's belly. Once everyone has their yarn or string, compare it to the mummy-to-be's belly. Whoever is closest to her size wins a prize.

Guess How Many Clothespins:

(Materials needed: clothespins and jar). Pass around jar full of clothespins. Whoever guesses the closest amount of clothespins wins a prize.

· Dish towels

· Gift certificates to favorite coffee shops such as Starbucks or Tim Horton's

· Stationary

· Lotions

· Pedicure Basket

· Candles

· Cookbook

· Teacup and saucer

· Crocheted dishcloths

· Kitchen items such as oven mitts, potholders, measuring cups...

You’ll need pictures of the occasion, and thanks to digital cameras it’s a good idea to take many photos (there’s always time afterward to sort through the photos to select which pictures to print). Before the party begins, take pictures of the decorations, the table with the spread of food and of course the stack of gifts. Then it's time to take photos of mommy-to-be interacting with guests; the guests partaking in games and mommy-to-be opening gifts. Needless to say, make certain you have extra batteries for your camera. We want those snapshots for the mother-to-be to reminisce over for years to come.