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Are you about to participate or organize a baby shower? Here are the things you need to know.
So, the most popular questions our readers usually ask themselves are:
- When is the perfect moment for a baby shower?
- Who is supposed to plan and host a baby shower?
- Who should we put on the guest list?
We’ve got you covered 🙂
Baby showers appeared not so long time ago. They were rising in popularity during the baby boom of the 1940s-50s. Nowadays we may have too many expectations rather than joy. Follow these guidelines to ensure everyone will have a good time.
Planning
Who hosts a baby shower?
According to tradition, this event should be hosted by a distant relative or friend instead of a close family member. This way the guests will not have a feeling that the family is on a mission to collect gifts.
However, this rule isn’t strictly observed now. It’s considered acceptable for a sister or mother-in-law, to host or co-host a baby shower. Although it’s still odd for a mother-to-be to host her own event.
When should you set a baby shower?
Typically we set baby showers 4 to 6 weeks before the baby’s due date.
Parents-to-be may prefer not to receive gifts until after the baby is born for cultural, religious, or other reasons. Always ask a family before setting a particular date and arranging things as you might make people feel uncomfortable refusing your party. It is perfectly fine to have the shower after the baby’s birth.
Do we need games and a theme?
No, that depends on the parents-to-be guidelines. There’s no rule stating the color scheme or that games. The most memorable baby showers have non-traditional themes!
The Guest List
Who should we put on the guest list?
Close friends and family members should be a priority. Choose guests who would happily celebrate the mother-to-be and buy her a gift. Traditionally this event is loved by women, so very often mother-to-be prefers to invite women and girlfriends only.
However, it’s becoming increasingly common to include men (spouses, friends, and relatives) on the guest list. A good idea is to consider the dad-to-be personality: some of them may wish to share every aspect of the pregnancy, whereas others may feel uncomfortable with the idea of attending a baby shower.
Registering for Gifts
Should you register for gifts?
Some people consider it greedy to create a “shopping list” for family and friends. Others love the idea of helping parents-to-be stock up on essentials. Registries are great for guests who may not know what to give. One of the ways to handle this situation is to make a list and let your guests know that they are welcome to bring their own gift if they like.
One of the best websites to find everything you need is BuyBuyBaby. We recommend going there for gift-searching and for creating your own gift list. BuyBuyBaby is a great source of inspiration:
