A Brief History of the Baby Shower

Would you believe the baby shower is an ancient practice?

The event known as the bridal shower in the United States is really only the latest incarnation of traditions and communal practices that has lasted for thousands of years. In fact, the friends and relatives of expecting mothers come together in all the world’s cultures.

And while the traditional American baby shower may be the most elegant and possibly the most elaborate version of this perennial get-together, it’s still just part of a larger global heritage of helping new mothers get their start.

The baby shower tradition is as old as civilization.

Even during the earliest eras of history, it was not uncommon for people in small cities and towns to donate goods and foods to families expecting children. This was done out of a sense of communal responsibility and also simple human kindness. Often times, women would donate clothing that their own children had outgrown.

In the United States, such practices were especially common on the American frontier, where fresh goods and clothes were sometimes hundreds of miles away.

The baby boom brought the baby shower to American awareness.

The years following the end of World War II saw American men and women starting families in unprecedented numbers. As more and more babies flooded American society, the arrival of a new child into the community (especially affluent suburbs) became a time for neighbors, friends, and relatives to congregate and toast the new mother. Very similar in style and structure to a birthday party, the baby shower planning was often handled by a friend or someone unrelated to the guest of honor.

Baby shower planning changed with the times.

As years passed, the baby shower idea went through its own kinds of changes. Baby showers often became less formal, hosted by a family member or close friend. The baby shower decorations often became more elaborate as well.

Baby shower invitations and centerpieces call the tune

Among the most recent yet stylish innovations are the baby shower invitations and the baby shower centerpieces. The innovations are very similar to upscale bridal invitations, but coordinate with the baby shower themes and color schemes instead.
Baby shower centerpieces range from original design elements to functional yet sizeable gifts such as baby shower diaper cakes and layette sets. The other gifts given are sometimes coordinated into a baby shower registry by the hostess, making sure that the new mother gets as many different gifts as possible to help her get ready for baby.

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The Three Secrets To Your Best Baby Shower: Gifts, Favors, and Centerpieces

You can host a baby shower!

Baby shower planning is really just the managing of different kinds of details in order to produce an event that carries incredible sentimental value for all concerned.

You’re probably aware of the baby shower games and baby shower gifts that are a big part of the traditional American baby shower. But these days it’s important to think about baby shower favors and centerpieces as well, so your guests have the maximum presentation you can afford to give them.

Presented below is a straight-facts look at the three most important areas of the baby shower decorations – presented in a new light!

Baby shower centerpieces

Every party needs a centerpiece, so guests have something to gather around and mingle, the gifts have somewhere to go, and the decorations have a focal point. The baby shower centerpiece can be a specially arranged object d’art or something already in the baby shower meeting place (that is to say, your venue or home).

Baby shower centerpieces can also be diaper cakes or gift wagons, which provide a wealth of gifts themselves but are big enough to “anchor” a presentation. Such centerpieces are invaluable after the shower, too, because of all their help to the new mother.

Baby shower favors

It’s not enough these days for the modern baby shower hostess to entertain her guests. The fashionable hostess will also provide baby shower favors that allow guests to remember the event long after it’s over.

Like the baby shower invitations, baby shower favors ideally match the décor scheme, complimenting it at the time of the shower and representing its aesthetics forever after. Some favors highlight the shower’s specific theme, while others are simply elegant in a traditional sense. Some are also personalized, so that the baby shower is unique to its own celebration.

Baby shower gifts

Of course, the most important part of any baby shower is the gifts and presents! Of all the baby shower ideas that go into the planning, perhaps none are more considered as the right choice of gift.

But as the hostess, you can make the gifts even more unique by coordinating the gifts among the guests. Set up a gift registry, either online or by phone, so that all the guests can make sure they gift they give is unique. You’ll save the mother to be time spent returning multiple gifts and let every guest know the satisfaction of having helped the new mother make her start.

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Five Ways To Serve The Perfect Baby Shower Meal

As you plan the baby shower, remember that nothing helps encourage a good time quite like serving some delicious food. Along with the baby shower games and the unwrapping of the baby shower gifts, the meal is the most important part of the whole baby shower planning.

