Oh, Baby!
By Jan Pierce
The age-old desire to celebrate the birth of a child is alive and well in 2018. Here are some of the trends and a few old favorites to get your creative juices flowing as you plan the next happy welcoming party.
Themes and Décor
The Bring a Book Shower: Each guest brings a book for baby, inscribed with a message for both baby and Mom. Build baby’s library.
Sprinkles and Rainbow Confetti: Liberally use confetti in balloons, sprinkles on cupcakes and frosted cookies, and even on the rims of drink glasses.
Bumblebees and Honey: Brighten up your table and the entire room with black and yellow. Personalized honey jars with baby’s name go home with each guest. The room will be buzzin’.
Pickles and Ice Cream: Your guests may have to have a good sense of humor for this one, but you can find ways to make this theme both fun and appetizing.
Animals. Yes, children love animals, so choose your favorite—elephants, monkeys, giraffes, teddy bears or frogs. Find books with animal characters, decorate with stuffed animals, use the motif on the refreshment table and in the games.
Book Themes: Choose the Velveteen Rabbit, Corduroy, or Pat the Bunny. Use illustrations from the book to decorate and a copy of the book on the refreshment table. Create take home favors with quotes from the book.
Boy and Girl Stuff: Select from cute boy themes such as robots, lumberjacks, cowboys, airplanes or rockets. For the girls choose from ruffles and ribbons, flowers, reaching for the stars, or princesses. Or be gender neutral and choose the circus, the wild west, ocean beaches or the jungle.
Refreshments
Momosas also known as preggatinis are a big hit with guests. Serve non-alcoholic juices with an assortment of chopped fruits for the glasses. They’re beautiful and yummy.
Waffle Buffet with fresh, crisp waffles, honey butter, fruit toppings and whipped cream.
Bagel Buffet with toasted bagels, cream cheese, cheeses, ham or turkey slices or nut butters.
Cupcakes decorated and arranged into a baby theme such as a stroller, an animal, a balloon, or a book.
Fresh fruit kabobs on skewers. Use unusual fruits such as kiwi, mango chunks, fresh berries. Provide a lemon yogurt-whipped cream dip.
English Tea items including scones with Devonshire cream, tiny sandwiches, fresh fruit and brewed cups of tea.
Take Home Favors
Mini-plants such as succulents potted individually and ready to take home and “watch them grow.”
Bagged popcorn or caramel corn finished with a decal saying “ready to pop.”
Baby rattle oreo pops, bagged and personalized with baby’s name.
Bottles of champagne. Label with these instructions: “When baby is born, pop the cork and toast our joy.”
Bottles of nail polish with the label: “Cheers to ten little fingers and ten little toes.”
Games/Crafts
Painted onesies: Buy plain white onesies and craft paints. Use stencils to sponge paint cute pictures for baby.
What’s in Your Purse game: Make a list of the usual purse items plus some unique and curious ones. See who has the most interesting handbag.
Create a Baby’s first year Scrapbook to gift to the mom-to-be. Provide scrapbooking materials and let the guests create a one of a kind gift.
Pre-print twenty-six sturdy alphabet pages and art supplies. Allow guests to illustrate baby’s first alphabet book.
Play a trivia game from children’s literature. Create a fill in the blank sheet using well-known children’s books such as Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, Curious George and the like.
As you plan the shower, select a theme first and then let the rest of the event fall into place. You’ll have as much fun planning and creating the event as your guests will when they arrive.
Central California Parent is the #1 FREE parenting resource for Central Valley families.
Stay connected with Central California Parent throughout the month!
• Like Us on Facebook
• Follow Us on Instagram
• Follow Us on Pinterest
• Follow Us on Twitter
• Subscribe For our Family E-Newsletter
• Read Our Digital Edition
• Enter for our FREE Giveaways