Planning A Baby Shower |
A few of our Invitations:
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| It is preferable to mail baby shower invitations 3-4 weeks in advance of the party date, but even 2 weeks can be enough provided your most important guests (immediate family) know of the baby shower party date in advance and have marked their calendars. Remember when selecting the date for your baby shower, babies do come early so don't wait too close to the anticipated due date or baby's untimely arrival may have you scrambling for a new date. See below for ideas on the different types of baby showers you may want to consider. |
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Girls Only Baby Shower
Traditionally, baby showers have been for women only and usually in
the home of the hostess. When planning a baby shower, consider a
girls only baby shower where stories are told of pregnancy, labor and
surviving the sleepless nights to come. A brunch, lunch or a tea
are great options for afternoon baby showers. For evenings, you might
consider a buffet or a sit down dinner at your home or a restaurant
with a room large enough to accommodate your group. |
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Men too?
Couples baby showers are becoming more popular. Dad has been
included in the pregnancy and labor classes, so why not include him in
the baby shower too. Men also might enjoy reminiscing about
their own experiences of being a new dad. Friday, Saturday
nights or Sunday afternoon are good times for couples to clear their
schedule to attend your party. A cookout or a buffet keeps
guests circulating. A cocktail or hors d'oeuvres and dessert
party early in the evening might be ideal. |
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Family only Baby Shower
A baby shower for
family only is a great excuse for a family reunion. If your
family is scattered around the area or the country, you might want to
consider having the shower after the birth of the baby so that
everyone can see the new addition to the clan and enjoy a baby shower
at the same time. There will be plenty of women glad to help
hold and cuddle a new baby so the new mother can enjoy the day. |
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After the Birth Baby Shower
No more guessing, you know know it's a boy or girl and unisex gifts
don't have to be the only option. An added bonus is showing off
the new baby! It is a little harder to plan a baby shower for after
the birth as babies don't always arrive on their due dates. Make
the baby shower date for at least 4-6 weeks after the expected due date and
even in the event the baby's two weeks overdue, your shower date
should be okay. Just remember, the new parents will probably be
sleep deprived so make the shower short and early in the day. |
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Office Party Baby Shower
A small pizza party-baby shower combo might be a fun way to shower a
co-worker. Everyone pitches in for the food and even a group
gift. Schedule the party before her maternity leave (some mom's
change their mind and decide not to come back to work) in a
restaurant, a corner of the company's lunch room or an after hours
party when the office has cleared out. |
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Surprise Baby Shower
A fun way to surprise the mother-to-be is to make her believe she is
attending something else. A lunch with the girls, meet at
Sally's house to go to the movies, a shopping date with her sisters,
you get the idea. The father-to-be can offer to drop her off and
plan for someone else to bring her home. You'll definitely need
the father-to-be or guest of honor's mother's help on this one so you, the party
planner, aren't the one who ends up surprised if the guest of honor
backs out at the last minute. |
| Most important,
take time to smile and enjoy the wonderful party you've planned! |