But serving your guests the right amount of food is easier than you might expect. Just be careful to plan in advance and let your guests know what you’re serving when you send out your baby shower invitations.

A catered affair is elegantly lovely.
If you’re hosting the baby shower at your home, you can still have the catering delivered. This frees you from the cost and time investment of fixing the food itself and lends your baby shower decorations a certain prestige. On the downside, it’s often more expensive than fixing the baby shower meal itself. Of course, you may be able to negotiate a deal with the caterer as well, saving you both time and money.

How to treat guests to a home-cooked meal
Of course, few guests will turn down a home-cooked meal with all the “fixings.” Preparing everything by yourself saves money, but creates the need for a huge time investment. As a solution, you may choose to invite some of the other baby shower guests to help you cook the day or morning before the baby shower.

Invite guests to bring their own
A bring-your-own baby shower creates a straightforward baby shower dining choice that won’t break your budget as you plan the baby shower ideas and decorations. The bring-your-own approach should be mentioned on the baby shower invitations, however, and you’ll want to beautify its presentation by aligning each dish around a carefully selected baby shower centerpiece.

Serve light appetizer snacks or a dessert and coffee instead of a full meal. Your guests may likely be watching what they eat, or won’t care to have a full meal if your baby shower is held mid-afternoon. Instead, just serving light appetizers or a gourmet dessert with piping hot coffee makes an elegantly feminine alternative to a full meal. Just be sure to announce as much on the invitations.

Dress up the food with unique presentations and baby shower favors. The food will look twice as good when served on plates and with glasses that complement your design scheme. The perfect baby shower favor will also entertain guests as everyone dines. After the shower winds down, it’ll make a unique keepsake of the whole celebration.

Plan Your Perfect Baby Shower In Ten Steps, Part One

Counting down the best baby shower planning tips and decorations ideas

Wondering how to plan the perfect baby shower?

The truth is that baby showers don’t take as much planning or baby shower idea brainstorming as many people expect. There are lots of details to get right, to be honest, just as if you were planning any other formal or even informal event.

But taking things one step at a time is a great way to keep on top of all those details, while allowing you time to enjoy your life as well.

1. Choose a hostess.

The hostess should be someone trustworthy enough with all the details. According to most rules of baby shower etiquette, the baby shower planning should be handled by someone outside the immediate family. This prevents the appearance that the family is trying to get free baby supplies by inviting friends and relatives to buy them gifts.

There’s no reason the baby shower can’t have a host, either. For that matter, showers can also be co-ed if the mother to be has no objections.

2. Time your event right.

The timing presents a critical challenge to a successful baby shower. Traditionally, the shower takes place in the third trimester of pregnancy, but it’s also okay to wait until after the child is born.

Try to stage the baby shower on the weekend, as a Saturday luncheon or dinner. You’ll want to accommodate as many of your guests’ schedules as you can. The mother to be will also have many other things to take care of, as well.

3. Get the right space for the baby shower.

With your date set, you can start looking for a place. Depending on the level of formality you and the mother to be choose, you can hold the event at a restaurant, bistro, café, or even in the comfort of your own home.

Remember to keep the decorations in sync with the venue you choose, and to complement the décor with the right baby shower favors and games. The more you coordinate, the more prevalent your motif will become.

4. Even the food and drinks should fit the baby shower idea.

The menu served at the baby shower doesn’t have to be elaborate and it doesn’t have to be gourmet cuisine, but remember to take care of your guests. If you hold the event in midday, simply serving a light lunch or appetizers is sufficient. An evening event requires a fuller meal.

5. Use baby shower favors to keep the theme foremost in the guests’ minds.

Baby shower favors can also complement your food and drinks. For example, giving guests a kitchen timer is both a useful gift but also symbolizes the anticipation that’s such a part of the baby shower celebration. The favor will remind the guests of the shower’s good time long after they’ve returned home.

More steps, baby shower ideas and planning tips can be found in part two of this article.

