The Hostess with the Mostest
So last week I was asked to HOST a baby shower... yes, HOST.
I remember a while back I posted about attending one and the best gift ideas.. but now I'm planning the whole sheebang!! I of course told Mom-To-Be I would be honored, and I am... This is going to be my Godchild, so I'm thinking I need to make this the most KICK-BOOTY shower of all time - for everyone!
This is going to be a big one! Mom-to-Be only WANTS one shower. We've got two very large families and lots of friends coming, probably upwards of 80-100 invites are getting sent out. Mom and Dad are choosing to keep the gender a surprise on his or her birthday, so the party will be gender neutral
All the showers I have been to are the same old.. they're nice, they're cute, but they're sort of "blah" - guess how many candies are in the bottle, baby-food taste test, eat some finger foods and cake, watch mom open gifts and play bingor, then peace out... *yawnnn*
So now I need ideas from some of the most creative gals (and guys too) I know.. ie YOU. Ideas for decorating, activities, keepsakes, favors, food - would all be quite welcome! I've started a binder already with ideas, tips, tricks, checklists, etc... but I thought there may be some great minds out there who can give me ideas I would never have thought up or come across otherwise! I want something new and unique, fun, sentimental. Not the same old
Have you ever been to a baby shower that was a big "WOW" - what was so awesome about it?
Have you played any games that were fun and unique, kept you interested? Anything that was fun and exciting to be a part of?
Did you do any sentimental acitivities? I thought about each guest writing a special note to baby on a fabric square to make a quilt, but I can't sew nearly well enough...
Did you ever host a baby shower? And do you have any advice for the first timer on hosting an awesome shower?
(If you can't tell I'm pretty darn excited for Mom and Dad and Baby!!!)
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I think the toilet paper game is kinda funeach person takes as many squares of toilet paper off a roll as they think will go around the mom's stomach. Other people might think this is blah, though.
I have never been to a really "wow" baby shower. Mine was just a few friends, and the joy in it was that I hadn't seen them in quite a while (some of them, not in years!)
made one wish for a permanent kiss that would echo through these bones like arsenic
Women are female (adj,) but not females (n.) We aren't dogs.
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Aww that is a cute idea Little! I did that once with yarn around the Mom's belly. It was cute, but the one I went to the Mom was a bit, ehem... "hormonal" and got upset when most of the strings were much larger than she was... like we were all calling her tubby or something! That was interesting...
And you kind of gave me an idea... I know of a few friends and family of hers that have moved away (and could get in contact with them through the guest of honor's mother). It would be quite the surprise if they miraculously appeared at her shower after not seeing each other in years!
Problem with that is keeping that stuff quiet... seems everyone in that family has a bit of a BIG mouth lol
Last edited by KMonte85; 07-20-2011 at 02:12 PM. Reason: finishing a thought
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I like baby showers that are more about nice colors and pretty flowers and less about baby decor, especially if it's gender neutral. Ya know, something soft and classy. But then fun it up a bit with something like the toilet paper game, or the dirty diaper game (you take like 5 cheapo diapers and melt different types of candy in each one i.e. one with reeses, one with butterfinger, etc etc and have the attendees sniff the diapers and guess what's in each one.) That's always one that makes people laugh a bit.
So I'm thinking something like, see if you can borrow some nice white tablecloths, then fresh cut flowers tied with a pale green ribbon on some tables, small glass hurricanes (vases) on the other tables filled with water, some glass beads, and a floating t-candle.
You could also think about either doing a display of scrolling baby and kid pics of the mother and father to be. If you don't have the technology available, you could do a collage.
One more thing you could do is get some sort of really cute photo album (you could even personalize it up a bit) and instead of putting pics in it, pass around card stock and have each attendee either a. write a note to the baby or b. write down their best advice for the parents to be. Then at the end, put them all in the album to give to her.
I think you can end up spending alot more on a baby this baby that, baby decor, baby everything type of shower than if you just go for something elegant.
"Be what you're looking for."
"The next time you're thinking of kicking someone when they're down, offer them your hand and help them back up instead."
I've seen where everyone has to attend with an outfit made out of toilet paper
Do we not realise that in order to find a soul
It doesn't happen over night
if truth were to be told.
Like everything in life that's hard to achieve
you must believe!
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Have each women guess what features she wants most on the baby from either her or her husband (Daddy-To-Be). An example of this idea is found below:
Attribute Mommy Daddy
Eyes X
Ears X
Nose X
Legs X
Hair X
Smile X
Intelligence X
Humor X
Other X
Another one of our favorite baby shower games is the baby shower version of Pin The Tail on the Donkey. Blindfold each participant and then give them a paper baby to then approach the mom and place the baby as close to the tummy as possible. The one who gets closest to placing the paper baby on the pregnant tummy wins.
