Useful baby shower planning and party ideas for showers

If you're the hostess, doing the baby shower planning for a close friend and mom-to-be can be a special experience. Having the right party ideas, being clear on some of the basics of these events is an enormous help. But the key thing to remember in baby shower planning is the objective - which is to create a truly memorable time for the mother-to-be, to pamper her with attention and load her up with gifts! All other party ideas should help achieve this key objective.

The other rule to follow is - don't be tied down by 'rules' of baby shower planning! Allow your creativity and the mom-to-be's wishes to play. And come up with your own party ideas and ways of doing things to create a great event.

Is the event only held before the due date - how about having it after the baby is born? Well, in many cultures, baby shower planning before birth is considered unacceptable. Maybe this custom originated in times when mortality rates were high and it was by no means sure that the infant would survive, at least until it was a few weeks old. The norm today is to have the event about 4 to 8 weeks before due date, so your party ideas can be geared to this timeframe. Sometimes however, showers are held after birth for a variety of reasons.

What kinds of invitations are sent out for these events? The short answer - something that reflects the innocence of babies. You could make your own invitations by hand; if so, start your baby shower planning process slightly earlier than usual. Otherwise, there are commercially invitations available for all sorts of party ideas and themes. Check out your local stores, or see the specific page on invitations in the menu below.

Should your baby shower planning include giving favors to guests? That depends on the area you're in. In some regions, it is considered almost rude to not give favors. In others, favors are never included as party ideas, because the reasoning is that the guests are here to shower the mom-to-be, and not the other way around. So check out local practices, speak to friends who've attended events locally, to be sure.

Can you hold a surprise shower? Well, yes. However, remember that the mom-to-be might find it inconvenient for many reasons. The big disadvantage in your baby shower planning process is that you're not able to consult the mom-to-be and find out her wishes. This can be partially overcome by taking inputs on party ideas from family members or close friends.

Should you always have games at the event? Not necessarily. If the mother-to-be does not want them, is not into games, etc then don't include them in your baby shower planning. At the same time, games can be excellent party ideas because they're great icebreakers and get guests to mingle and enjoy themselves.

See this page for more shower party planning ideas. For more information on related products & services, please choose from the menu below:

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