Baby Shower Ideas

I recently hosted a baby shower for a friend. Here are a few pointers that I picked up along the way...


1. Use Evite. I have never done this before and it made inviting people so much easier. I have found that with traditional paper invitations, people would never RSVP and I'd have no idea how many folks to expect. Not with Evite! A few of the invited guests didn't have email address. I was able to print off a copy of the Evite and put it in the snail mail for them. I also printed off a copy for the mom-to-be to use in her scrapbook.

2. Choose a simple theme and use it! I picked a little bird theme. For a decoration, I made this mobile that the mom-to-be took home with her. This isn't the best photo, but I bought a bouquet of baby's breath (get it?!) and stuck scrapbook paper birds on floral picks in it.We had plates and napkins that matched, and candles lit to create a festive atmosphere. You can change up these ideas to suit whatever theme you choose, or purchase ready made theme kits at party supply stores.

3. Ask the mom what she needs. The mom I hosted for really wanted to take donations to put towards a stroller. So, I politely asked guests to contribute in lieu of bringing gifts. This might work best for a second time mom.

4. Play a few games, but keep them short. I've found that most people just want to socialize and/or swap their own pregnancy and labor stories. Too many games can get in the way.

5. Provide store bought or handmade thank you notes as a gift for the mom and have guests address their own envelope at the shower. This was done for me once and I was amazed how much easier it made writing the thank you notes.

6. Give the mom a blank, lined journal as a simple gift. Have guests write blessings to the mom and baby in it, and record what gifts were given. Later the mom can use it record baby's milestones or funny things the child says as he or she grows. A friend also did this for me and I'm still using the journal four years later. I've found that my daughter's baby book didn't have enough room to write all Iwanted to in it. I love having the journal and the extra space it provides to detail memories. I liked it so much that I've purchased one for each of my kids.

Please feel free to share additional baby shower ideas in the comments section. We love to hear from you!