Plan Your Perfect Baby Shower In Ten Steps, Part Two

See Part One of this series for more tips on picking a baby shower hostess, choosing decorations, and setting a time, among others. In this section, we’ll talk about invitations, dining, baby shower games, and how to give out the gifts and presents.

5. Baby shower invitations tells guests what to expect.

Your baby shower invitations should tell your guests what to expect form the event itself. Invitations give guests the chance to plan for the event by rearranging their schedules and by buying any new clothes or getting their hair done in time for the celebration.

Invitations should go out several weeks in advance, to give guests that important lead-in time. Printed invitations are still more personal and classy than emails, and remember to include RSVP information on the invite itself.

4. Baby shower dining is more than just food and beverages.

As we said in step seven, the food and drink you serve will depend on the time of day you hold the baby shower. But keeping the food appropriate to the time and place is just half the hostesses’ duties. You’ll also want to keep expenses slim as well.

The venue where you hold the event may have specially prepared menus for their larger groups. You may wish to choose these as a cost-saving decision. Such deals are worth investigating before making your final reservation.

3. Let the games begin.

Most guests will come to the baby shower expecting some games to play. The baby shower game is a big part of the tradition!

The baby shower games, like the invitations, should match the tone and décor of the baby shower itself. Depending on your shower, you may want to offer such games as Baby Phrase Hangman, Who’s Got the Stinky Diaper?, and Pin The Diaper On The Baby.

2. Give out the gifts.

Letting the mother to be unwrap her presents is a matter of delicate etiquette. As a guideline, just go clockwise around the room, choosing the gift of each guest one after another. You might save your gift for last or go first.

1. What to do when it’s over.

Once the baby shower concludes, the role of the hostess is largely a matter of retracing her steps. You’ll want to thank the guests for coming, and check with the events coordinator at the venue to make sure all last minute details and expenses are arranged for. After that, it’s time to relax and take pride in a job well done.

Get Book Smart with a Book-Themed Baby Shower!

There’s nothing like a good book, even in today’s techno-charged society.  And it’s never too early to introduce baby to the wonderful world of books.  Having a baby shower with a book theme is a great way to get baby off to a good reading start!  A book-themed baby shower is fun, easy on the gift givers and helps build the baby’s library with educational and fun books.  Here are some creative ways to make your baby shower book smart!

Choosing a theme book
While guests can bring books of any type, it is helpful (and fun) to choose a particular book to center the decorations around.  Consider the possibilities!  Mother Goose and Dr. Seuss books have lots of fun themes for baby showers, like “Green Eggs and Ham” for a brunch shower.  “Thomas the Train” could be used for a shower held at a train depot.  Make an intriguing centerpiece by standing books on the table surrounded by a few tea light candles or flowers. 

Check out the invitation
Create a mock library card to use as your invitation.  All the event details can be cleverly included.  For example, the name of the book can be “Great Expectations” or any other appropriate book title, with the mother’s name as the author.  The due date of the book’s return can be the date of the party.  In the description field, ask guests to bring a children’s book to help build a library for the little one.

Wish upon a star
You can also include a wish list of other gifts within the book theme, such as a reading rocking chair, book ends or book shelf.  A diaper bag with plenty of pockets to carry books and other items would be a great addition to the list.

Make it a toddler book club
If there are older siblings, invite their friends and have a special book club reading of nursery rhymes or books just for them.  Parents can take turns reading or you can bring in a professional in costume.  Chances are, your guests will appreciate being able to bring their children, and they won’t have to hire a babysitter. 

Page holder turned place holder
What better gift to give at a book-themed shower than a bookmark!  Guests will appreciate the practicality of this baby shower favor that totally captures the theme.  Bookmarks with a photo inset can also be used as a place holder at the baby shower by simply inserting each guest’s name. 

This article was brought to you by Corner Stork Baby Gifts at http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com , an online retail company specializing in boutique-quality unique baby gifts and baby shower favors. We are also dedicated to providing informative articles on pregnancy and prenatal health, infant and baby health, infant and baby safety, parenting skills and strategies and other topics of interest to mothers- and fathers-to-be, parents and the public. Author: Karen Sullen

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.