Baby Showers Are A Tradition For Our Time
Baby showers are not just a time to celebrate – they’re a time to look ahead.
Though the classic American baby shower is a relatively new part of our culture, it’s quickly become an important part of the pre-maternal preparations. It’s also part of a much larger tradition!
Friends and families have gathered to help the new mother prepare for the child’s arrival for thousands of years. Sometimes whole villages would gather to give gifts and supplies, in order to make the early months of the baby’s infancy easier for the mother to care for. Other times it was simply the family sharing whatever they could.
The modern baby shower is a kind of complicated event, with some planning required and a little forethought necessary. But they’re not impossible to do right – they’re not even all that stressful!
Hosting the baby shower
Traditional etiquette says a member of the new mother’s family must not host the baby shower. But this rule has largely fallen by the wayside. Today’s baby shower planning is handled by mothers, sisters, cousins, and of course friends. The shower can even have a host instead of a hostess, too.
Baby shower planning
Planning the baby shower is largely a question of deciding how formal an event the mother-to-be wants and then planning accordingly. The baby shower invitations should match the tone and theme of the shower itself, so that guests know what to expect.
Baby showers are usually either held a restaurant or café or as a catered event at the hostess’ home.
Baby shower themes give the party a special flavor.
Many baby showers have a theme, or coordinating motif, that allows their hostesses and decorators room to explore the different kinds of décor available to them. Themes can range from fun and games to a specific time and place (for example, the beach) or a special idea the mother to be appreciates (like a fairy tale theme explaining the magic of parenthood.)
Baby shower gifts and baby shower centerpieces
The true baby shower centerpiece, of course, is the new mother. Baby shower gifts typically include layette sets, clothing and supplies for the nursery and crib, diaper cakes, and even keepsake memory gifts and personalized baby shower gifts.
Baby shower planners should set up a baby gift registry online through email or social networking web sites, so that guests can properly coordinate what gifts everyone gives. This will give the mother to be the widest selection of different gifts, sparing her the time-consuming hassle of returning duplicate items.