Prior to opening the baby shower gifts, number each gift on the box starting with one. If you know that 15 people will be attending your shower, pre-print bingo cards with numbers 1 through 15 and randomly place them on 15 cards. When the mommy-to-be's decides to open the presents, she grabs the present she wants to open and reads the number out loud. As soon as someone receives bingo, they win the baby shower game and the baby shower prize.
Have each woman pull the yarn to the size they believe would fit perfectly around the Mother-To-Be's center of her pregnant tummy. After everyone cuts their string, compare the results to the Mommy-To-Be's actual tummy. Give a prize to the woman who is the most close! This is a baby shower favorite.
Ask each guest to bring a favorite book. Guests can talk about their memories of their favorite baby books. Mommy-to-be will receive a wonderful assortment of books to start baby's library.
Have all the guests at the baby shower wear a hat and call it the Mad Hatter Baby Shower Tea party! You are sure to get some laughs at how the baby shower guests come in some funny hats. Make sure to take lots of pictures as it will be a memorable party! Tell everyone they have to keep their hat on for the entire party or make a donation to the new baby!
Diapers filled with dinner mints or your favorite finger foods (for serving shower guests)
Items needed are pink or blue small baby shower napkins --1 bag small(est) safety pins(gold)-- bags of pastel colored mints or your favorite candy/food.
Cheese and Crackers - Serve a variety of crackers along with two or more cheeses.
Chicken (Teriyaki or Sate) - Serve on skewers with teriyaki or peanut sauce.
Baby Shrimp - Need we say more? Serve with cocktail sauce.
Chicken Wings - Especially popular with the men at couples showers, served with ranch dressing!
Meat Balls - Another strong performer, especially at couples showers, make sure to serve the small variety.
Mini Pizzas - Everyone loves pizza, so when they're small enough to pop in your mouth, they go fast.
Although the mommy-to-be cannot drink alcohol, make virgin daquaries as well as "preggnatinis" (martinis without the alcohol). This will let everyone feel like they are celebrating with adult spirits without the physical buzz. Coffee, tea, punch and soda are all great baby shower beverages. If the mommy-to-be doesn't mind, you may also serve wine or other alcoholic drinks. Make sure to have cream, sugar and both the pink and blue sweeteners for the coffee drinkers. You can brew a pot of tea, but hot water and an assortment of tea bags is a nice touch. If you're serving soda, make sure to have regular and diet choices. As far as the punch, there are so many recipes. You can go with a more traditional fruit punch or serve pink lemonade, raspberry-lemonade, or mint julep
A neat thing that you can do for glasses that the baby shower guests will drink from is to use baby bottles as glasses. Take out the nipples of the bottles and put fun colorful straws and fun cocktail umbrellas . It would be great to give the bottles with their tops to the mommy to be after the baby shower so she can use them.
Create a cake in the shape of a mommy-to-be belly and decorate the cake like a dress that the mommy-to-be would wear! Surround the cake with cupcakes for your baby shower guests.
Pin The Sperm on the Egg. Just like the old fashion game of pin the tail on the donkey, this new and exciting version will thrill your friends and family at your next baby shower!
Do we not realise that in order to find a soul
It doesn't happen over night
if truth were to be told.
Like everything in life that's hard to achieve
you must believe!
Thanks BD for the decorating tips... as I'm looking around, I'm noticing too that all the "baby shower" decorations are MUCH more expensive than just picking a few neutral colors and decorating with craft supplies. I know the parents are thinking of doing their nursery in a "rubber duck" theme. With that in mind, I'm thinking I may be able to use the fail-safe "yellow" theme, maybe the hurricane glasses you suggested (which sound LOVELY) but instead of a floating candle, a floating rubber ducky? That might be cute without being TOO cutesy!
CW thank you for the game suggestions! I have never heard of some of those which is exactly what I'm looking for - something new! Pin the sperm on the egg sounds like it could be a lot of fun! And a bit cheeky
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ohhh the rubber ducky idea in place of the candles is an excellent idea!!! You can buy a bag of the small duckies for pretty cheap!
"Be what you're looking for."
"The next time you're thinking of kicking someone when they're down, offer them your hand and help them back up instead."
Amazon, baby! 2 dozen rubber ducks for $5! Can't go wrongOriginally Posted by Beautiful Disaster
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Think quality over quantity every place that you can. ie: Who you invite should be a select group of people that all have meaning to mom and not everyone she works with, etc. People she hasn't seen for a while, friends that have moved away but are still within driving distance. A favorite aunt, cousins, teacher, etc.
Quality finger foods. No need to be "Betty Extravagant" and roll out a big meal. Everybody is watching their weight these days, so keep things small (a bite or two) and offer a variety.
Based on the number of these I have been involved in, and you'd be surprised how many, most people I have found are more into simple socialization with good food, friends and gifts then the "traditional" shower type of games.
Many ideas with lots of proven recipes too. Contact me if you're interested.
Don't allow yourself to get stressed about it whatever you decide to do. A happy hostess makes for a happy party and a happier guest of honor.
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